The Last Prayer
by GraeFoxx
Summary: There are times where all it takes is the right voice to help you realize the greatness within to conquer the painful evil without. Uzumaki Naruto's voice of promise just so happens to be his own... from the future. Warning: Lemons, Moral Ambiguity, Gray Area Decisions, Slow Build, and Harem. Naruto w/ Kurenai, Ino, Sakura, Tenten, Hinata, Temari, Mabui, Samui, and Mei
1. 01A Will of Fire

Hello all.

There are a few things I want to mention right off the bat. One, I'm a big fan of Naruto, not to say I love every aspect of the manga/show, but it's one of my favorite stories and Naruto's one of my favorite characters. As such, I'll be sticking to the manga and non-filler anime. I may take something from the movies but as of this moment, that's not likely.

Two: This fanfic came about after I put a hold on my initial fanfic, From Ruin. I was just writing for writing's sake, not necessarily thinking about where the story or characters were going. It turns out, I like it. I've written three chapters so far and I thought I'd post it just to see what people think of it. This also means that I have no idea where this story is going, so, updates may vary.

Three: I've aged up the characters but not the events. Just their physical appearance, not mental maturity. So Team 7 has just been formed, but everyone is starting at 16 years of age. I did that because there's sex in this fic and even if they're cartoons, I don't want to think about 13 yr olds having sex. That ain't my thing. Though I should mention that I rarely say their age so you may not even notice the age-up since everything else is the same.

Four: This is a mature fanfic. Please do not read if sex is not something you like to read in a story. Speaking of, my current mindset is that of relationship between Naruto and multiple women. Relationship, not sex for the hell of it. And no, sex is not love, so even if characters have sex that doesn't mean they share love for each other. Any fem. character who didn't like Naruto when the manga started, isn't going to like him in the beginning of my fic either. Multi may turn into Harem later, but only if it happens in a way that makes sense.

Five: These characters have flaws. I mean it, too. They can make bad or horrible choices under the right circumstances. I'm unapologetic about this point because this may be a fanfic, but I like moral ambiguity and pushing characters in unexpected ways. This doesn't mean the entire fic is dark and angsty. There are plenty of nice and lighter moments(and lemons), but I don't shy away from characters making bad decisions. If you don't like that, I get it. It probably means you're morally wealthy. Good for you, but this is your warning.

Lastly, this is the first time I've ever written multiple perspective, so, that was interesting.

P.S. For those who are read my first fic, From Ruin, please know that I have not abandoned. I will get back to it. I'm taking time to think of resolutions.

P.P.S. If FFNet takes it down due to explicit sex scenes, you can find it on Archive of Our Own under same name.

Enjoy :)

* * *

NARUTO

At first, it was just a hum; the kind one might annoyingly swat away, absolutely sure a fat fly was buzzing far to close to the ear.

Mere weeks later and for quite some time, the sound morphed into distant chatter; hazy, like the final incoherent echoes of conversation. It had made, then, potential graduate student, Uzumaki Naruto constantly swivel his head like a whip, dead intent on locating this elusive chatter. He heard it everywhere; in the middle of class, walking through the markets, training in the woods, relaxing in his apartment, and his frustration grew every time he couldn't locate its source. Presently, however, as he drags his feet away from Konoha's hospital, the last thing on his mind was some annoying chattering sound he couldn't identify.

The day was bright and the pure white clouds were large and puffy against the baby blue of the sky. Certainly, a joyous day for many in the nation of Fire, unless you were Naruto and Umino Iruka. The thoughtful and caring chūnin-sensei had selflessly saved his life from the traitor, Mizuki, just days before, using his body to stop a large shuriken that was meant for him. For his troubles, Naruto's favorite academy sensei is now paralyzed from the chest down.

Walking that long sorrowful path toward nothing and no one, the only voice in Naruto's head was the list of injuries the nurse was adamant the young genin had caused that night by needlessly moving Iruka-sensei in a panicked rush to get the injured chūnin-sensei to the hospital.

"Because of your carelessness," the nurse yelled, "his spine, spinal nerve roots, intercostal nerves, ribs, and lungs were extraneously damaged. Because of you, he'll never have a career as an active Konoha shinobi again! He'll be lucky if he can ever walk again. Now, get out! He doesn't want to see you!"

Truthfully, Naruto didn't understand most of what she said. It all sounded terrible, but the part that struck him the most, the thing he blames himself so utterly over, is being the reason Iruka-Sensei can never be a shinobi again.

Before he knew the extent of his sensei's injuries, Naruto was supremely confident the scarred sensei would be fine in a couple of days. Naruto himself recalls being stabbed before and he was always fine in a day or two. He had been so excited to visit the chūnin to show off his brand new hitai-ate, to regale him with how they passed Kakashi-sensei's bell test, only to be yelled that Iruka-sensei doesn't want to see him. The difference in walks to and from the hospital is like a moonless night and a pleasant day.

'_Why wouldn't he be fine? He was supposed to be_,' Naruto can't help but think. '_That shouldn't happen to good people_.'

Lamenting over the grievous injury of his single mentor—his fourth special person after Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji, and Ayame-nee—he unknowingly found himself on the best spot overlooking all of Konoha. Admiring the robust village, now cognizant of why the majority hate him and the thing inside him, it only fueled his need to make things right again, to desperately fight this horrible feeling in his chest from festering. Jiji had taught him long ago that nothing changes if you stay unhappy about it.

"Smiling is contagious because happiness is contagious," Naruto recites, recalling Hokage-jiji explain to him after another crowd had hurt him. _"When we are happy, people can feel that energy, and it can make them happy in return. That is why I think the best weapon against hatred and loneliness is love and friendship."_ The old man would smile happily at a frightened five-year-old Naruto, and Naruto, though sad and confused, couldn't help a small smile spread his lips. From that point on, Naruto grew to understand the old man's words with every passing day, and tried to fight the village's animosity with his best smiles and goodwill.

'_If I became the best shinobi in the village, and then the best Hokage of all time, I just know Iruka-sensei would be happy_,' Naruto mentally declares as if combating the guilt within with his sheer determination. He may not be the smartest shinobi in class, but even he knows the steps to take Jiji's white hat; work harder than anyone and protect your village. '_I couldn't stop Mizuki-teme from hurting Iruka-sensei, but I won't let anything bad happen to sensei again! I know it!_'

'_**Na.. rut..o**_.'

Naruto whipped around, hopping on his feet, looking for whoever called his name. It was faint, wispy really, but he's certain he heard it. "Hello!" he cautiously calls. "Who's there?"

There's no response. After a few seconds of silence, Naruto straightens up from his guarded stance. Confident it must've been his imagination, he hops off of the Yondaime's stone visage to train; To make Iruka-sensei proud. Team seven's first meeting as an official Konoha squad isn't until next week, and with clenched fists, he's determined to be the best one in it.

'_It won't be for nothing Iruka-sensei! Just you watch,_' he mentally pumps himself up as he dashes to his favorite training ground: Training Ground 28.

It's a small thing compared to the better newer training grounds, or the older revered ones nearer to the center of town, but it's less likely to have any shinobi already training in it. Using rotting, weathered targets hanging from various branches of several trees for his shuriken and kunai practice, he concentrates on attempting six simultaneous shuriken throws. He's gotten fairly good at throwing two shiruken per hand with decent accuracy, but three per hand is frustrating him to get right. As he's just about to release the spinning missiles, he hears it again.

'_**Naru..to**_,'

It's louder, seizing his muscles for a split second and breaking his concentration, scattering his precious few throwing stars everywhere but on target.

"Uah, wh-wh-wh-who's there!" Naruto yells out, searching desperately around, in shadows, in the canopy above or bushes below, extending his senses for any sound that's not of nature. "Whoever it is better come out now or I swear I'll make you eat dirt!" he adamantly yells with a pointed finger. No one comes out. It was silent, unnerving, and he was still and rigid for a solid five minutes. He nearly relaxes his guard when he heard it again.

'_**Can...ou hear... e?**_'

Naruto begins to wonder if he's going crazy because it was starting to sound more like this unrecognizable male voice was in his head rather than somewhere around him where unrecognizable voices ought to be.

"W-w-wh-who," Naruto stammers, asking aloud but dreading a response... very much so dreading it.

'_**I can... ear you bet..er**_,' the voice said, and Naruto runs. Like a bolt out of a bow, he sprints full out with no real direction in mind other than away. '_**How's**__**… that**_,' the voice asks. '_**That better?**_'

'_I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy..._' Naruto mentally repeats, casually noticing the voice feels even clear despite sprinting away from it. Feeling nothing but adrenaline in his legs, he runs flat out, making the trees look like a blurry paste around him.

'_**You're no... going crazy**_,' the young but deep voice states, interjecting his reply in Naruto's thoughts.

Suddenly, Naruto ends his panicked sprint with a bit of a slide, ninja sandals ripping earth until he comes to a stop, shouting, "wait a' minute!" Looking around the forest again, he asks, "is this a prank? That you Konohamaru? ...Sasuke-teme? ...Kakashi-sensei? Whoever it is, you better believe I won't rest until I get you back ten times worse!"

'_**It's not... prank**_,' the voice says. '_**Though that'd be... pretty awesome prank.**_'

"AAHH," Naruto groans in startling surprise, bringing up his fingers nails to be nervously gnawed on by his teeth. "This is genjutsu! Some kinda crazy illusion... trying to- to make me do something stupid, like steal women's panties or eat vegetables. I won't do it!"

'_**This isn't genjutsu, Naruto,**_' the voice says with a chuckle. '_**Kami, it feels so weird calling you that.**_'

"Why would that be weird, you weirdo. It's my name! How do you even know my name!?" Naruto tosses back strongly, walking around bushes and behind trees, doing his best to locate a physical person nearby who's responsible for this jutsu, and yet he finds no one.

'_**I know it's your name**_,' the voice says, still seemingly sounding amused. '_**Because it's also my name.**_'

But for a couple of skeptical blinks, his entire body freezes as his patience momentarily yields and reboots. "...this- this may be a wicked prank, but I'm still not falling for it!" Naruto yells. "I'm the one and only, future Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto! Now get out here so I can kick the crap out you!"

'_**Well, listen up, Uzumaki Naruto: the Next Hokage**_,' Naruto starts, lightly mocking the boy's use of his full name and aspiration. '_**What I**__**'m about to tell you is going to be hard to believe, but you and I share the same name because we're actually the same person. I'm the you from the future.**_'

Two more blinks at the unexpectedly ludicrous revelation and an exhale of admiration, and Naruto can't help but think with a small measure of respect, '_Uwwaaahh, even I wouldn't have thought of a prank like that_.'

'_**Thanks, but since I'm you, technically you did, or will... No, I mean, this isn't a prank**_,' the voice mentally replies to Naruto's thought.

"You can read my mind!?" Naruto calls out, nearly falling from the branch he was using to scale a tree in search of the hidden prankster. After regaining his balance, he hops to the ground, beginning to entertain the notion that there's no one to find because there was no one around.

'_**Oh, this is going to take a while... time we don't have**_,' the voice couldn't help but exhale. '_**Look, I really am you from the future and I can prove it. You should be Genin by this point, at least that's what I was aiming for. Our- your J**__**ōnin-sensei is Hatake Kakashi, and your teammates are Haruno Sakura-chan and Uchiha Sasuke**_.'

"Beh! That doesn't prove anything," Naruto quickly retorts, still looking around. "They announced it in class. Everyone heard."

'_**Fair enough**_,' the young deeper voice concedes. '_**How about something only we- you would know? Like the first time you had Ichiraku's Ramen. We- you were eight-years-old and Teuchi-jiji found you unconscious in the alley where he dumps his trash. You were scared but he was kind, and let you sit in his stand. Ayame-nee bandaged you up while Teuchi-jiji made you a bowl of pork and beef ramen. We knew instantly, outside of Ji-chan, he was one of the few safe adults in the village. And Ayame-nee was just as awesome. Who else could know that but us?**_'

Naruto doesn't respond for a few moments, absorbing the nature and the truth of the voice's accurate claims. He did meet Teuchi-jiji and his daughter when he was eight. The civilian adults stopped attacking him long before that but teenage bullies were another matter entirely and would chase him down every time they spotted him. It's true no one would know what Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-nee did...

"Wait," Naruto sluggishly speculates aloud. "They would know. Jiji and Nee-chan could've told you."

'_**I mean I doubt they ever would, but fine**_,' the voice states. '_**We're low on time so I'll name a few things quickly; stuff only we know. We- ...you first developed the Oiroke no Jutsu(Sexy Technique) because you noticed how girls are treated better and how much more attention they**__**'d get. You found a box of Barely Legal and Raw Kunoichi magazines in the dump, peeped on girls in the bath houses, and finished the jutsu in six months.**_' Though wide-eyed in shock and red in the face, Naruto refutes nothing as the voice continues, '_**you found your green goggles in the park by the academy. You stayed there for nearly three hours waiting to see if anyone would come back for them. When no one did, you kept it on your head in hopes someone might recognize them. You found a fat toad in that pond by the Hy**__**ūga compound. You became best friends and named him Gama-chan.**_' Naruto can hear the levity in his voice all but disappear when he continues, '_**we were really sad when some of the Hy**__**ūga kids killed him. That was a hard month, but while you were scavenging the dump, you found a toad wallet that reminded you of Gama-chan and kept it. Your shinobi tools were mostly scavenged from corpses in Training Ground 44. Everything else in your apartment is a hand-me-down, clearance sale, or found in the dump because nearly all the shops in the village make you pay more. You sent a letter to yourself when you first learned how to write because you never got any mail and you wanted to know what it felt like-**_'

"Okay," Naruto finally said, calling an end to the voice's rather depressing tirade of his life. "Uh... whatever, I still don't think you're me from the future, but, I'll hear you out. Start by telling me how awesome I become. How fast do I become Hokage?"

'_**First**_,' the voice interrupts, cutting off some of Naruto's excitement. '_**You have to know I won't always be with you like this**__**—speaking to you like this isn't a constant thing. What I'm doing takes a lot of effort and concentration to keep up. I'll explain what that is next time. As we speak, it's getting harder and harder to stay, so until I can get a better handle on this, for now, I can only talk for minutes at a time, maybe twenty if I really try**_.'

"Sounds complicated," Naruto grumbles. "Why can't you tell me now?"

'_**Not enough time**_,' the voice says. '_**I'll be back, though**__**—once I've rested—but for these last few minutes, I just want to explain a bit of why I'm here. The short version is, there's a fourth great shinobi war, and basically, we lose. Lots of people we know will die, and the rest are trapped in a never-ending, unbreakable genjutsu. I'll explain more next time but, the reason we lost is because I wasn't strong enough. Team seven, our friends, our village, the entire shinobi world is a slave to this really bad guy because we weren't strong enough to stop him. It was all too easy to manipulate us—the nations, I mean—because we were all too busy hating each other and fighting amongst ourselves to stop and think. In the end, we couldn't stop this cycle of hate, which meant, we couldn't stop him.**_'

"Are you serious?" Naruto huffs with wide eyes.

'_**Hehe, yeah, I guess that would be hard for anyone to accept**_,' the voice admits. '_**But it's true. There's something else, and this is going to be really important. You already know Kage Bunshin, right?**_'

"...Yeah," Naruto slowly acknowledges.

'_**Good**_,' the voice affirms. '_**What you probably don't know**__**—or won't know until years later for some odd reason—is that any knowledge or experience your bunshin experiences, you'll learn as well after it's dispelled. T-Try this... if you don't... believe me**_.'

"Oi, oi, Naru-nii, you okay?" Naruto asks uneasily, sensing the struggle in the Voice's speech.

'_**I only have... seconds,**_' Naru-nii barely manages to get out. '_**Make... a Kage-Bunshin. Make... it... talk... to Teuchi-jiji... or Iruka-sensei... somebody. Then... dispel it. You'll... learn... e.. e.. every... thing... it... learnned**_.'

Quiet fills Naruto's expectation of further conversation. After several moments of silence, Naruto can't help but call out, "Neh, Naru-nii? Naru-nii, you still there?" Other than the wind breezing through grass, leaves, and branches, and the birds singing, Naruto is met with silence.

Head tilting to the side, Naruto scratches his smooth hairless chin, pondering everything that's happened. He questions the merits of this complicated prank... if he can even call it a prank. Humming inquisitively against the rustling sounds of blowing trees, he slowly reflects on the voice and how it knew things about him that no one else could know. Naruto was fairly sure if the voice continued, it would've only mentioned more anecdotes about his outcast of a life, so, it's either the most elaborate prank in the history of pranks, or...

"Meh!" Naruto shrugs forming the hand seals for the Kage Bunshin. He's always been a practical guy, not that he wouldn't love the brains to think his way through problems but the academy pointed out to him a long time ago he just wasn't smart enough for that kind of rational approach. What's more, he isn't really doing anything dangerous, or suspect, like how Mizuki tricked him into stealing the Scroll of Seals.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" From a quickly evaporating puff of white smoke, nine shadow clones of himself pop into existence. "He said one... but whatever," Naruto mumbles, taking a commanding step in front of his troops. "Alright, listen up. I want three of you to go... somewhere. Ah! One goes to Ayame-nee, one to Ji-chan, and one to... Iruka-sensei. Break into his room if you have. Just see him. You can dispel after that."

With little more than a quick look between the nine, three immediately break off. How those three knew they were the ones, the original didn't know, nor care. "What about us," one clone calls.

"The rest of you go to look for the shuriken I threw earlier. When you find one, leave it there and dispel. I guess I'll learn where it is."

"Yosh!" The rest of the clones call, fists in the air, and Naruto watches them rush off to get to work, all the while shrinking a bit at what he's heard. It's not every day you're told the fate of the entire shinobi world rests on your shoulders, much less failed when it mattered. Lives of families, friends, strangers, ninja, civilian, and everything in between somehow are depending on him and he doesn't know why. Ji-chan is the strongest person he knows. Why wouldn't they rely on him instead?

If for some absolutely insane reason, everything Naru-nii said turns out to be true, he can't help but compare it to Iruka-sensei. He failed to keep his sensei safe, even ended up hurting him worse in his great panic, and that was only one person. What Naru-nii is talking about is for the fate of everyone; Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji, Ayame-nee, Iruka-sensei, Sakura-chan, maybe even the people that hate him. Naruto can't see how everyone could depend on him like that. Wouldn't he just fail to keep everyone safe as he had his favorite sensei? Naruto felt restless, like he's been sitting for too long and itching to get up. All these questions he has no answers for is making him doubt himself.

"This has to be a prank!" Naruto calls out. '_How could it not be?_' He thinks, when suddenly information, a memory, knowledge he didn't have of a lost shiruken he tossed somewhere in the woods, pops into his mind. It feels like a little strained pulling, like someone quickly ripping a single strand of hair from his head. As he takes in the entire memory, he questions how true it is, how real this is. His first step to fetch his newly recalled shuriken is interrupted with another flash-memory, leaping into his mind, cause the ache on his brain to momentarily sharpen. Before too long, Naruto learns where all six of his shuriken went and has a headache similar to prolonged brain freeze for his efforts. The concentrated, lethargic pricks of pain don't last long—a couple minutes or so—and it's not nearly the worst pain he's ever experienced. However, it's an effect he makes a note of nonetheless.

With all his worn throwing stars in his pouch, the first of his shadow's conversations floods his mind. Naruto squints his eyes at the pinch to his brain as a whole conversation with Ayame-nee plays out in his mind. It was a simple conversation. Nothing of note or relevance other than the usual, '_hey, Ayame-nee_,' and, '_how's it going?_' Though she had finished their short conversation with a phrase she's often directed at him. "Nothing but the freshest ingredients for our favorite customer."

No sooner had he thought that sounds just like her, did another memory materialize in his mind. He was in the Hokage tower. He tried to see Ji-chan but his secretary had informed him that the Hogake was in a council meeting.

"That should be easy to double check," Naruto says to himself. Whether the voice knew about the meeting or not didn't matter. He himself didn't know about the meeting, so if there is, in fact, a meeting, the Voice will have told him something about this jutsu that neither Kakashi-sensei or Ji-chan informed him of. He's not angry with them, but he certainly doesn't understand why they wouldn't mention this neat little trick. If he wasn't a serious shinobi of the Leaf, he would certainly be planning the biggest chronicle of pranks for the year.

The final memory he received on the path home. It was a hurried memory. His clone had been found trying to get past the entrance, and they chased after him. The majority of the staff may be talented in saving lives but he's been chased for most of his. He managed to hold them off until he finally found Iruka-sensei. He was asleep, propped up on his bed with at least five pillows and a harness around his torso, keeping him up. It was the last image before his clone ended its existence, but it was enough consolation just to see Iruka-sensei.

'_He didn't look great_,' mentally Naruto admits and if he were honest with himself, he's having a hard time keeping the guilt from assuming control. So much so, in fact, he stops his journey back home in favor of returning to Training Ground 28 to continue training. He may or may not have spoken to his future self... he may or may not have been duped... but he wasn't going to waste any time on his path to get stronger. If everything Naru-nii said turns out to actually be true, he will not fail again, just like he won't fail Iruka-sensei again.

KURENAI

"Thank you very much for granting me audience, Hyūga-dono," Kurenai clearly and evenly tells the Hyūga Clan Head, her palms placed daintily on the floor in an upside down V as she bows her head respectfully. The large receiving chamber in the main branch's home of the Hyūga compound was as traditional as every other resident on the large property. Despite the antiquated style of the sitting room, the hardwood furnishing, the tatami mats, the gold and silver trim lining the beams, counters, and zaisu, was immaculate. It gave the impression of wealth within tradition. The sliding doors were closed for privacy and despite there being no windows the well-lit room was not stuffy.

Hyūga Hiashi sat rigid, kneeling on an elevated platform ahead of the bowing kunoichi, while Kurenai sat kneeling ten paces away, her lush ebony hair flowered the sides of her bowed head. Such deference to a man that wasn't her Hokage was unfavorable to her, but sadly unavoidable. The beautiful kunoichi was taught well and studied hard.

Though coming from very little, she had unassailable drive; a drive to make her father proud, a drive to prove her mother wrong, a drive to exalt the reverence of Konoha's Will of Fire. She worked hard to be the best genjutsu master in all of Konohagakure, as much for herself as for her deceased father, but what made her most proud, is that every ounce of hard-earned skill and knowledge gained is in profound service of future generations. Their distinguished gains as shinobi of the Leaf is her greatest honor. In mind, body, and soul, her goal is to help the youths in her charge in any and every way she can, so they might pass on their Will of Fire to the students in their time.

Determined, Kurenai knows she needed to be respectful to Hyūga Hiashi for her goal, far more than she would otherwise be. In truth, she doesn't approve of the Hyūga system, but for her charge, she'll bow and give reverence to the arrogant slave owner, even if she'd much rather trap him in a hellish never-ending nightmare for the rest of his miserable life.

"You've declared this meeting was in regard to Hinata," Hiashi stated in a deep, belittling tone nearly to the point of offensive. "Speak." The man had little eyes of steel, the kind that would express the same amount of emotion to an infant as an enemy. He peered over her, exhuming nothing but vain misogynistic pride.

Now that he's spoken to her, Kurenai raises her head to meet his brass gaze and address him. "As you are no doubt aware, I am your daughter's Jonin Sensei."

"You are not who I would've chosen were I given the honor of petitioning for recommendations," Hiashi easily explained, as if his callous judgment on the choice of his daughter's sensei was beneficial to how Kurenai viewed herself.

For her part, Kurenai didn't betray her ultimate goal for the growing ire toward the Hyūga head. Instead, she continued as if no insult was given. "It is because of my inexperience that I wished to speak with you. It is why I've also spoken with the Aburame and Inuzuka Clans."

"Continue," Hiashi commanded like he would another of his servants.

Putting great effort in keeping her face neutral of any animosity swirling within her ample bosom, Kurenai continues, no less bothered than by a sunny day. "I would not wish to violate any clan's laws, inadvertent or not, as I educate your heir. If there are any subject matters with regard to confidential Hyūga affairs you would prefer I avoid, I'd like to be aware of those boundaries beforehand so I can make the appropriate adjustments to my training regiment. I would also be grateful for any input you can offer me with regard to Hinata-san's training thus far and your hopes for her future progress. I wish to make up any lack of experience with a great amount of preparation, determination, and humility should outside counsel be helpful."

"I see," the Hyūga Head states with spiritless interest. "Your willingness to make up your shortcomings is admirable, no doubt serving you well in your short career, however, it is unnecessary and a waste of your efforts."

A twitch of the skin between her brows is the only indication that she's taken aback by his words. "May I inquire as to why that is?"

"I have no doubt you'll soon learn Hinata has no talent as a kunoichi and is sorely lacking as the heiress to the Hyūga clan," Hiashi easily answers the beautiful Jōnin-sensei. "As a veteran shinobi and her father I can say, with regret, Hinata is a disappointment as a daughter, an heir to our great clan, and as you'll soon learn, as a kunoichi. I offer you words of caution, as a token for the appropriate respect shown here. Conserve your time, skill, and effort where my daughter is concerned. Save your consideration for the students who have real need of it."

Before the death of Kurenai's father in the Kyuubi attack, he instilled in her the foundation her every decision, her every act, her every ambition draws strength from. Kurenai believes that the Will of Fire passed along to the rising youths of today is more vital to the village than the role of Hokage—after all, the Hokage is only one man. The Will of Fire is an immortal ideal that's lived on from generation to generation since the founding of the village. It was her absolute imperative to serve her village, her home, by instilling this value in those shinobi of the Leaf that need it—Anko being a prime example of that. When everyone else shunned her, feared her, reviled her very name for her association with Orochimaru, Kurenai extended a friendly hand and honest friendship. A decision she's been happy with every day since.

For the Hyūga clan head to disregard his own flesh and blood, and disrespect the future of this village to such an extent, Kurenai had to bite the inside of her red lips hard enough to draw blood to keep from losing decorum and failing her mission. She still had need of formal civility, and more than anything, she won't allow him his way.

"I understand your position, Hyūga-dono," Kurenai starts evenly if not slightly more sweetly than earlier. "However I've had the opportunity to witness her abilities and I am confident she can make a great addition to Konoha's forces. I am most grateful and honored for your advice, however, I have faith that Hinata-san will flourish in the future as a kunoichi, and if I may be so bold, as the Hyūga clan's heir."

"Your confidence gives me pause for concern," the pompous clan head drolls. "If you've indeed witnessed Hinata's skill level and still claim that she will make a fine kunoichi of the Leaf, than I question your competence. Hanabi has defeated her in every exchange. Not only does Hinata lack the acumen to master our Clan's techniques and fighting style, but she has no resolve, no tenacity. Her spine is weak and her mind brittle."

How the arrogant, high-born scum can say that about his firstborn daughter with a straight face, Kurenai will never know, nor care to understand. It's very clear to her this man has given up on Hinata's future. From everything she's heard, what she's been told, as well as watching Hinata herself, Kurenai certainly expected a domineering figure, imposing in his reproachful role as a founding clan of the village, but this goes far beyond Hinata's timid selflessness. Kurenai would bet everything she owns that this man hates his daughter, or at the very least, holds a deep grudge against her. She's certain there's a reason, an explanation of sorts, but at the moment, the why isn't important. Her decision is clear. She must take Hinata away from this man's clear psychological abuse if Hinata ever has a chance of reaching her potential and gain her Will of Fire.

"Soon, Hanabi will enter the academy, and exemplify the true strength of the Hyūga clan," Hiashi proudly states with even a hint of affection. "As for your request, Hinata is capable enough to keep clan affairs to herself. You need no summary of her training thus far. It will not change her grade nor her fate. You may leave."

Kurenai wasn't leaving. She was practically vibrating with conviction and with resolve, stating, "I wish to make a request, if you would do me the honor of listening to my selfishness."

He remained still as a statue, however, the rumbling groan she can hear from within his chest gave away his irritation. After some tense moments of stretched silence, his tense jaw responds, "speak."

"I wish to take Hinata-san as my live-in ward," Kurenai promptly responds with all the steadfast tenacity she could possibly imbue in her tone.

"She doesn't lack parental care," Hiashi grounds out, his ire quite clear in his tone. "She does not need your custody."

Regardless of the Hyūga's desire to end discourse, Kurenai is driven to continue. He father taught her to fight hard when it matters, as he did when the village was attacked by that detestable demon, so too will she against this one. "I do not ask to foster her as a parent-less child, but to develop her capabilities and confidence in our shared profession as shinobi of Konohagakure. I firmly believe she is still more than capable of improvement and I have great faith she _can_ make her clan and village proud." She may have put too much emphasis on '_can_,' but maybe he needs to hear Hinata is not beyond hope as much as she needs to hear it—that there is somebody in this village who believes in her. And Kurenai is going to make sure Hinata knows she has all the support she needs in her sensei.

"As her sensei," Kurenai continues. "It would be unsatisfactory if I could not perform the duties requested of me by our Hokage to the best of my ability and raise a valuable kunoichi for our great village."

"Enough!" Hiashi bellows, certainly hearing his own failings in her own doctrine. Kurenai flinches at the boom of his voice, slightly jerking her head and lush dark locks to the right. It's not that she was scared or startled by the man's outburst; quite the opposite in fact. She saw an opportunity, a strategy only women can employ. It's been her daily experience that men find her attractive—even among other beautiful women—and unbeknown to most men in the village, they are beguiled or pacified by her charms. In this case, her flinch and slight jerk bounced the buoyancy of her ample breasts, showing a full view of exposed cream colored cleavage he could easily view from his elevated position.

She can already see him calming down, but does not smile, lest he feels mocked for his gender. Even if the little show didn't outright lure him from his convictions, it assisted enough as he continued. "You dare presume I've failed in my duties as clan head and as her father. I will not hear it! I know what is right for this clan along with this village. For you to say otherwise is an egregious offense to the hitai-ate you wear over your brow."

"I do not presume anything of the sort," Kurenai calmly returns, thinking how much worse his response could've been. "I only wish to suggest a perspective not previously available. Consider, Hinata may respond more advantageously under the guidance of another kunoichi. As a woman, I may better understand her mindset, her needs, and address them to the benefit of her growth."

The seconds tick on in silence. Kurenai is certain the pompous man is weighing his options against his disinterest against his public image. That's exactly the position Kurenai wanted to back him in. If she's truly too far gone and he's given up on her than her request shouldn't matter. And should he deny her request, it's more clear than ever how much contempt he holds for her. Furthermore, the Hyūga's image could not possibly appear weak. The Hyūga are too proud to accept any outside assistance with one of their members, much less the heiress. She's fortunate that's not an issue here since Kurenai is already her assigned sensei.

The tense silence seems to stretch on forever until Hiashi finally addresses her. "You play a dangerous game Yūhi-san. Your attitude towards me is not as well hidden as you believe, not from my eyes; for no one can see better than the Hyūga. Regardless of your childish beliefs, you have a duty as her sensei. If it is professional prerogative that Hinata needs supplementary lessons, I will allow you to take a vested interest in her growth. As the head of this great clan and her father, I am not so proud that I would deny my daughter additional aid, no matter how misplaced it may be. However, if I see no significant form of improvement by the end of the Chūnin exams, Hanabi will succeed her as heiress."

He didn't have to say the rest for Kurenai to understand what's at stake. The Hyūga clan needs only one heir. Like Hizashi before her, born only seconds after Hiashi, Hinata too will be branded with the clan's cursed seal, despite being born of the main family branch, a fate no better than slavery by many accounts.

"You paint a lofty picture of my daughter," the man continued almost snidely. "Let it not be said that I did not give you the opportunity to realize such passionate claims."

It would be an undue waste to challenge the time stipulation, but she won't simply take such a concession lying down. She's never been the type to roll over and show her belly; not since her father. No, for her students, she'd slit the man's throat without hesitation. With just as much tenacity as she's demonstrated thus far, Kurenai continues, "to further aid her progress, I request she stay with me in my home. It is a simple three bedroom home in the Shinobi District with all the amenities necessary for training."

Almost with a tooth-grinding growl, he responds, "you may house her for the week at your own expense. As for the weekends, unless she is training or on a mission, she stays with her clan."

Kurenai promptly bows, the cool steel of her forehead protector touching the back of her hands placed firmly on the floor. "Thank you for your time and consideration, Hyūga-dono."

CHŌJI

Waiting patiently behind a wood bean within the large traditional home of the Akimichi clan, Chōji watches his mother speaking with Nara Yoshino-san by the doorway. Spying on the two woman laugh with such gusto every few minutes was a bitter reminder of how much he wanted that kind of friendship, not that Shikamaru wasn't great. The Nara heir was like the brother he always wanted, and if their parents were anything to go by, they always will be. It made Chōji glad to know that he would have a best friend in Shikamaru for life.

It's the third member of their newly formed cell he's hoping will emulate the friendship and partnership their parents seem to effortlessly have. So far, Yamanaka Ino's been demanding, vain, and just shy of outright abusive towards her teammates, and while he agrees with her that Asuma-sensei's smoking is bad for them, he certainly does _not_ care if Uchiha-kun would think her skin is splotchy and sickly because of it. Shikamaru explained that's just how girls are but, Chōji's seen how their parents interact, so that can't always be the case.

He'd spent a whole night making Welcome-to-The-Team dango, three different flavored sticks for each of them. Asuma-sensei and Shikamaru accepted theirs gratefully, not quite as happily as he would've preferred, but certainly much better than Ino, who flat out rejected his gesture, yelling at him about her strict diet and how Uchiha-kun wouldn't appreciate a… fat… girl. He knew she didn't mean to call him fat, but it didn't hurt any less than when other kids said it. In fact, now that they were teammates, it easily dashed his hopes of forming the type of bond their parents easily share.

Even Chōji can see how pretty Ino is, and her figure is more feminine than the other girls, so he couldn't see how a few sticks of dango could really hurt. Watching the mothers in front of him conversing joyfully, he wondered if that could happen soon between himself, Shikamaru, and Ino. His mother suddenly lets out a boisterous laugh and hops on dexterous toes toward the product room connected to their large red-brick kitchen.

Chōji follows her down the clean halls of their large house and can't help but ask his mother, "Okaa-san, what does Yoshino-san want? Is it about the celebration barbecue?"

His mother slightly tilts her head towards him as she continues to walk forward, answering, "no sweetie, that won't be until this weekend. Yoshi-chan just needed to pick up a pill is all."

Walking through the large brick kitchen, feeling the wall of heat before a single step was taken, Chōji generously asks, "do you need any help? I can carry it for Yoshino-san."

"That's sweet of you to offer, but she'll be fine," his mother happily tells him, a bit of pride slipping in her tone.

"Shikamaru never needs anything," Chōji points out.

"Not too unlike his father that one," she answers as she moves to the safe in the product room. Chōji never really took note of the safe, nor was he ever curious of the contents within.

When his mother opened the steel security box, she watches his mother pull out a pill, unlike the three colored pills he's familiar with. It was slightly larger than even the red pill, but he couldn't help asking his mother, "why is it blue? I've never seen that pill before."

Closing the safe, and spinning the levers until it clicked, his mother stands at her full height. Eying the blue pill cautiously, she hums like she does when she's considering her words. The Akimichi clan aren't like the Nara clan. They have a much less elegant way with words and can sometimes take a moment to gather their thoughts.

"Ahh, well, this is a special pill, so ninja boys and girls can be... friendly with each other," she answers as she picks up the pace on her way back. "Don't worry your beautiful little head about it. I'll, uh, have your father speak to you about it later, okay sweetie?"

Chōji watched her scurry off, all the while thinking, questioning really, the possible existence of a '_friendship pill?_' Chōji wondered about such a pill and the secrecy behind it long and hard. Clearly, this was a clan secret, after all, why keep it in a safe if it wasn't? But for his clan to need an actual friendship pill, can only mean it's harder for his clan to make friends than others. So difficult in fact, they needed a special chakra pill for it. Chōji would not take this responsibility lightly. He loved his parents and would never want to disappoint them. Without even being told, he knows he'll keep this secret for them and the clan, because, despite the teasing, shaming, and hazing, he was proud to be an Akimichi. With designs slowly forming in his mind, he looks for a post-lunch, pre-dinner snack, as he considers the details of how this might help his newly formed team.

* * *

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. As I said it's kind of like my practice story and I only have 3 chapters, so, after I've edited the other chapters, I'll post those. If there's enough positive buzz, I'll keep going after that.

Have a great one,

-Grae


	2. 02The Kami Awful Plan

Hello everyone. Please Enjoy.

* * *

NARUTO

It didn't take long for Naruto to utilize his clones in his training. He was repeatedly knocked flat on his back by them, however, since he would spar with no less than three clones at a time. It was impossible to fight off an uncoordinated taijutsu attack by three clones no matter how little technique and strategy they used, so he hit the floor often, but Naruto didn't have it in him to give up here—not with so much on the line. He hadn't made any progress all afternoon, as all three clones looked down on him relatively clean and amused. It annoyed him but he wouldn't have it any other way.

It was the Voice—Naru-nii for lack of a better name—that helped finally knock one of his clones on their back. Facing off against the clone in front of him, doing his best to match, block, or parry strikes, but leaving his back wide open to attack, he hears a, '_**hey**_,' that seemed to be behind him. Naruto blocks the clone in front with a tense forearm, while sending a blind kick behind him. At the solid contact, Naruto counters the clone in front of him in a grapple before dispersing all three clones.

"Naru-nii?" Naruto calls out slightly out of breath to his surroundings, before recalling that the Voice is in his head. Still, to the energetic blond, it feels far more normal talking aloud than it does thinking conversation between himself and his future self. "You back?"

'_**Haha, Naru-nii, huh?**_' the voice in his head laughs. Now that Naruto hears it, the Voice's voice does ring fairly close to his own. It's deeper, more mature, yet with a hint of playfulness. '_**So I take it you believe me?**_'

"Nope," Naruto flat out states. "But I don't think you want to hurt me, and I wanna know more jutsu and stuff. So, what else ya' got?"

'_**Haha, I can get behind that**_,' Naru-nii remarks, no less amused. '_**We don't have a lot of time, so I'll explain your training first. After that, if there**__**'s enough time, I'll tell you more about what happened.**_'

"Mn-hmn," Naruto sounds in complete approval. "This is going to be sweet! I can't wait to burn Sasuke-teme to a crisp with fire-jutsu! The look on his face," Naruto calls out laughing at the pranksters vivid imagination.

'_**Huh, I can almost see it**_,' Naru-nii comments. '_**Well, listen up because every second counts.**_'

"Hai!" Naruto yells enthusiastically.

'_**The most important thing you**__**'ll ever learn is chakra control**_,' Naru-nii asserts. '_**Now before you start complaining, you need to understand that this is like the backbone of every awesome jutsu you use. Think about Ramen without the delicious broth**__**—it's like that. Kakashi-sensei is going to teach you chakra control in... let's see... have you guys started your first D-rank mission yet?**_'

"No," Naruto answers. "After we passed the bell test, he said we'll start in a week, so mnn," quickly checking his fingers, "six days from now."

'_**Than he won't actually start teaching you guys chakra control for a little over two months**_,' Naru-nii states with an annoyed huff. '_**This is vital stuff, man. Now that I think about it, Kakashi-sensei should've known you could learn this a lot faster than Sasuke**_.'

"REALLY!" Naruto yells boisterously.

'_**Hey, now, I may not be using my ears to hear you but that still hurts**_.'

"Shesheshe, sorry," Naruto returns.

'_**We're going to be using a training method a lot of other shinobi don't try because they either don't have the chakra reserves for it, or they die**_.' Naruto's neck stiffens and his eyebrows shoot up as Naru-nii continues. '_**The reason why it'll be okay for us is because we have large reserves, and on top of that, we heal really fast, so our brain won't pop**_.' Naruto lets out a sigh of relief and Naru-nii continues to explain. '_**Yosh, are you near a tree?**_'

At Naru-nii's behest, they move to a secluded spot deeper in the forest to train as the future Naruto explains the idea behind chakra control and how he can learn tree walking faster than anyone due to his Kage Bunshin. '_**Well, not everyone,**_' he corrects himself. '_**Sakura-chan got it on her first try. She's got scary good chakra control.**_'

"Alright Sakura-chan," Naruto bellows, taking a break as his clones kept trying to climb the tree, with very little success. "I always knew she was special. She even beat the teme!"

'_**Yeah, she's got the best chakra control out of all of us**_,' Naru-nii fondly replies before seriously stating, '_**you know, we're going to have to help her out. She may have wicked chakra control but her reserves are pretty low, and more than that, she told me a bunch of times how she wished she trained more seriously when she was younger.**_'

"Yosh!" Naruto quickly agrees with him. "This is going to be great! When she sees how much stronger I am, she's definitely going to forget about that teme and go on a date with me! I'm fired up!"

'_**I don't think we can help her like that**_,' Naru-nii sadly tells the blond boy.

"Huh? Why not?" Naruto can only tilt his head up since technically there's no one to turn to.

'_**Answer me this, who does Sakura love right now?**_'

"Tch!" Naruto spits his answer, both of them acutely aware of the black-haired, self-proclaimed, avenger. "That's only because she doesn't know any better."

'_**Whether she has good reasons or not, it**__**'s still her choice to make. Just like no one can tell you who to love, no one can tell her who to love**_,' Naru-nii slowly expresses.

"But- That's not fair," Naruto calls out. "He doesn't even like her! All throughout the academy, he barely looked at her! How can she be okay with that? He thinks he's soo much better than everyone because he's an Uchiha and a little better at some things, but he's not."

'_**Listen, Naruto, I want to ask you something else and I want you to answer me honestly,**_' Naru-nii maintains. '_**Do you love Sakura-chan?**_'

"Damn right I do!" the boy quickly answers without a moment's hesitation. "She's the best and the smartest and even though she's not from a ninja clan, that didn't stop her from being the top kunoichi in our class."

'_**What's her favorite color?**_' Naru-nii asks, pulling Naruto up short. When he couldn't answer Naru-nii continues, '_**I guarantee you it's whatever color Sasuke likes. Her favorite food is probably whatever Sasuke likes. From her style to what she eats, everything about what she does has Sasuke in mind.**_' Naruto turns contemplative and uncharacteristically silent; they both are, but Naru-nii is the first one to grow anxious enough to ask, '_**you still there?**_'

"...Mnn. Why are you telling me this?" Naruto whines. "It's really bumming me out here."

'_**Sorry**_,' Naru-nii sympathetically expresses. '_**But the reason why I asked if you love her was because I already know you do-**_' "Then why-" Naruto interrupts but is quickly interrupted himself. '_**Because I'm going to ask you to do something you won't like but will be better for her.**_'

"Huh?" he tilts his head, lost as to what he means.

'_**Naruto, I want you to love her enough to help her get strong rather than trying to impress her to be your girlfriend or go on dates. Right now, she doesn't know how strong she can really be because she's doing everything for Sasuke. It's like trying to study when you can only think about ramen.**_'

"Ahh!" Naruto quickly understands. "It's impossible to learn anything like that."

'_**Right now, she barely trains, spends most of her time on her looks, or studying topics she thinks Sasuke would like. It would be better if she were training to get strong so she can protect those she cares about, but she's just not there yet, so we have to help her realize that quicker. Trust me. You think she's the best now, wait till you see her destroy a cliff with her fist!**_'

"Uwwahhhh, that sounds absolutely perfect! She already has a wicked strong punch," Naruto happily says. "So how do we get her there?"

'_**I have a plan, but it all depends on you not pushing her with dates and stuff. I know that'll be hard since we've always loved Sakura-chan, but I promise you it's going to make her better. And later, when you see how proud she is of how awesome she is, you'll be happy you did this for her.**_'

"...If it's for Sakura-chan, I think I can do it," Naruto confidently states. "If it'll make her strong, I'll do anything."

'_**Hell yeah we will**_,' the voice eagerly agrees. '_**Alright, now let's get back to training. We got a long way to go and I don't have much time left.**_'

"Can you at least tell me how you're talking to me from the future?" Naruto asks.

'_**You believe me now?**_' Naru-nii jokingly asks.

"No! I just... want to hear your explanation, is all," Naruto slowly reasons.

'_**Fine, but remember to keep this to yourself,**_' Naru-nii ardently suggests. '_**You go telling people you're talking to a voice in your head that**__**'s from the future, they'll call you crazy and commit you to the insane ward... if you're lucky.**_'

"Got it," Naruto nods apprehensively. "They probably wouldn't believe me anyway."

'_**Well, remember the unbreakable genjutsu I mentioned before?**_' Naru-nii asks to which Naruto tilts his head to try and recall. '_**You know, the one that has everyone trapped? It's called Infinite Tsukuyomi and it enslaves everyone in the entire world in a dream-state, feeding off their chakra.**_'

Naruto's face crunches as if tasking something horrible before asking, "so why aren't you trapped in the genjutsu too?"

'_**It's not enough to close your eyes or cover your ears. If your body receives any sensory information**__**—sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, than that the illusion has you. I'm pretty good at F**__**ūinjutsu and I trapped myself in a sealed expanse—a dimensional pocket—completely cut off from the outside world,**_' he explains. Though Naruto doesn't completely get it, Naru-nii continues. '_**Where I am now, everything is white and I can move around but I can't get out. I spent... well, I don't know how long it's been, but I tried to figure out a way to stop the Infinite Tsukuyomi before I get myself out of this seal, but I couldn't think of anything. That's how I started looking into traveling back in time. I felt confident I could do it but that equation is so complex, I could inscribe it on the white floor perfectly for a whole year and it still wouldn't be enough. Not to mention I probably wouldn't have the chakra necessary to actually power something like that.**_'

"So how'd you do it," Naruto can't help but ask, as he watches his clones struggle with the first three steps of the bark. "How did you get your voice to travel back?"

'_**Mnn, I didn't... well, not really**_,' Naru-nii quasi-answers. '_**Kurama and I figured**_-"

"Kurama?" Naruto breaks in curiously.

'_**A friend keeping me from going insane**_,' he easily answers before moving on. '_**We figure the only ones who were probably not affected by the Infinite Tsukuyomi, or heck, even time, was Kami-sama himself**_.'

"Are you Kami-sama!" Naruto whirls around asking to no one around. "Am I going to be Kami?!"

'_No!_' Naru-nii quickly calls. '_**Will you just listen, sheesh. I'm not Kami and I wouldn't know where to begin to try and find one to even ask for help. But it didn't have to just be Kami. We figured it could be a shinigami as well, and I knew exactly how to get close to one. Our family has a really nasty sealing jutsu that calls on a shinigami. It has this tanto in its jaws, two red horns popping out of its long white hair, and prayer beads in its left hand. The problem with using this nasty technique is that you have to sacrifice your life for it.**_'

"Are you-" Naruto gulps. "…You're not dead are you?"

'_**It takes a hell of a lot more than a Shinigami to kill me, don't ya know,**_' he asserts with glee. '_**I sort of tricked it, actually. If the Shinigami isn't affected by the illusion, and more than likely time because they're eternal, chances were good I could figure out some way to ask for help. But the more we thought about it, the less confident I was that we could convince it. But you know what? You and I have prayed occasionally, usually for amazing stuff like more ramen and fancy shinobi tools. Other people pray for all sorts of things. That's when I realized shinigami's prayer beads might be able to hear all prayer and if the prayer beads receive wishes from people, than it might also be able to send as well. It was the biggest gamble of my life and I don**__**'t care for gambling, but I went for it, and here I am. I summoned him, I stole his prayer beads, and told shinigami-sama I'd give it back to him after I was done using it.**_'

"You pranked the shinigami?!" Naruto yells. "Uwaahhh, he must've been pissed at you. Wait! Does that mean he's pissed at me too! You've doomed my soul to hell!"

'_**Calm down, you**__**'re not doomed. He wasn't really all that pissed, actually**_,' Naru-nii chuckles as he said. '_**He agreed and I've been struggling to use this thing ever since. Like I said when we first talked, it takes all of my concentration and effort. That's why I can only do this for twenty or so minutes a day... or at least until I get better it.**_'

"Wow," Naruto says. "You're crazy man... awesome, but definitely crazy."

'_**Thanks, but for my loved ones, I'll fight anybody**_.'

"Hell yeah," Naruto calls with a clenched fist.

'_**Yosh! Lets master tree walking**_,' Naru-nii challenges good-naturedly. '_**I**__**'m thinking we can get to water walking before you meet Team Seven next week!**_'

By day's end and several hours into the night, Naruto lay panting, sweat soaked through his favorite blue and bright-orange jumpsuit, with a splitting headache, but he was making progress. He and his ten clones can already make it halfway up a tree before they exert too much chakra and are blown off. After dispelling his first clone, a day's worth of training nearly knocked him out, easily getting the headache started. By the fifth, for some reason, his mind felt strained, hollow-like, and chalky. After dispelling the final clone, he had a pounding headache, his bones felt hotter than the surrounding muscle, and his overtaxed chakra, for lack of a better word, felt like it was choking to move.

He needed to rest before he can make his way home. Even the way the night wind pulled at his hair hurt, but the pain cascading throughout his body was worth it—not that he expected it to last much longer. Injuries never seem to last long with him. Despite the labored breath of his comatose body, he felt happy. This was hard work. It's days like this that are the currency he needs to make his dreams of being the greatest Hokage ever come true. He just knew it. Tomorrow he would train even harder, Naru-nii will tell him more about his plan for Sakura-chan, and he'll be water-walking by next week.

SAKURA

Sakura was leaving one of the vendors her father's trade caravan is closely affiliated with carrying her prize securely in her grasp. So precious was this treasure, she couldn't risk leaving it in her bag. It will remain in her protective hands the entire walk home. Sakura was euphoric as she realizes nothing could stop her in her quest now, not with this absolute treasure. Armed with this fragrant weapon, she was sure to reach Sasuke-kun's heart now.

Sakura wasn't from a wealthy home and certainly didn't own property like many of the clans in the village, but her father came across all sorts of valuable items traveling through his trade routes, and her mother always ensured some form of commission for their family from her seat on the civilian council. Her father came across the latest silks, tools, wardrobe, and other odds and ends he finds throughout the country, and now, clutched in her strong grip, the most sought after bottle of perfume in all the elemental nations. Every kunoichi or civilian girl with a man in her pure heart has read about its amorous properties in one or all the beauty magazines. It's the nearest to a guarantee a budding girl with prospects of love in her heart could have... '_and it was all mine!_'

And if Kami-sama hasn't smiled down wonders on her enough, walking towards her now is none other than her eternal rival and strongest competitor for Sasuke's affection; the only girl who doesn't seem to know when she's lost.

"Well, would you look at that," the platinum blond with pupil-less blue eyes starts mocking. "Wonders never cease. Somehow all the flies in the village managed to avoid hitting that gigantic forehead of yours," Ino hurtles. "Shooting stars happen less often than that."

Sakura was impervious today. The platinum blond's biting jab did nothing against the strength of her alluring weapon. Sakura allows a wide mischievous grin to spread her cheeks till they hurt, actually causing the beautiful blond to become cautious. Slowly, and quite deliberately, Sakura raises the incredibly distinctive, highly sought after expensive bottle of perfume with the showmanship of her delicate hand. It was a tiny thing she could easily hold between her thumb and index fingers, but the effect was as immediate as it was glorious.

Ino knew instantly what the pink-haired girl had and while Sakura is quite sure the Yamanaka clan have far more in their coffers than they need to purchase Ino a bottle, she doubted their clan head, her father, would shell out such an unreasonable amount of ryo for such a small bottle of liquid gold, especially when its only purpose is to make his daughter more attractive to boys.

Ino turns irate, before denial mars her beautiful face, then becomes angry again. Before Ino can even utter a syllable of righteous indignation, Sakura starts laughing heartily as she walks triumphantly passed her arch rival. Sakura didn't have to speak, her weapon was that strong and this battle is won. It's Sakura's victory.

"Enjoy it while it lasts!" Sakura hears the platinum blond beauty yell at her through the busy market street. "I- I'll get an even better bottle! You'll see!"

Other than having Naruto-baka on her team, absolutely everything was working out in her favor. Sakura hadn't seen Sasuke-kun since they passed Kakashi-sensei's bell test last week, so she was more than looking forward to seeing the perfection of his beautiful face and the amazement of his Kami-given ninja talent tomorrow. In her eyes, it was a foregone conclusion that he was a once-in-a-lifetime shinobi and no one could ever top him. She just had to make sure she looked perfect for him. After the tragedy he's been through, it's what he deserves after all.

Eagerly running home she couldn't wait until tomorrow. She absolutely needed to prepare and the more time she had the better the results will be. She had thought to spend some time training and honing her skills—after all, she was the top kunoichi of their class—but one look at her hair and she knew it didn't shine quite as vibrant as she knows Sasuke would like. One look at her nails, and though her profession as a kunoichi kept her from adding any color to them, she could still make sure they were perfectly manicured, not that she knew if Sasuke liked properly maintained fingernails, but she couldn't risk disappointing him if it indeed mattered. Add to all of that, her new premium fragrance in hand and there was no way he could ignore her tomorrow.

NARUTO

'_D-Rank missions suck_,' Naruto mentally tells Naru-nii.

Last week flew by in a hurried blur of training, strength training, eating ramen, hurting all over, sleeping, training some more, then repeat, repeat, repeat. It was the hardest week of training Naruto had ever experienced in his life, more so than his entire six years in the Academy. It wasn't to say that he didn't try as hard in his school days, but the bits of progress he was making under Naru-nii was different than the scraps he could scrounge together from hard-hearted sensei who didn't seem to care about his education in the least.

In his youth, when his school texts were stolen, they would never give him another one. When he didn't understand something, the sensei's were always too busy to help him. He was even banned from the library. If Naru-nii ever turned out to be a fake, Naruto couldn't see himself becoming terribly upset about it. Naru-nii was teaching him in earnest, even if it was for only twenty to thirty minutes a day.

The training was even tailored made for him. Every day of the past week he spent most of the morning—when he managed to wake up before noon—practicing his taijutsu against three to four clones as another four or five would be practicing chakra control. After he managed tree-walking, he had four days to master water-walking, and though it was much harder, by the end of last night's training, he and his clones were lightly jogging on the small lake in Training Ground 3. Soon after the throbbing head pain of dispelling his clones abated, he was giddy the entire trek back to his apartment.

Naru-nii pushed him, not cruelly but because he cared, and it was worth it. Even when Naru-nii was resting from using the prayer beads and couldn't coach him, Naruto gave it his all. He may not have experienced the things his older counterpart had, but thinking about Iruka-sensei, it wasn't hard to imagine. By the end of the week, Naruto definitely believed Naru-nii. He believed that this was his future-self talking to him, training him, as well as the story he told. It also meant that something stronger than even his future-self would be coming in a few years, and he absolutely needed to be the one to stop it.

It wasn't all doom, however. Naru-nii would tell him other interesting things; how he has really high chakra reserves, tenketsu points that were larger than normal, followed promptly by what tenketsus points are, his elemental affinity type and how it's used. As a physical learner, Naruto has yet to fully grasp most of the information explained to him, but Naru-nii doesn't seem to have a problem repeating something or trying to make it easier to understand.

'_**Yeah, I wasn't a fan, at all**_.' Naru-nii responded.

'_How long are we suppose to do D-Ranks for?_' Naruto mentally asks him as he and the rest of Team 7 exit the Hokage Tower.

'_**A heck of a lot longer than you**__**'ll like**_,' the older version answers. '_**Have you been dismissed yet?**_'

Tilting his head to look at his Jōnin-sensei reading his little orange book, Naruto mentally answers, '_nearly_.'

'_**Don't forget the plan**_,' Naru-nii maintains.

'_I won't_,' Naruto sternly declares. '_If it involves tricking people, I'm pretty good at that. Though, usually it's to get back at someone or make myself laugh_.'

'_**Now we use that talent for a little bit of good**_,' Naru-nii happily asserts.

'_Yeah, yeah_,' Naruto groans, unhappily about the plan, and physically shrugging. '_Hey, how come you didn't tell me Kakashi-sensei was going to be three hours late!_'

'_**Hahaha**_,' Naruto heard Naru-nii laugh.

"That's not cool man!" Naruto yells at him, looking and pointing upward.

"Na, Naruto?" Kakashi calls curiously. "What's not cool? And who are you talking to?"

Naruto whirled around in panic before quickly trying to school his features, failing miserably at it. "Aha... well, uh, I only meant, if we're done for the day, that- that stupid cat scratched us up pretty good, right?" Sasuke and Naruto did most of the engagement, while Kakashi coordinated, and Sakura provided support. But since Sasuke doesn't heal as fast as Naruto, Sasuke was the only one with plenty of red claw marks on his arms and face.

"I'm going to shave that stupid cat's hair off and skin him alive," Sakura angrily announces. "No one does that to Sasuke-kun and gets away with it!"

"Na, na, I was scratched too Sakura-chan," Naruto weakly offers.

"So," she hurls back at the blond before moving to Sasuke's side.

"I think we're done for the day," Kakashi tells his team. "You all did fine work. We'll meet tomorrow by the bridge, seven am. Don't be late."

"That goes double for you!" Naruto yells at his sensei but Kakashi had already shinshin'ed away. '_**Don't worry, I got something you can do while you wait**_,' Naru-nii tells his younger self. '_**And it's totally going blow his mind when he sees.**_'

'_Cool_,' Naruto responds, almost missing Sakura ask Sasuke if he wanted to train, or eat, or take a stroll, or shop together, all of which he ignored with a barely concealed scowl as he started walking toward his home. Sakura stood deflated sniffing her wrists, asking herself, "maybe I didn't use enough?"

Besides smelling really nice, and admiring her long pretty pink hair, Naruto didn't know what to make of her efforts in relation to what he was prepared to do for her. It's not every day you give up the girl of your dreams so she can grow strong and in exchange for your sacrifice, she likely ends up with another man. It's a lopsided sinking feeling that drags his feet and slumps his shoulder, but, he wanted—more than anything—for her to be happy and strong, and Naru-nii did tell him they'd be really good friends in the future and even better teammates, so that was a positive in his book.

"Ne, Sakura-chan-" Naruto starts but is quickly interrupted by an ill-tempered Sakura.

"If you even think of asking me out on a date, I'll hit you so hard you'll land on the other side of the village!" Sakura's murderous green eyes and lethal tone made Naruto take a cautious step back, putting his palms up to show he's not a threat.

She spins around to head home when Naru-nii tells him, '_**I know it's hard but, remember, you're doing this for her**__**—for the girl we both love.**_' Taking a moment to gather up some courage, he runs after her, calling out, "Sakura-chan!" She hadn't gotten very far but as she turned to the call of her name, she's already raising a fist to carry through on her threat. "Wait! Wait! I'm not trying to ask you out!"

Her fist still up and clearly in a bad mood, she hollers back, "than what?!"

Splitting his attention between her clenched fist and her beautiful green eyes, he nervously answers, "I- …I want to help you."

She stares suspiciously for several long seconds before finally lowering her fist and irately asking, "how?"

Taking in a quick breath, and relaxing some of the tension in his shoulder, he clarifies for her precisely how he and Naru-nii had planned it the last two days. "I thought of a good idea to h-help you... get closer to... Sasuke-teme." That was far harder to say than Naruto was expecting—he spent many grueling hours obsessing over it—and somehow the stomach churning and choking chest feels worse than he imagined. Worse still, his knees felt weak, and his eyes started to grow hot with prickly moisture.

This was the love of his life he was helping set up with not just another boy, but his eternal rival. The aching strain in his chest was partially ignored in favor of answering her question.

"What? What do you mean? How?" She took a step forward, forgetting her earlier agitation for the possibility this could mean for the future she imagined with her love. She was fully expecting to be a snarky brat for the day and drive her parents crazy after the perfume seemed to fail, but maybe there was hope of turning her day around... even if Naruto-baka was the reason for it.

"Okay, first," Naruto started, rushing to get this day over with. He's already planning on a full contact brawl fest against as many clones as he can make. He even makes a mental note to give them clear instructions to beat him to a bloody pulp, certain that no matter how badly he was beaten or broken, it wouldn't hurt as much as this. "Do you know what Chakra Control is?"

"Of course, you idiot," she tells him, using her near eidetic memory to recount to him, "it's the ability to sufficiently control and conserve your chakra. They taught us that in the Academy."

"Really," Naruto genuinely asks. "I don't remember that."

"That's because you're an idiot who can barely remember what side of the kunai is sharp," she hurtles back.

"Ha, ha, you didn't have to say all that," he weakly tells her, covering the sting of her verbal jab with a weak smile, though she doesn't seem to care. Eager to move on, he continues, "yeah, well, I know you're the top kunoichi of our year so you must have really good chakra control. In fact, I bet it's perfect!"

Sakura eyes him wearily, never one to particularly like his compliments or advances but she couldn't really say otherwise. "Maybe," she simply states. "I've been told I have good control over my chakra, but aside from the leaf concentration training we hardly use any jutsu in the academy, so I can't be sure. Why? And what does this have to do with Sasuke-kun?"

"Everything," he says with a strained smile, doing everything he can to appear happy to help her even though he was dying inside. "I got the perfect way for you to put your hands all over him, and the best part is, he'll be happy you did!"

Sakura was visibly vibrating with excitement, thinking, '_if what he's saying is true, than I'll be able to touch my Sasuke-kun whenever I wants, and then he'll be happy I did, and then we could probably start dating, and then we could maybe even possibly... kiss._' Sakura's entire body swoons at the thought, turning beet red, her half-lidded eyes were dilated, and her heart and stomach were swapping from warm to fluttery.

This could be a big win for her. Even though she used an entire life's supply of luck to be on Sasuke's team, that wouldn't stop Ino form trying to gain his attention. Hell, Ino might not even stop if Sasuke and herself started dating. With Ino's admittedly mature beauty and charm as her enemy, it wasn't enough that Sakura and Sasuke were on the same team. Sakura couldn't get complacent. She needed to do anything and everything possible to be with Sasuke because she's certain there isn't another Kunoichi alive who would treat him right. Whatever Naruto thought of—if his claim panned out—would be for the amazing future she planned to have with Sasuke-kun.

"Sakura-chan... Saaaakura-chan," Naruto kept calling for three minutes before she finally regained her senses.

"Tell me!" she demanded, rushing him a little with clenched fists. He startled, taking a step back as she insists on knowing, "what's the idea?"

Smiling somewhat happily to see her enthusiastic reaction, though still hurting by the reason why, he tells her, "you become an Iryō-nin!"

"Huh?" Sakura asks, face dropping with disappointment.

"Think about it," Naruto starts. "Sasuke-teme is a mid-to-close range fighter, so every time he gets hurt—even a little scratch on his cheek—you would be the one to heal him, which means you have to touch him. If you knew Iryō-ninjutsu right, you could've healed all his scratches and he would've been super thrilled you did. Plus, it would round out the team, right? Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke-teme and I are the fighters, so we'd need someone to patch us up if something happens."

Sakura continued to peer suspiciously throughout his entire explanation, though the reason changed from, '_how idiotic his idea sounded_,' to, '_Naruto-baka thought all of that after their first official meeting together?_'

"Besides think of all the cool things they can do, like healing people who are hurt and saving lives. With your control, you could be, like the best healer in all of Konoha. Plus, I'm sure they have some really famous Iryō-nin too," Naruto explains. Naru-nii was very adamant about how he said, '_some really famous Iry__ō-nin too,_' because he was pretty sure Sakura-chan would automatically think of the village's most famous Iryō-nin, since a lot of kunoichi look up to her.

Both Narutos keenly understand that in any good prank, the more the person getting pranked thinks on their own to agree with you, the better the result will be. And looking at the realization dawn on her face at the mention of '_famous Iry__ō-nin_,' he was pretty sure she remembered the one Naru-nii briefly talked about.

After a few seconds of deep thought—if her pondering expression is anything to go by—she finally speaks up, "I- there's no way... I- I couldn't-"

"You could!" Naruto passionately interrupts her. "And I can prove it!"

Now completely flabbergasted by the annoying blond, Sakura can't help but gripe, "how?"

"Come on," he calls as he runs over to the nearest tree. After she catches up to him, he tells her, "I bet you anything you can Tree-Walk on your first try. That would definitely tell you if you can do it!"

"I don't know how to Tree-Walk, Naruto," she returns genuinely. "Kakashi-sensei hasn't taught us that. He hasn't taught us anything yet."

"Even if he didn't teach you, I still think you can do it," Naruto returns his enthusiasm for training driving the point home. "All you have to do is focus a steady amount of chakra to the bottom of your feet and use that to stick to the tree so you can climb. If you use too little, you'll slide off. If you use too much, you'll get shoved off, and break the tree. Think of it like a magnet. Come on, give it a try. Remember, this isn't just for the team... it's also for... Sasuke-teme." He sighs at the anguish, but she doesn't seem to notice.

With a determined look on her face, she nods and turns to the tree. Generally, Sakura's accustomed to learning new techniques with the direction of a sensei, and not an idiot like the one beside her, but for Sasuke-kun she's more than willing to try this at least. Because if this was as possible as Naruto seems sure it is, than maybe she could use this to get closer to Sasuke-kun than any other kunoichi could, especially her rival, Ino-pig. Molding her chakra has always been as easy as stretching and she effortlessly manipulates the flow of energy to her feet. Her first step is a tentative one.

She did have to admit, however, that a small part of her liked the prospect of moving in a direction similar to Tsunade-sama of the Legendary Sannin. Like many Kunoichi in the village, Tsunade-sama was a heroine of hers. She grew up hearing stories of her strength, her legendary healing ability, and her beauty. So many girls in the academy aspired to be her, whenever students had to create a report of their favorite shinobi, a good eighty percent of the girls chose Tsunade-sama.

So when her first step stuck, easily, followed by her second step—also as easily—Sakura began to wonder how well she may actually be able to do. With her third step, she was completely parallel to the ground but felt no danger of falling. She was in complete control, and honestly, a part of her couldn't believe it.

"Way to go Sakura-chan!" she hears from the ground beneath her.

Another part of her couldn't believe Naruto was the one who led her here. He's not a sensei, nor is he smart, or talented; he's the Dead Last of their class, and yet he urged her to Tree-Walk before anyone else. When she made it to the top of the tall tree, she was a little winded, but funny enough, she was proud. Not that this was anything to be proud of. She knows this is only a first step many shinobi can easily do, but, to know she was now among them, gave her a small sense of pride.

Reaching the ground, Naruto couldn't help the huge grin on his face as he proclaims, "I knew you could do it! On your first try too! That's so badass!"

"Yeah..." she huffs, winded but mildly enjoying the praise, even if it is from the baka. She leans against the tree to rest some.

"Are you okay," he asks with a heavy amount of concern in voice. '_**She had small chakra reserves in the beginning**__,_' Naru-nii answers him as Sakura just waves him off to say she's okay.

"You probably have low chakra reserves," Naruto sagely repeats to her, making Naru-nii laugh a little. Sakura looks at him questioningly as Naru-nii tells him, '_**I think she's on board. Now you have to talk to Ji-chan**_.'

'_I remember_,' Naruto mentally replies.

'_**I'll probably disappear before your done so let me just explain what you're going to do every time Kakashi is late, which sucks to say, will happen all the time**_.'

'_Do you know why that is?_' Naruto asks. '_I mean, why he shows up late?_'

'_**I do, but I can't really get into that now**_,' Naru-nii proclaims. '_**Next time.**_'

'_So, what am I doing?_'

'_**There are a couple of exercises that'll help you master your F**__**ūton chakra**_,' Naru-nii sagely explains. '_**There are so many badass jutsu that you'll be able to learn after these exercises. It'll be super hard to beat you then**_.'

"Uuuawwwhh," Naruto moans, salivating at the thought, and finishes with, "I want!"

"Want... what?" Sakura slowly asks from the tree, before pushing off to walk to him.

"Nothing!" he quickly tells her remembering he's not alone. "I think we should start walking to Hokage Tower."

"What? Why?" She gasps, not at all expecting Naruto to say that.

"Cuz, I think Ji-chan can help us," Naruto earnestly responds to his pink-haired teammate.

With an exasperated sigh, Sakura begrudgingly decides to educate him. "Naruto-baka, we can't just walk into Hokage Tower like that. Everyone there is extremely busy."

"Don't worry," he tells her already starting to walk. "It'll be fine. Besides, you need some intro stuff to be Iryō-nin."

"Well, why can't we just get them from Kakashi-sensei," she asks, running after him.

"He's not here and I don't know where he lives," Naruto naturally tells her. "Do you?" She just shakes her head, her beautiful long pink hair flowing easily with every shake of her head as they walk toward the tower they had left only twenty or thirty minutes ago.

'_**So**_,' Naru-nii starts as the teammates walk in silence. '_**The exercise goes like this; you take a leaf, any leaf will do, place it flat on your left palm, cover it with your right palm than try to cut the leaf in half using just your chakra.**_'

'_That sounds crazy_,' Naruto returns. '_Can I really do that?_'

'_**Hell yeah you can and so much more**_,' Naru-nii answers with complete confidence. '_**When you're trying to cut through it, that's when you're manipulating F**__**ūton natured chakra through your hand. Try to think of it like making your chakra as thin and as sharp as possible. Don't worry if you don't get it right away, it took me a while and I had thousands of clones doing it at the same time.**_'

'_Mnn, sounds tough, but it wouldn't be worth it if it wasn't_,' Naruto reasons. '_So do this when Kakashi is late? Should I make clones while I do it too?_'

'_**Mnnn, not yet**_,' he answers. '_**I want you doing something before he eventually shows up. Though, you probably oughta make some clones in the morning and have them practice Water-Walking while you wait. Dispel them when sensei shows up so you're not dead on your feet for your missions.**_'

'_Urrggh_,' Naruto mentally groans. '_All our D-Missions had better not be like this, or I'm going to snap at some point_.'

'_**Hahaha, yeah. I'm just about out**_,' Naru-nii states. '_**Tell me how it goes tomorrow**_.'

'_Mnn! Will do, Naru-nii_,' Naruto mentally returns but with a very real smile.

"What are you smiling about?" Sakura asks suspiciously with a hint of disgust.

"Uahhh," Naruto groans, fidgeting a step before awkwardly answering, "the real question is why aren't you smiling? I mean our team just got a whole lot stronger with an Iryō-nin."

"Baka," Sakura calls back, though lacking the same heat she might have if he had insulted Sasuke. "I'm not an Iryō-nin yet. I don't even know how you plan on getting me material from Hokage Tower. We may be genin, but they don't just see anyone."

"Well, I don't know about others but we're going to see Ji-chan," Naruto informs her. "I don't usually have a problem with seeing him, though sometimes he's pretty busy."

Sakura is skeptical of her blond companion, but sure enough, Naruto, without being prompted to by the Chūnin secretary, without being summoned by the Hokage himself, without even hesitation to second-guess himself, simply grabs the doors handle and walks right in, as if he were walking into his house.

"Hey Ji-chan!" the young blond calls out.

Slack-jawed, Sakura can't believe Naruto-baka would call the leader of their entire village, the strongest shinobi, '_Ji-chan_,' as if they were related. No, not even if they were related because even blood relatives to the Hokage would show more respect than that. '_He really is an idiot!_' she couldn't help but think, ready to drag him to the floor, to bow and beg for forgiveness, that is until the Hokage just chuckles.

"Back so soon Naruto-kun?" the pleasant elder asks the grinning blond. "Eager for another D-Rank mission?"

"Blechhh!" Naruto tongues. "You can keep those!"

The Hokage couldn't help an aged belly full of slow laughter. It truly was a nostalgic pleasure to see the young repeat the same experiences he had when he was a genin. "What can an old man help you with today," the Sandaime asks, then peers to the pink haired girl still standing by the door with quite the look of surprise on her face. "Isn't this your teammate?"

"Mnn!" Naruto happily hums, turning from the Hokage to Sakura, then back.

"Ah, forgive me, Hokage-sama," Sakura starts stepping in and bowing respectfully. "I'm Haruno Sakura, member of Team 7."

"Yes, I recall," the Sandaime easily says, taking out his pipe and prepping for a good puff. '_It's always an interesting break when Naruto shows up_,' he thinks. "What can I do for you?"

"Na, Ji-chan, do you have any scrolls or something that can help Sakura-chan do Iryō-ninjutsu. She's got wicked perfect chakra control, and it would be super cool if our team had an Iryō-nin in it."

"Mnnn," he hums in sheer amusement, aged eyelids lifting with genuine curiosity. For this Naruto to ask for such a thing was the best surprise of a rather taxing week. "I agree having an Iryō-nin on the team would be quite advantageous, but Naruto-kun, how do you know this?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto asks quirking a brow. "Once we become genin, we have more access in the library. I was looking for cool jutsu but I found one about chakra control. Since Sakura-chan has perfect control, that means she'd make a great Iryō-nin, right Ji-chan?"

"It most assuredly helps, greatly in some cases," the Hokage answers, looking at them both. "Why come to me, then; instead of your Jōnin-sensei?"

"It's not like I didn't think he'd help, but he left after our mission and I don't know where he lives, so I can't ask him," Naruto explains. "Besides, we just need something for Sakura-chan to start with. She's got like a perfect memory, so I bet she can remember things better than I can," he finishes with a smile.

"Oh, I don't know Naruto-kun, you can remember a lot, it seems," the elder tells him. Getting up, the Hokage moves toward the far wall, with several long shelves filled with many scrolls topping many more. "Mnn, I happen to have a collection of scrolls on Iryō-ninjutsu that spans from beginner to intermediate." Looking through his many scrolls, he finally pulls two out, then turns to a nervous Sakura. "Now, these are very precious to me, so you have to promise to be careful with them. They were gifted to me by one of my students so you'll have to return them when you're done, understand?"

"Yes! Of course Hokage-sama," Sakura quickly conveys. "This is such an honor, I'll be extra careful with them, I promise." She cautiously takes the scrolls with both hands supporting each end as if she were holding a sickly baby.

"Alright," Naruto calls from his seat. "I knew you could help, Ji-chan!"

"So, how's your training coming along Naruto-kun," the elder asks retaking his large seat.

"I'm going to be the greatest Hokage ever!" Naruto bellows proudly. "So my training is top secret right now... but, what I can tell you is I'm working on my chakra control. Neh, Ji-chan, did you know I have high chakra reserves, which is why I can make a lot of Kage Bunshin and be okay after?"

"My, my Naruto-kun, you are growing before my weary eyes," the older man smiles. "Yes, I suspected that could be the case. You should continue to train on your control, so you can finally take my job."

"Damn right I will!" Naruto agrees vehemently.

"Speaking of, I should get back to work," the sagely elder tells them. "Thank you for entertaining an old man for a few minutes at least."

"Any time," Naruto calls and they start to leave, but Naruto has to pause at the door. Turning to his first ever friend, Naruto asks, "Neh, Ji-chan, do you know if Iruka-sensei is okay? They won't tell me anything. They won't even let me see him."

"I'm afraid I can't release his medical information, however, I can tell you he will live. And if they won't let you see him, just remember, you're ninja, and ninja always find a way."

Thinking of his future counterpart, Naruto can't help but agree with a sad smile and a nod before leaving. Meeting Sakura just by the outside entrance, still carrying the scrolls like precious treasure, he immediately recalls how all this started by trying to help her win Sasuke's attention. On top of Iruka-sensei's injury, and now effectively giving Sakura-chan to another man, Naruto was not having a good day.

He grumpily dumps his hands in his pockets as she cautiously walks up to him, half her attention on the scrolls and the other half on him. "I thought you left?"

"I did. I am," she huffs. "I just wanted to ask you… are you- you're not related to Sandaime-sama, are you?"

"Wha? No," he throws back. "Why would you think that?"

"You were calling our Hokage, Ji-chan," She adamantly states as if it's the most obvious thing. "That is so disrespectful! He's the leader of our village and a very powerful political figure," she loudly retorts as if he only needed to be told louder for him to get it.

"I've always called him Ji-chan," Naruto returns with a non-committal shrug. "That's just... I don't know, that's how I normally talk to him."

Further confused, she follows up asking, "how often do you talk to the Hokage?"

"Mnnnn," he hums, tilting his head up to the bright blue sky, thinking back. "More so when I was younger but I'd say at least twice a week, now. Sometimes once every two weeks if he's really busy."

"You're lying!" her instant reaction quickly says.

"Wha- Am not!" He defends, his brows furrowing in disbelief rather than anger. He can stand a lot but he doesn't think his own teammate should call him a liar. "I wouldn't lie about that!"

"You have to be!" she throws back. "He's the Hokage and you're nothing but a Dead-Last baka!"

The shock could not be clearer on his face, one that quickly transforms into sad resignation. That's just another layer to the type of day he's having. He woke up late for the meeting but his own sensei was over three hours late. Then there was that Kami awful D-Rank mission, followed by this gut-wrenching plan to help the love of his life win the heart of another man, and now this. The girl of his dreams thinking so little of him, she couldn't even recall being in the Hokage's room not five minutes before while he chatted with the old man like he always does. The idea of crawling in the earth and dying seems nearly as appealing as training… nearly. The silence between them is stifling for several moments before he says, "if I'm going to give you a lot of practice healing the teme, I better go train."

And train he did. While his clones worked on his chakra control, Naruto runs, trains his muscles, then runs some more, and repeats. Hours and hours of it, until his stomach had twisted itself into a tight not and threatened to eat itself if he didn't get some ramen. The last thing he did before going to sleep, was leave a cup of instant ramen on the nightstand of Iruka-sensei's room. Naruto didn't expect him to be awake, but he hoped with everything he had that his favorite sensei would see and know that he was thinking of him.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the read. I don't read too much Naruto fanfiction so I wasn't sure if anyone thought of this idea to use Shinigami-sama's prayer beads to talk to a past self. Please let me know if anyone has. I'd love to read their take on it.

I just to quickly add that I may push particular qualities from the manga/anime that stand out the most to me, for instance, I know Sakura was nice to Naruto in the beginning but not all the time and especially not before the Escort Mission to Wave. These characters can sometimes feel like caricatures of their canon counterpart but I don't think I would go OOC.

Also, I'm not Sasuke's biggest fan but I won't outright bash him. I just never really bought the lengths Naruto went to for a person that was shown to be at best cold/indifferent to him. Made no sense to me. Maybe if Kishimoto made them running buddies-cruising the streets of Konoha-when they were kids, before the Uchiha massacre, I'd have an easier time believing how far Naruto went for Sasuke, but oh well. That's why Fanfiction exists I guess. I do have plans for Sasuke but they won't happen anytime soon, so expect an asshole for now.

As always, please let me know your thoughts, and have a great one,

-Grae


	3. 03Dango Blues

Hello everyone. I must warn everyone there are adult themes and scenes in this chapter.

* * *

KURENAI

Despite the tickle of concern in the back of her mind, Kurenai is leisurely waiting in her favorite tea shop. It was his idea, which made her suspect, if anything, that he wanted her in a good mood. The question of why he wants her in an amiable mood doesn't fill her with a wonderful feeling. If she listens to her minor feeling of dread, it tells her clearly, '_he__'s trying to soften the blow_,' which, at times, makes Kurenai hate her psychology training.

She's been working with her genin team—Hinata in particular—for a week now and though there hasn't been many setbacks, she hasn't witnessed any progress beyond what one might expect of heirs of great clans. Hinata, herself, barely speaks and when she does it's always clipped and hyper-formal. Even with the beautiful girl staying in her home, it's hard to get her to open up about much of anything.

The gruff, broad-shouldered Asuma arrives then, expressing minimal remorse in his usual non-cavalier manner. "Sorry I'm late."

The way his large frame casually settles for comfort rather than proper posture makes her smile as she comments, "so long as I don't see you reading a little orange book next time, I think I can forgive you."

He chuckles at the ludicrous insinuation before he orders the finest tea in the shop, something of a warning sign in her eyes, but she only smiles. He then tells her, "I just came from Hokage Tower. Princess Tomoko will be visiting the village."

Kurenai listens intently but her mind is moving a mile a minute. Being the son of the Hokage, who's also closely acquainted with the nation's Daimyo, the Lord of Fire country naturally entertained the notion of joining their families to strengthen their power; the Hokage's son with one of his daughters, princesses of Fire country.

It's the reason Asuma never truly connected with her, or at least that's what he told her. He wanted to spare her the unavoidable heartache should the whimsical Daimyo ever decide to follow through with his ideas of union-through-marriage. Kurenai told herself it made sense, and he informed her early on when they first started dating. It hadn't stopped him from being with other women but Kurenai was the only one that earned the heart of the truth from him. Though Asuma ended it before they had become too serious, Kurenai always held out hope that the gruff Sarutobi heir would finally be free to lead his own romantic life. So it hurt her every time she heard about one of his notable escapades or saw him with a loveless beauty of the night.

Never being one for a purely physical relationship with a man, Kurenai herself had tried to date others, shinobi and civilian alike. Unlike her dear friend Anko, Kurenai found it hard to connect emotionally as well as intellectually with anyone she may be seeing. She just couldn't help thinking about Asuma—couldn't help comparing whoever she was with to the smoking Jōnin. Couldn't help thinking, '_what was he doing? What would he think? Would it hurt him to see or hear about me with another man as much as it does her when she sees or hears about his relations?_'

With her looks, Kurenai comes across many interested men. That was never the problem. She tried to focus on their positives and if the sex was good, the relationship would last longer. But after some time, she would always find faults with them, then fixate on that like a blaring red warning sign signaling the doom to come before ending it. It was almost like she was ending things with others so as to not hurt them in the same manner Asuma does in his relations. When she realized that, Kurenai had to stop. Consequently, the last time she had sex was a solid year ago, the exact time she decided to simply put forth all her abundant energy into being promoted to Jōnin.

More often than not, marriages among the elite were generally based on alliances for monetary gain or political maneuvering to avoid war. Marriage for love is a distant concern, if at all addressed. Happiness was not a reason to get married. And now a beautiful princess of Fire country is coming to the village, in all likelihood to meet her future husband, the same man that's already claimed Kurenai's heart. At Asuma's comment, Kurenai said nothing, raising her fragrant and scintillating tea to her lips for a sip.

"I'll be honest," Asuma continues. "By the end of her visit, I'll know more or less what my future looks like. Kurenai, I know this isn't fair, but I hope you'll be apart of my life no matter what way this thing lands. You know I'll do my duty if I have to, but if it doesn't have to come to that... I think… I feel that would make me happy," he tells her with his gruff smirk.

She almost returned a smile, but if this didn't pan out the way they both want, that would lead to a hope that would hurt worse than any other time before. "Why don't we just enjoy our tea and catch up," she says, preferring to wait and see instead of diving into what ifs. "We've been so busy, it's been a spell since I've seen you. How's your team? Please tell me you're not smoking around them."

"If you saw what I was dealing with, you'd light one up too," he returns with a small measure of exasperation. "Not a single one is motivated to train. Shikamaru only cares about napping and sky gazing. It's like he skipped adolescence, adulthood, and went straight into elderly. Ino only cares about her figure and the Uchiha brat—bossy as hell too. Choji's a sweet kid—made us all celebration dango to celebrate forming the team—but even his own clan might think he eats too much and he lets Ino walk all over him."

"Sounds like you got your hands full," she mentions sympathetically.

"Better than Kakashi's, but yeah, they're a pain," he responds. "Still, I like 'em well enough to train 'em good. Plus, they saved me from having to go to the Daimyo's palace. Can't exactly take the brats with me, can I?"

Kurenai didn't want to ask but she couldn't not know, "is that why she's coming here?" Every little bit of information aids her constantly active mind in forecasting what the likely future might be.

"Otou-sama made it clear to the Daimyo that training shinobi for the good of the country supersedes something that may or may not happen, so he extended an invitation for her to come here." Kurenai just nods before he asks, "how's your team? You haven't been Jōnin for more than three months and now your training genin. Nervous?"

She can tell he's teasing and smiles as she tells him, "I haven't had them long, obviously. It's only been a week, but I'm reasonably optimistic. Shino-kun is diligent. Kiba-kun is impulsive; type A personality with a lot of energy. Hinata-chan is very shy but very caring. I'm working with her the most. I think she can be an amazing kunoichi if I can just find the right incentive to get her moving."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," he responds. "You've always cared like that," he states meaningfully and Kurenai can't help but wonder if he means in general, like any sensei or as a possible mother someday in the future they would both be happy with.

NARUTO

'_**We want to learn Rasengan in two months**_,' Naru-nii explains to his past-self-student. '_**It took the fourth three years to master this technique. Divide three years by the two months I'm giving you to learn this and you'll need no less than twenty clones while you train**_.'

'_I'm learning a technique made by the fourth Hokage?!_' Naruto gasps with twinkling amazement. '_Finally! Not that I don't appreciate you teaching me, but I was starting to get sick of all the control exercises. I like being able to fight on top of water, but nothing beats ninjutsu, ya know?_'

'_**You**__**'d be surprised**_,' Naru-nii hints as he sometimes does about things he never has the time to fully explain. '_**Beyond the border there**__**'s a pretty big world out there with a lot of weird ninja who can do some crazy stuff that beat ninjutsu.**_'

'_I guess,_' Naruto answers, accepting his future-selfs assertion.

'_**Anyway, this is an A-Rank technique. It**__**'s an offensive, short range jutsu. You ready?**_'

"Hell yeah!" Naruto yells in his mind as much as the outside world.

'_**Alright, are you deep in the forest? Near a water supply? Far enough away so no one stumbles in on your training?**_'

'_Yeah,_' Naruto responds, recalling the strength training to get to a secluded area. '_Three hours deep, and a stream nearby, just like you said_.'

'_**And you brought a bag of balloons and rubber balls?**_' Naru-nii asks.

"In my bag," Naruto answers patting his travel backpack filled with the items requested, a lot of ramen, and some camping gear.

'_**Good. To start, make five clones and have them use half the bag to make water balloons.**_'

Naruto does as instructed, and Naru-nii spends the remainder of his time explaining the first step of learning Rasengan: Rotation. Even with all the tips Naru-nii gave him, it's a lot harder than he expected but giving up has never been his style. Along with his clones, Naruto spends the rest of the day trying to churn the water's rotation in different directions using nothing but his chakra. He didn't notice it was nightfall until he fell flat on his back, exhausted to sickness from the hours of chakra use. Deciding he didn't have it in him to trek the three hours back to his apartment, he prepares several cups of instant ramen as he slowly dispels one clone at a time, ending his day knocking out in his sleeping bag.

To warm up, Naruto spends the morning training his body with strength training and close quarter taijutsu against his clones. After lunch, he again focuses on the first stage of Rasengan. Hours later, he hadn't been able to pop the water balloon, but instead of spending another day in the forest, he figured he could practice in his apartment, plus he didn't have the discipline to stretch out his ten remaining cups of ramen for more than a day.

Dirty, smelly, grimy, hungry, covered in twigs and petals of flora, Naruto drags his feet out of the forest. Finally closing in on the village, Naruto doesn't notice the purple and white Starling bird dive down with great speed toward his head, pulling up at the last second to scare the blond into jumping back and tumbling to the dirt floor.

"What th-" He calls but the bird swipes at him again. Naruto runs away covering his head with his arms the entire time but the purple and white bird doesn't relent, chasing after him. The frustration makes him swipe and miss as he yells, "leave me alone, bird-chan!"

It seems to have it out for him until he finally manages a lucky hit and knocks it to the ground. He felt relief for the briefest of moments until he realizes the pretty bird isn't moving, then crippling remorse floods his entire aching system. Though panicked, he gently picks the injured bird up and rushes to the village.

INO

"Uwah!" Ino gasps, clutching her head as she sits up in her bed. "That baka!" she yells, tensing her entire body down to her curled toes, waiting for the throbbing ache in her head and the spinning sensation in her realigning body to subside. The worst of it passes after twenty minutes, but it's only the worst, and Ino fully expects to sport a headache throughout the rest of her day. Allowing herself to fall back into her pillow, heavily panting—as if she just sprinted for an hour straight—she recalls the last few moments before being forcibly ejected from her jutsu.

Not long after her father taught her their family's Shintenshin no Jutsu(Mind Transfer Jutsu) Ino would use it as often as she could. Though it counted as training, her main point of attraction was transferring her consciousness into the minds of animals, mostly pretty birds so she could thrill at the majesty of flying high in the sky with the entire world below her. It made her feel small compared to the size of the land, yet empowering for having the sight to take in in the first place.

Recalling the shock to her system when that idiot landed a lucky hit reminds her of the very nasty downside to the jutsu. There is a lot of pain that comes with being forced out of the mind transfer. Despite the throbbing anguish in her head—going so far as to make her forehead and neck sweat—she immediately sits up again, focusing deeper on one detail of her out-of-body attack on the Dead Last. It's a dull growth of monumental realization as she slowly leaves her spacious bedroom, and ends up running by the time she reaches her father's study. The room is normally only used by him but it has all their books on botany, from roots to poisons and all the various ways they can be used.

With her pounding headache, Ino has to put great effort into focusing as she quickly skims through various books and scrolls. After some time, she finally comes upon several specific books that might help her remember why that distinct petal stuck to Naruto's disgusting jumper is so important. It must've been years ago, but she knows that petal came from an orchid. Fifteen minutes of searching and Ino wonders if she's made a mistake with the book currently in hand and has to read through all the books to find out why this is so important. Make no mistake, Ino knows it's important, she just couldn't say why yet. That is until she finally finds it on the highest row, the fourth-to-last book.

"Rarest Flowers in the World," she breathes, and the image of the petal on Naruto's back, under the white flap, begins encouraging bits of information she'd long stored away when she first read this book. Flipping through the pages, Ino surely finds the target of her query.

"The Fire Slipper Orchid," she reads aloud, slowly moving to her father's comfortable chair behind his desk. With the photo alone, she instantly confirms the petals from the book and the one stuck on Naruto's jumpsuit were the same. "One of the rarest orchids in the five nations; characterized by its red stripes and long side petals. Primary area of growth is forests within elevated areas from 950ft to 1300ft above sea level. Not only is the flower rare, but it can take up to fifteen years to blossom!" Ino broke eye contact with the book in great surprise, easily understanding why the orchid was so rare. Returning her attention to the reading, she learns exactly why her spectacular mind was so fixated on the petal. "Because it's so difficult to find much less grow within a controlled environment, this orchid species has a high market value where it is sold for as much as seven hundred and fifty thousand ryo per stem!"

Eyes wide, Ino leans back in utter shock at its value, the compounding aches in her brain doing little to slow down thinking of all the possibilities. Her most immediate concern being that bottle of perfume she absolutely begged her parents to get. She has an allowance and was more than ready to use it all if it were enough. She tried everything, but her parents wouldn't give her the remainder, they wouldn't give her an advance, and they wouldn't even give her extra shifts at the flower shop since it would cut other employee hours.

Ino needs that bottle and whatever else would give her an edge. She's already losing more ground to the Forehead than she'll willingly admit to—lest she stumbles into a great ice-cream filled depression. For the thousandth time, she wondered why she couldn't be teamed up with Sasuke-kun instead of Team 10. And for the thousandth time, her brain told her it was because of her father's partnership with Shikamaru and Choji's dads. She felt the injustice constrain her chest every time she thought of it. It was wrong to assume she would make a good team with the lazy-ass and the fat-ass simply because the three clans grew up close.

It's not that she hated her teammates but they definitely stood in her way, blocking Sasuke-kun from view, and letting the Forehead that much closer to her man. She'll be the first to admit she didn't need to be irrationally angry with her teammates; she knows it's not really their fault but she just can't help it. It gets to her every time the Lazy-ass just wants to sleep, or the Fat-ass just wants to eat, which happens all the time. The constant crunching of salty chips slowly drives her mad until she can't help but snap at them. It's not how she wants to spend her days and they—including her smoke-stack of a sensei—don't even seem to care.

Ever since the team assignments, she's been having one miserable day after another, '_but this_,' she thinks, looking at the picture of the beautiful orchid. "This changes everything," she comments to herself, smiling all the while. She hadn't felt very pretty in a while but the possibility of finding the rare, expensive flower is rejuvenating. Doing the calculations in her head, her eyes go wide. "That's at least an A-Rank mission without the hard work or splitting it with the team!"

Quickly standing to her feet, hugging the book happily, she realizes aloud, "and if there's more than one stem, that's… way over S-Class pay... just for me!" Her mind is a cloud of euphoria for seemingly hours until one unpleasant thought bursts that intoxicating bubble of happiness... Naruto.

Groaning in pain, she rushes back to her room. Rather than changing into her typical shinobi gear, she merely hops into a white mini skirt and her purple halter top that shows off her taut stomach and rushes out the door in search of the orange idiot, praying the entire time, "I hope that idiot didn't destroy it." If the red and black stripped petal was stuck on his back, than clearly, he must've landed on one. Ino prays to Kami that the rare, highly-valuable flower wasn't too badly damaged, or that there's at least one more stem out there.

Finally finding him in the market, exiting a food stand with a disgustingly distended belly—looking just as filthy as she remembered from her time in the Starling—she rushes straight at him.

"Naruto," she calls the orange-clad boy, suddenly feeling the physical exertion of running around the village for over an hour with dull throbbing head pain. It hurts so bad, she wonders if her swollen head is as bid as Sakura's. With her hands on her knees as her strained and hot lungs painfully catch her chalky breath, she notes the golden-blond idiot is clearly curious about her sudden appearance. '_And why wouldn't he be_,' she imagines. Ino knows this the first time she's ever sought him out, much less this desperately.

"Hey…uh, you okay?" he asks with a clear note of concern in his voice.

She puts up a single finger, hoping he understands she wants him to wait. After a minute, she grabs him by the shoulder. "Hey- What the-" he complains as she pulls the red stripped petal that was stuck on him; caught under the white turtle neck of his atrocious jacket. Examining the soft, colorful, fine-haired petal. It was indeed the extremely valuable plant from the book of rare flowers. Turning to him she demands to know, "where did you get this?"

The startled agitation was clear on his face, and his eyes squint with suspicion, but he looks at the petal in her hand and answers, "what is it?"

Her eyebrow twitches but Ino valiantly holds in her frustration. Taking a deep calming breath she looks around and notices all the faces, some looking at her with lewd gazes, but some looking—well, glaring—at the boy next to her. The worry in her mind, however, isn't in how much thigh or stomach she's showing, or even in how innately Naruto seems to annoy everyone. It's in the idea that someone in this busy market place might know the value of what she's holding in her hand.

Without a second thought, she commands him, "come on," as she grabs him by the collar of his filthy jumpsuit, pulling him along with her. After twenty minutes of marching, they're in a small deserted park, and she turns to him, staying as close to his sweaty musk as she can stand so he doesn't grate her patience too much. Normally she would've said something by now, but this is too important to risk.

"Naruto," she starts. "I need to know where you came across this flower."

"You sure that's a flower?" he asks peering at the flattened petal. "Doesn't look like one."

"That's because you-" Ino cuts herself off and takes a breath. The last thing she wants to do is make this unnecessarily harder by insulting him too much. "Look, this is a flower petal from an orchid that I'm looking for. I think it was stuck to your back because you fell on it. So I really need you to tell me where you've seen a flower with this kind of petal."

Naruto hums in deep thought for several seconds before answering, "I'm not sure. I don't really pay attention to flowers, especially when I'm training."

"Is that what you were doing today," she asks excitedly, scanning his rough and sweaty exterior. "Where! Where were you training?"

"Uhh, well," he starts nervously. "I... I can't say," he weakly finishes, but she's not taking no for an answer.

"Naruto, please," she pleads, her bewitching face instantly forming an adorable charming look she uses on her father when she really wants something. She even bends her knees so she's looking up at him, using the psychology that says men normally prefer to look down into a girl's eyes than up. She's also quite aware that he ought to be able to see a bit of cleavage, not to say she's the most abundant in that area, but she's certainly ahead of many kunoichi, developing quicker than most. She can easily tell it's working by the way he flusters and tries to avoid looking too far down. "I really, really need this," she whines prettily. "Won't you help me?"

"Ah, ano," Naruto fumbles, looking at her chest a moment before clearing his throat and looking at her pupil-less blue eyes. "Uh, sure!" Not completely for effect, she jumps up happily with a giggle. "I... I'll help, but, you absolutely cannot tell anybody where I'm taking you; it's my secret training spot."

"I guess. Where is it?" she asks curiously. '_How could any training ground in Konoha be secret?_' she mentally asks. '_All active shinobi use them, you idiot._'

"It's in the forest, about three hours north of the Hokage monument," he answers.

"What?" she gasps. "Why would you train so far away?"

"It's secret training that's going to make me the strongest ninja in Konoha!" he happily tells her. Though she doesn't believe for a second that the Dead Last in their class can beat anyone, let alone be the strongest anything, she says nothing, content to play along until she has her treasure secure in her hands. He continues to say, "that also means I can't show you what I'm doing. I don't mind taking you where I was, but you can't see my training. Sorry," he awkwardly tells her as if she cared.

She may have completed a step in her journey, but now she has to travel three hours through a dense forest without any assurances that the flower is there or still intact if it is. "You're sure you don't remember seeing it," she asks again, moving the petal closer to his face.

"Sorry, Ino-chan," he replies. She ignores the chan as he continues, "I more or less remember where I was, so I can take you there, but I was too focused on my training to remember any flowers."

He chuckles at his own idiocy and it annoys her, but she moves on. "I have a team meeting tomorrow morning. It shouldn't be anything serious, like training," she clarifies. "He just wants to tell us something important, so I can meet you afterward; by the Hokage monument."

"Sweet," he says brightly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that he was off, leaving her in delicious anticipation of better days to come. "Finally," she yells. Ino felt she needed something good, and for it to happen as soon as tomorrow, was thrilling. Ino walked home content and ready for good fortune to take her.

Meeting at their usual tea shop, Asuma-sensei took a single drag of his cigarette prompting her to yell, "either put that out or tell us what this is about, sensei. That's horrible for my skin, you know!"

"I actually agree with her," Shikamaru tells his sensei. "This is our day off and it's really early."

"It's nine am," Asuma corrects the lazy boy with a smirk.

"Like I said," is all Shikamaru responds with.

"…These three," Asuma mutters to himself before explaining why he called their meeting. "I called you all here because Konoha will be hosting one of the Fire Daimyo's daughters, Tomoko-hime. During her stay here, I'll be her escort, so I won't be able to stay with you for most of the day like we've been doing. That doesn't mean I want any of you to slack off."

"Are we going to meet the princess," Ino asks hopefully.

"Maybe," Asuma answers after taking a sip of his tea. "You're my students after all. That's pretty much it. Any questions?"

"Are we still doing D-ranks?" Choji asks between a handful of chips, his constant, audible chewing annoying Ino to no end.

"We'll do a few for sure, but maybe not every day," Asuma answers the Akimichi. "Anything else? No? Alright, dismissed?"

Asuma is already lighting his cigarette as he leaves his genin team and exits the shop. Before Ino can get more than a step away, Choji calls out to her. "Ino-chan wait!"

"What is it," she throws out, annoyed, though making a small note of how weirdly Shikamaru is looking at his fat-ass of a friend.

"I know you didn't like the celebration dango I made for us becoming a team," he starts to explain as he takes a container out of his pack where he keeps his potato ships. "I thought I'd make one special for you though." He opens the container to show a single stick of a yellow, a red, and a blue dango. "This one is super low calorie, barely any carbs, no sugar, no salt and fat-free. It's basically little better than water."

He presents the special dango to her and instantly she feels bad for some of the horribly insulting thoughts she had of him. Regardless of how everything turned out, she knows none of it was their fault, and since she's going on a long hike, she decides to take the stick of dango. "Thanks Choji. That was really nice of you."

The smile on his face surprised her. It wasn't so serious a thing he needed to be overjoyed over. '_Maybe he worked really hard on this_,' she thought as she ate the first two with delight. '_And I did throw away that last one he made_.'

"Maybe we can hang out since we have the day off," Choji suggests with a hopeful vigor, turning to Shikamaru. "What do you say Shikamaru? We can go to the park and play, or if you want to shop, Ino, we could do that too."

"Sorry," she starts, ripping the last blue dango from the long pick, before throwing the slim piece of wood into Choji's bag. "I actually got plans today. Maybe next time."

"What are you doing," Shikamaru asks with bored suspicion. To the pineapple-headed boy, she seems slightly more chipper and less bossy than normal.

"No way," Ino mocks him in fake shock, before adding, "is that genuine interest I hear?" She smiles broadly at them before turning and leaving. She manages to hear the pineapple head, mutter, "troublesome," before she's out of earshot and on her way to the Hokage monument. Luckily it's not more than fifteen minutes away from her team meeting spot.

"Yo!" Naruto calls when he sees her. "Morning Ino-chan."

Rolling her eyes at the chan he adds to her name, she returns a glum, "no time for chit chat. Three hours there, three hours back, and I don't know how long it's going to take to find it; we don't have any time to waste, so let's go!"

With a weak chuckle he turns around and they begin their hike at a run.

It starts five minutes in. For some reason, Ino grows warm, very warm, nearly flushed. As they jog over through leaf invested grassy floors and over large tree roots, Ino begins to wonder about her physical well being. The Dead Last isn't going any faster than she can handle but the excessive warmth is beginning to pool primarily to her lower back, hips, and thighs, though it doesn't exempt her neck, cheeks, and bouncing breasts.

Ino tries to ignore it as her fogging mind reasons it was something she ate, however, soon, the salivating warmth invites a certain weakness to her feverish muscles. It was as if her well-conditioned control had been sucked out of her body, replaced by this tingling allergy spreading from her irritably stuffy pelvis down her humid thighs, up the flat of her toned abdomen, the swell of her torrid breasts and her languid red neck.

Ino had to stop jogging. Her uncooperative leg muscles were twitching and the sweat between her vibrating legs felt sticky. She didn't even realize how long she'd stopped for until Naruto is standing right in front of her—not even breathing heavily—expressing, "it's going to take us longer to get there if you don't hurry up."

Jumping at the chance to utilize the heat of her anger rather than the oddly sensitive heat of her body, she musters enough airy voice to shout back, "Sh-Shut... up." It's the weakest comeback she's ever felt. "Just keep jogging," she finishes. Naruto shrugs before taking off again.

Following after the golden-blond, Ino couldn't understand why her body was reacting this way and what makes her start to panic is it's only getting worse. With every step she took, Ino felt her breasts and the apex of her inner thighs getting hotter and hotter. A sensitive heat that continues its invasion to odd places she never really thought to feel before, like her ears, the back of her knees, between her toes, her ass cheeks, and even—to her horror—her sphincter. She can feel it twitch with a growing itch.

Ino was soon walking again, breathing heavily despite only jogging for five or ten minutes. She brings out her canteen of water, desperate for it's cooling relief but only finds the clear liquid can do nothing to bate this demanding heat growing within her. In fact, the trickles of water that splash away from her cherry red lips, and stream down chin and neck, seem to ignite her sensitive skin further.

Nearly an hour in and she's sweating shamefully profusely. The way her fishnet stalkings and white bindings stick to her sodden skin, and her damp purple top wrapping desperately around her tender C-cup breasts and pebbled teats only fuels how incredibly obscene she feels at the moment. The raunchy Royal-Purple rags of her typical outfit cling to her, stretching and pulling with every dragging step ahead, but that's not where her attention is drawn. No, all of Ino's focus is on the incredibly heat gathering in her core and her stone hard nipples.

Though embarrassed, the fog of her mind and the special kunoichi training help her avoid reacting on those shameful feelings, lest she turn back and end her mission for coming out here in the first place. It also helps Naruto is always leading them and can't see her, which is a relief as even the gentlest of breezes hazes her mind euphorically as it plays with her tingling body. '_It__'s odd_,' she thinks when her forgetful mind questions why she's following the hypnotic orange of the blond's jumpsuit.

As Ino wonders if they're playing a game of slow tag, her hand drops to the tender junction between her legs and the slightest of contact nearly takes her knees out, electrifying her with the most pleasure she's ever felt. So unaware of her surroundings, she didn't even realize the moan that she heard came out of her mouth until Naruto was right in front of her. She can barely make out how concerned he looks over the simple recognition of his maleness.

"Neh, are you okay," he asks, putting his warm hand on her shoulder. Ino bursts at the contact. She couldn't understand how a hand touching her bald, fleshy, sweaty shoulder can feel so deliciously thrilling. Ino simply couldn't think but for the urging of her basic needs and lurches forward, sending them both to the grassy floor.

On his back with Ino landing on top of him, her hips react without consent, or in Ino's cloudy mind, without awareness, grinding her sodden crotch against his thigh, moaning freely of her ever-building pleasure. Ino becomes a being of continuous amazing sensation, lamely reasoning the strong muscle pressing against her needy crotch is contracting more pleasurable feelings with every single thrust. She isn't even aware of the blond boy the strong thigh muscle is connected to as her hungry hips beg for more titillating stimulation, unconsciously grinding her leaking core against it repeatedly.

NARUTO

Naruto had no sense of what to do. He didn't know what Ino was doing. He didn't know why she was doing it—or why his thigh was growing more and more wet. But the fact of the matter is, Ino—one of the prettiest girls in the village—was straddled his left leg. '_Squishy_,' his mind sums it up. The purple flaps of her skirt gathered out of the way so he can clearly see her moist bandaged crotch rub itself vigorously against him. Her C-cup breast bounce inches away from his wide eyes and her constant weeping moans are regularly exhaled across his face.

'_This is__… This is like sex_,' his mind yells, feeling the friction from his leg build to his crotch, stretching his pants. Looking at the mesmerizing way Ino ride his leg, Naruto can't help the bulge growing any more than he can say, "so hot."

The act itself was familiar, if not exactly like how he had researched. Naruto easily remembers pictures of girls riding boys but he didn't understand why Ino was doing that with him. From all his research into sexiness for his jutsu, he learned that having actual sex should be with someone you love… unless you pay for it, in which case, there's no love in that.

But Ino kept on doing it. Rubbing her lower part on his thigh, moaning and whimpering loudly, inching closer and closer to his raging erection. Naruto notices the bandages loosen a moment before her sudden scream cuts through the serenity of the forest. Then, as if her voice shorted, her head snaps back, alarming him as her pelvis slides up his thigh and press against is his steel erection. She shivers and shakes uncontrollably, and the pained look on her face would worry him more if the tight warmth of their thighs squeezing against his dick didn't feel so good. She stays static and spams for at least twenty seconds before she collapses on her back, her legs going limp straddled over his lap.

To Naruto, there's a lot going on from moment to moment that's more captivating than the next, but also none more so than the other. Her feverish red cheeks on her erotically satisfied face is no better or worse than the delightful groans of pleasure humming from her saliva covered mouth. Nor was the drenched, softness of her girl part pressing against his rock hard rod between them any better or worse than the way one of her hands begins roughly rubbing her breast. He couldn't reason how this was happening, but he's never been one to shy away from asking.

Leaning forward, her legs flop like jelly, spread open and Naruto inspects the flush and heavily breathing girl as he crawls over her prone form a bit to reach her head. "Na, Ino, why did you- _MNN!_" Naruto is physically silenced when Ino tilts forward to wrap her arms around his neck and drag him down for a fierce kiss. She presses her full and soft lips hungrily against his. Naruto was stunned yet again when she opens her mouth to snake her tongue deep into his mouth and blend saliva.

At her upward thrust, Naruto regains enough sense of mind to pull back, quickly asking, "I-Ino, a-are you alright?"

Ino's benumbed mind didn't understand his question or his reluctance simply voicing her womanly needs. "Fill me up, Naruto! Make me feel good Naruto. Make me feel good!" she moans as she starts sucking on his neck while she pinches and pulls on one of her peaking nipples.

"You want me to-" he tries but he's losing focus, asking, "how- Are you sure-"

"Just fuck me, Naruto!" she yells, losing control of her hips as the try to connect to any stiff surface of his. "Please," she mewls. "I'm hurting! It hurts soo much without your dick!" She yells before forcibly taking his lips again.

Naruto was harder than he's ever felt in his life—to the point his dick hurts from the constriction—and Ino was kissing him like her life depended on it. Without thought, Naruto's pelvis juts forward, pressing an impossibly constrained erection into the fleshy wet heat between her legs. A needy Ino moans into his mouth at the contact before she immediately pushes him up enough to pull her purple top off, her platinum blond hair whipping back with it. Naruto's pelvis thrusts into her again and again, reveling in the pleasure of the wet warmth as she removes the safety pins of her binding. She couldn't peel it all off but that wasn't the immediate need.

Feeling his perfect and constant thrusts, she moans weakly as she nearly rips off the strangling ribbons and that sound spurned him on. Years of training in reading body cues to understand an opponent is telling him she's desperate for this. He can hear her want in her animal cries and feel her need in her impulsive plunge back.

"Take off," Naruto hears her groan.

"Ino," he gasps his question, losing his ability to articulate the thought, '_what do you mean?_'

"Take off your fucking pants, already!" she yells as she finally frees enough of the white trapping to liberate her gleaming, pulsing pussy to the open, forest air. It tingled enough to make her moan and she began exploring the sexual organ bringing her amazing pleasure with both hands. It wasn't until she heard the zipper being drawn down like a chainsaw, that she came back to some form of minor awareness and realized this was Naruto on top of her. Naruto was the one making her feel good, but she couldn't think as to why that would be bad.

Naruto was wildly stimulated and his thoughts didn't stretch further than the most immediate and sustained pleasure, which couldn't be bothered to completely take off his pants or even think to remove his jacket and undershirt. He didn't waste any time liberating his rock hard rod from the tight confines of his boxer; showcasing to Ino the thick length of his want for her.

Looking down at it, Ino couldn't really compare him to anyone since she hadn't ever done this before and most of the pictures she's seen were diagrams for educational purposes. Naruto was long, thick, with throbbing veins and round golden-pube balls, but what really surprised her was how shapely the head of his dick was. Her hands instinctively reach for his hot meat stick. Despite it's aggressive posture, it's smoother than she expected. She wonders if it should be so hot until she feels it pulse in her hand and hears him groan in satisfaction above her.

To Naruto, he felt cold and he only had a mind to be inside hot wetness. Ino felt hollow enough she might disappear and needed him to feel full again. She lined him to the entrance of her aroused canal, pressing his eager shaft against her swollen lips before he promptly thrusts into her. The two teens groan in unison, each feeling different sensations but equal in immense satisfaction. Ino's legs quake as all energy is sucked out of them.

'_He__'s splitting me_,' Ino's mind yells with clenched teeth, easily feeling Naruto's veined member plunged to the end of her soaking snatch pulsing impatiently. Naruto pulls out slowly with a wet '_shloop_', dragging out a deep groan from Ino before stuffing her sloshing pleasure cavity. Instinctive for more, he pounds away into her, lost to anything but the pure pleasure in this gorgeous once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The size of him forces pain to register in her mind, but her drug-addled mind needed too much pleasure to tell him to slow down, or Kami help her, to stop.

The new, intrusive experience didn't hurt much, if at all. She was vaguely aware that it was supposed to; not that her hymen was intact. The majority of kunoichi lose that barrier of flesh through rigorous exercise and training. In Ino's mind-numbing arousal, it isn't long after he first stuffed her to the brim with his meat that she's moaning loudly by his relentless thrusts, filling her with unbearable satisfaction in spite of how much he was stretching her to accommodate his girth. With the amount of fluids flooding her love channel, it didn't take Naruto more than four or five thrusts to completely sheath himself inside of her. "You- Kami, Ino, you feel sooo good," Naruto hotly groans between grunts. "It's so tight! Hot! Wet!"

With ever etch of her pleasure membrane deliciously being pulled by the thick head and veined girth of his member, Ino moaned continuously. With every thrust, Ino's hazy mind bursts with long echoing pleasure broadcasting to every inch of her body. It seemed like no time at all before Naruto was pounding his thick meat with fluid ease and she was moaning for more.

"_MNN_, yes, Naruto! More!" Ino gasps. "Pl-Please, harder! I'm- I'm- I'm almost-" she begged, as his bulbous head would tongue her cervix with fluid ease, pulling fantastically at her squeezing walls on its way out before his entire shaft would fill her sponge-tunnel completely again ripping an "_AHHNN!_" out of her every time.

Ino was lost in a whirlpool of pleasure as a result of Naruto's devastating rod and her moist vagina squeezes his sensitive shaft hungrily, begging for its nourishment. "Ino!" Naruto calls, feeling like he's getting close to deliciously breaking apart. Naruto knows he's close and he knows it'll be great when without warning, the frothy walls of her vagina snap shut, clamping on his sensitive dick, sending him over a peak that feels explosive in pleasure. Naruto buries himself with one final thrust burying himself in her quaking hole to his balls and empty weeks worth of gelatinous cum inside of her.

Feeling the molten semen filling her small cavity triggers a second more powerful orgasm and Ino's eyes roll into her head, her toes curl intensely like they've grown a fourth joint to bend further and she clings to Naruto's dick as she blacks out from the sheer waves of euphoria drowning her sweaty body. As her body held and squeezed a groaning Naruto, he wasn't aware that she had passed out.

As he fills Ino's sanctuary with line after line of his thick ejaculate, what Naruto couldn't be told is unusual about how he cums was that penises do not swell at the base to twice their girth. That's an animalistic characteristic not found in normal humans but as Ino was unconscious for her first ever creampie, she would have to tell him after the second round.

INO

Sound is the first thing Ino becomes aware of.

"Oh," she hears him grunt lewdly in tandem with a repeated wet smacking noise. "Ssso good Ino-chan! You feel soo goood," Ino hears, slowly opening her glossy eyes to the hypnotic rocking of the tall trees above and the boy eagerly fucking her. Ino's boneless legs were wrapped securely around the cunt-humping blond and she was flush against him with his head beside hers. The pleasure all rushes back to her like growing pains and very quickly, Ino automatically returns his amorous affection without question. Fucking him just is and her cerebellum is immediately rushed with an overpowering amount of mind-numbing pleasure, triggering miniature quakes up and down her arched spine and throughout her sweaty body.

"You're so beautiful!" The half-naked blond praises her between a long series of flesh-smacking thrusts. "So beautiful!"

Ino met him eagerly thrust for thrust and she couldn't fathom as to how. He felt so much stronger than her, bigger, hotter, impossibly perfect inside of her. His grip, his thrust, the molten steel pounding inside her, reach her upper walls easily to that lovely spot that seems to shoot unimpaired jolts of lightning throughout her entire body, forcing her to arching her lower back deeply and spread her legs as far as she can to give him all the access he wants. He was unrelenting and she accepted the pure bliss of submitting to him unashamed. The tension in her lower stomach builds faster than she's ready for, adding that extra bit of concern for her sanity.

"Keep going! Keep! Fuckin'! My little cunt!" she happily yells, letting the waves of mounting pleasure roll over and over her into a higher precipice. "Whatever you do, don't, _AHHN!_ Don't s-s-s-stop._Ahn, ahn,_ it's- It's coming again," She yells deeply and freely. "I'm cumming, I'm cumming, I'm CUMMMINGGGGGG!" She moans greatly, hoarsely as the astounding pressure within explodes with pleasure, short-circuiting all brain function but for the eternal satisfaction of squeezing his hot, thick dick as she cums endlessly.

With the quick shifts and jerks of her furnace-like gyrating hips, Naruto couldn't overcome how pleasurable her canal hosting him felt. With a final grunting thrust, he buried himself as deep as physically possible and discharged copious helpings of his thick seed inside her quaking meat sheath. With his most delicious waterfall being squeezed into her, Ino oddly wonders why his dick is swelling so much—an isolated thought that didn't last.

As if her orgasm triggering his orgasm wasn't enough, feeling the boiling pool filling her so deeply, extending her walls and etching into sensitive fold, Ino saw white as her head shoots back and her scorching body is wracked with another wave as mighty as the first burst, quaking and spasming mini contractions throughout her weakened constitution. She simply held on with taunt arms and her stuffed pussy, feeling more attached to him than Ino could've ever thought possible. Her plugged pussy quaked continuously, holding a copious amount of his spunk as her fevered body squeezes his spitting rock hard appendage like a vice as if trying to memorize every vein and curve of his impressive manhood.

Naruto's weight dropped on her like a sack of crushing water but as even the roots of her platinum-blond scalp feels amazing, so too does the pressure of his weight on her. Time was meaningless as the warm mesh of perpetual pleasure rendered the lovers motionless.

The last vestiges of restraint, of ration, of any lucidity, had long abandoned her—both of them, in truth. They've long since given up trying to explain the why of losing their virginity to each other. It couldn't matter when there was so much ecstasy to be had. Ino's hazy mind can't even process the connection of losing her virginity to someone she doesn't love—the Dead Last of their year, of all people—nor that it was little more than wild animals rutting savagely in the open forest floor.

They stopped for the sake of resting their highly trained lethal bodies, however as ninjas, they didn't need much. With Naruto's boundless stamina and Ino's abnormal addiction to pleasure, both teenagers give in to their primal and unquenchable urges, satisfying each other again and again as if nothing else existed. Her mind was silent of any doubt or plan or consequence. The singular thoughts forming loudly in her loopy head is of submission, and in an odd way, liberation.

In their momentary rest, he works his tongue and lips down her body, to the swollen center of her love-tunnel. Naruto ate her out and she came so hard she squirted. He lapped it up, spouting something about ramen broth, and to her dull astonishment, Ino happily returns the favor.

It was odd being faced with the appendage responsible for all her pleasure; from a boy she never—even in her wildest dreams—ever thought she would let in her mouth let alone her body. And yet here she is, too high on the wonders of bliss and the source of it all to care about taking a firm, possessive hold of his base and licking the bulbous head. Her tongue brushes the underside of his thick shaft, and instead of disgust, she relished in the obscenity of their combined taste—a frothy nectar made of her pussy juice mixing with his scrubbed cum. Ino lapped it up, cleaning his shaft thoroughly before taking him in her mouth, very much to his great pleasure.

She never expected to like taking a man in her mouth. It's not a topic of conversation among the girls her age but she's heard from other clan members. The older kunoichi would seem to repel at the way men expect this act and so Ino always thought it was strictly a man's pleasure at the woman's expense. But when Naruto groans loudly, almost feebly, it gives her such a rush that she can control him like this, that she sucked him off like delicious candy. She can almost play him like a puppet, and it made her wet.

"That feels- that feels… so great, Ino!" he would moan, both hands on her head. "You- Your mouth… is amazing!" And it always thrilled her to hear. When he came, she didn't expect to like his tight, strong, and needy grip on her head as he groans to the high heavens. She also didn't expect to like his thick spunk being pumped down her throat. But more than anything, she didn't expect the cum-pumping cock in her mouth to swell at the base to nearly twice its girth.

'_That__'s different_,' is her only scrutiny on the impossible reaction as she swallows load after load like sucking on a baby bottle. It was satisfying in a primal way to be used so desperately for his pleasure and Ino craves more. Flipping him on his back so she can straddle his waist, his thick manhood was stirring her pleasure sensitive sex seconds later. The afternoon sun soaked the wanton lovers as she rode him, her long silky hair, undone and catching the lowering light and Naruto couldn't believe how beautiful she looked.

Despite the eagerness of her gyrating hips, lifting and grinding down on his meat pole, his sky blue eyes never left her erotic face contorted in absolute pleasure. When her pupil-less powder blue eyes lock on his intense gaze, she felt penetrated in a way she wasn't expecting. By now, she wouldn't bat an eyelash at the bliss of taking his large cock in her or even releasing his wonderfully hot load in her young womb, but the eyes are the window to the soul, a part of her that was more vulnerable than even her body.

Riding him felt different then, bigger, not simply in the act of intercourse but in the meaning behind him. He was looking at her like there were no tomorrows, like she was the world and time stood still. What they were doing was larger in that sense, and through the electric haze clouding her mind, she was compelled to turn away. Looking at the sky as tears stroll down her cheeks, Ino knows they don't love each other. They don't even know one another; not really.

He sits up adding a delicious angle of penetration, finding a spot that sent shivers up her spine as he wraps her clammy torso in his strong arms, calling her attention back to him. "Don't, please," he pleads, his eyes expressing far more than his words. "Let me see you. I just want..." he groans as she meets his upward thrusts. "...To see you... your beautiful... gorgeous... wonderful... face..."

His beautiful blue eyes relay a wealth of information that wouldn't allow her to look away. He was giving her the best of his everything, and that courage, to be so free and trusting with himself, with her... the thrill impulsively forces her body to clamp down on his greedy appendage. They both groaned deeply at the sudden tightness, only allowing themselves a moment to enjoy it before he snaked his arms around her back and kept thrusting into her, all the while staring deeply into her vulnerability.

The face she shows him—this euphorically pained face that no one's ever seen—and the way he craves for her the same way she craves for him, the tightly wound, massive coil in the core of her stomach snaps, seizing her entire body with gigantic crippling shocks and aftershocks. Her scream is loud and hoarse, as her body contorts and contracts wildly. With one final thrust, he buries himself to the balls and brilliantly coats her thirsty walls with whatever he has left, transferring even more powerful aftershock battering her exhausted and spent body before he plugs her with his unique cock.

After the massive inferno of pleasure is reduced to a humming simmer, she falls forward as his back finds the mushed grass. Both gasping for breath, Naruto holds her against him indulging in the feel of her soft breasts and hot moist skin against his. Ino can almost feel his smile as she rests her head by the side of his. When his now softened penis slips out, he groans almost sad about it. With the exception of swallowing one of his loads, Naruto preferred to finish inside of her.

'_It must've felt great for him_,' her lucid thoughts suggests. She couldn't know that he really likes the connection, the closeness, the affection, the way she squeezes him hungrily for every ounce he has to offer. She just couldn't know what this means to him because to her, his reputation was enough to avoid learning any more about him.

At the first attempt to leave, Ino barely reached for her purple top before Naruto was on her again. Holding herself against the trunk of a tree, he fucked her from behind, her legs spread wide enough for his ease of relentlessly deep pumping. Ino couldn't hold herself for long and kept sliding down the smooth bark. It was only due to Naruto's tight hold on her shapely hips that kept her remotely upright, until her taut core of pleasurable snaps with concussive force, and yet again, an explosion of mind-numbing pleasure rips through her spine and up her cranium, overloading her entire existence with unabated pleasure.

As she rides wave after wave of unceasing pleasure, her spasming meat pocket holds onto Naruto for dear life, causing him to break his spunk-bank yet again to deposit a frothy helping of his thick cum. Gathering the superheated pool of his man-milk in her filling uterus triggers her ascension to a realm made entirely of intense bliss and Ino succumbs to a litany repeated orgasms.

After much needed rest, they try again to leave, with either of them mindlessly voicing, "… I think… we should…" And they move to reach for their clothes only for Ino wind up on all fours with Naruto gripping her hips and probing the wrong hole. "Wai… wait… Naruto."

"Hmm?" he manages to ask as he uses more force to poke through.

"That's… my… ass," she says before a wicked moan rings in the air. Though Ino should feel repulsed by his mistake, her drug-addled mind recalls the itch of her ass. The scratch that was pulsing profoundly a fingers length inside her bowls. Naruto's reach was longer than her finger and his thrusts were insistent.

"That's so hot," Naruto states, seemingly of the belief that she's as okay with this as she is with everything.

Ino finds the more she relaxes her bowl and ass muscles the more satisfying it becomes. Though she prefers he stuffs her pussy, she finds she delights in anal play as well. The steadily increasing rhythm of his hooking bulbous head scratches her buzzing itch so deliciously, Ino is moaning just the same as if he was assaulting in her soaking pussy. The way his balls hits her clit with every moist smack of their crotch was like being choked with pleasure until she couldn't breathe and died in ravenous euphoria. At the feeling of his thick pole filling her bowls, Ino passes out again from the intensity of the body-breaking feeling.

After each intermission to catch their breath they would try again to leave—to go back to the village—but every time would end in failure. After hours of sex, Ino's not ashamed to admit she absolutely loves the feeling of his molten man-milk being vigorously pumped into her ass, pussy or mouth. The rolling hills of bliss crashing lethally against her weakened body seemed to her like the only joy that could exist, and Naruto always seemed ready and eager to give it, knocking her out time and time again, to then wake to him devouring her breast or eating her out. Despite their growing exhaustion, the lovers find oblivion in each other until they both collapse.

* * *

This was the first sex scene I've ever written. It's part of the reason why I started this fic. I wanted to practice that. This was also the main reason why I aged up the characters, though some may have noticed I don't mention their age much.

Let me know what you think. Have a great one,

-Grae


	4. 04Two Masks

Hey guys,

I think by now, it's pretty fair to say there's explicit content in this fic. If that makes some of you uncomfortable, I totally get that. I hope you find a fic more to your tastes. My fic will have story, characterization, motivation, but it will also have sexual relations with Naruto and I must warn you, none of the girls he sleeps with will do it out of love... at least initially. That's the story/challenge I want to play with.

So, I have decided to do a multi turn harem fic-basically more than three who grow to love him. I'm motivated by gray area decisions and unforeseen circumstance to generate story. I just want to make it make as much sense as possible. That's it.

Enjoy.

* * *

INO

It was well into the night when Ino walked into her home on unsteady legs, dragging her travel pack on the floor behind her.

"Honey is that you," Ino hears her mother call from the other room. Ino absentmindedly deduced her mother was in the kitchen, likely putting away any leftover food. At the sweet sound of her mother's voice, Ino wants to cry. A great pang of unholy contamination is crammed into her chest as her vision fills with fat globs of tears that don't shed. Unable to trust her voice not to share her inconceivably horrid ordeal, Ino clamps a desperate hand over her mouth, shaking the globules of tears to rush down her cheeks and hand, as she just hums, "_Mm-hmm!_"

To Ino, it felt like the entire story of her raw grief and debauchery could easily be detected in her tone alone. Despite how utterly filthy she feels, she wants to run to her pure mother for her solid protection and be told that everything was going to be alright. But she also wants to hide with just as much desire—to never let her mother know exactly how unclean her daughter has become. Her mother easily responds, "okay. Your father and I are going to sleep. If you take a shower, keep it down. There's food in the fridge if you're hungry."

Ino hears faint feet walk away, then silence. Crunching her appealing face in misery, the painful quiet of her home only aids the loud memories of her day, continually flooding her mind's eye and shaming her tears to fall faster down her semen-stained cheeks, dirty fingers, and button chin. She can already tell from the heat drowning her eyes, that she won't stop crying anytime soon.

Ino slowly makes her way to her bathroom, eager to wash off the crusty lust-covered insanity of the day. No matter how many hours it takes, she doesn't plan on leaving until the job is thoroughly done. Though deep down she knows no amount of water or anti-bacterial body wash will ever erase what's been done to her once innocent temple, it won't stop her from trying. With never-ending memories of her acting like a corner whore as her fuel, how could she not scrub and scrub until she bleeds?

In the bathroom and turned away from the mirror, Ino was struck with indecision. After everything she and Naruto did—how completely they satisfied their every animalistic desire—she's determined to decontaminate every millimeter of her well-used body, however, where to begin? Everywhere is her goal because he sucked, licked, or coated white every inch of her with such musky vigor, scrubbing one area of her anatomy meant not disinfecting another, and she just wanted it all off. Ino wants to feel new again—pure and innocent—but she isn't anymore and she never will be again; birthing a fresh batch of tears.

It was taking every bit of her clan's mental training to keep from breaking down. A daunting task when she simply considers the magnitude of losing her virginity at such a young age. It's an impossible task when she further considers how she also lost her anal cherry to the same idiot. In fact, any which way she's heard a woman can pleasure a man, Ino did it with Naruto… of all people.

'_Oh Kami, I sucked him off!_' Her mind yells, effortlessly reliving the greedy blowjob she gave him both in her mind and on the lingering sensation of her swollen lips. Giving Naruto her first kiss would've been bad enough but kissing, and licking, and sucking his fluid covered cock just didn't make _any_ sense to her. The buzzing of her cock-experienced lips tells the story of how she returned the favor—happily and willingly—stunning her perpetually, asking herself, '_how? How could I have done that? With him? I__'m not that girl. I'm not…_'

Worse than her vivid recollections, her body is still humming with residual delight at the physical memory of him against her—of him _in_ her. Ino's mind could not think of anything else. '_He fucked me. He fucked me like a dog__… and I loved it… who am I?_' Her mind asks, and her tears answer, '_you__'re sad_.'

Tears mix with the water as she simply decides to start. She would have to wash everything his hands, mouth, and dick invaded, rubbed, sucked and pinched, thoroughly and repeatedly. She can easily feel the most tender parts of her body, and would deal with them, but the most sensitive issue is the copious buildup of sappy fluid still inside of her. He not only licked, sucked, and fucked her pussy, he erupted—deliciously she hates to admit—several large loads inside of her.

For the trek back she had to use her filthy bindings to keep the pool of man milk from constantly leaking down her legs. If anyone saw her walking with trails of semen running down her thighs, Ino wouldn't survive the shame. It made walking back extra challenging as she felt the shifting weight of semen if she swayed too much. Sadly it was nearly impossible not to as her legs were terribly weak, and the natural grace of her walk already adds a racy sway to her eye-catching hips—a favorite feature of hers that now has finger bruising from his strong grip.

Gripping the banister, she tries to stop thinking about all the vivacious activity that involved her nether region, already feeling herself growing warmer. "Stop it Ino," she warns herself, her tone almost pleading, but she can't; all the while wondering how her body can still feel so responsive after nearly eight hours of full-on intercourse, oral stimulation, anal play, or massaging exploration.

When she feels the heat of her tender folds grow slick with wanton anticipation, she rushes to the shower, turns the cold tap to full blast and stands under the shower head. The shock of its icy pain cascades through her system, doing what she doesn't seem capable of doing on her own; cooling down. The day started with so much hope and promise. Ino had not expected it to end with her crying under the loud shower head, wailing so loud she's certain her parents or at least her mother would rush in and check on her. No one does and there she stays.

NARUTO

"Ne, Naru-nii, why didn't you tell me I was going to have sex with Ino-chan?"

'_**WH-Wait, what? ..What? ...What?**_' Naru-nii garbled as if coughing and choking at the same time. Naru-nii was coughing so hard, Naruto actually worries the prayer would cut off. With his hands clasped at the back of his blond head, the de-virgenized genin walks to the unpopular training area to continue his chakra control training. He finds it much easier to talk aloud than in his head, and continues. "Is this like when I asked if you knew who my- _our_ parents are, and you said yes but there's a good reason you wouldn't tell me?"

'_**I never said I wouldn't tell you**_,' Naru-nii returns with a somewhat raspier voice. '_**I said it's for the best if the only thing you know right now is how bad-ass they were. I said I'd tell you if you kept all this stuff about me and the future a secret**_.'

"I have!" Naruto throws back to no one in particular, as he's the only one traveling down the dirt road.

'_**I don't go back on my word**_,' Naru-nii passionately replies.

"Me neither!" Naruto returns.

Humored, Naru-nii continues, '_**I'll tell you after you learn F**__**ūton Rasengan, but trust me, it's just like keeping the Kyūbi a secret, the less people know the better. Now... what the hell is this about Ino?**_'

Twisting his face curiously, Naruto asks, "didn't you have sex with her too?"

'_**No!**_' he bellows. '_**No! I haven't had sex with anyone! Plus, I only have eyes for Sakura-chan... not that I didn't notice how some of the other girls were... **__**'developing,' but still, you're saying you had- ...you actually had sex with Ino? Yamanaka Ino? Long blond hair, blue eyes, curvy, always wears a purple skirt and top? That Ino?**_'

Naruto was nodding his head with a big smile the entire time, finally finishing with, "yup!"

'_**How?!**_' Naru-nii yells in truly astonishing disbelief.

"Wait, how come you haven't?" Naruto asks, believing they must share the same experience if Naru-nii is from the future. Even someone as dense as Naruto knows that much. "You're supposed to be the Me from the future. Doesn't that mean that you know everything that's going on now, like, in the past?"

'_**No! Er, at least I don't think so**_,' Naru-nii slowly comments, as if trying to gather his thoughts at that moment. '_**I'm in a complete seal, remember. I'm cut off from everything. It was the only way to ensure I could have an uninterrupted chance of fixing everything. I have the memories I came in with, but I don't know how different things are since talking to you. I mean, you**__**'re learning stuff faster so I gotta imagine that'll change things... but damn man, that's a hell of a change.**_'

"Oh," Naruto gripes, before nervously adding, "that sucks… for you, I mean."

'_**SHEUUT UPP**_,' Naru-nii yaps, easily recognizing his own smugness in his past counterpart. '_**Wh-what about Sakura-chan?**_' the older Naruto asks.

"Ugghh," Naruto groans griping his heart, nearly tripping over in guilt. "I know, I know! I'm worthless! I'm shit! How could I say she's the love of my life, then turn around and have sex with another girl? I couldn't sleep at all last night. I couldn't even look at her today!" Naruto yells up at the skies.

'_**Hey, now, don't beat yourself up too much**_,' he mildly puts. It's a generalization with a hesitant tone that spoke to how out of his depth Older Naruto is in this conversation. '_**And Ino... I'm sure she likes you just as much as you like Sakura-chan**_.'

"I thought you knew me?!" Naruto bellows. "I don't just like Sakura-chan. I _love_ her!"

'_**I know**_,' Naru-nii sympathetically agrees. '_**I couldn't even picture my life without her in it. Even now, the only reason why I pushing on is because she's one of my precious people I'm trying to save, and I won't let her down. It helps me, knowing training you protects her and keeps her safe. But, none of that means she'll love us like we do her, you know? Nor does it mean that Ino couldn't love us- well, you, like you love Sakura-chan.**_'

"But Ino doesn't love me!" Naruto returns still looking around as if there's someone there. Sulking at the memory, he plunges his hands in his pockets and kicks at stones while he walks.

'_**What?**_' Naru-nii asks clear confusion in his tone. '_**Uh**__**… I don't get it.**_'

"She told me so," Naruto asserts. "When we- ...after we, uh, finished, she shoved me with an Academy Double-Palm, yelled at me, told me she'd kill me with poison ramen if I ever told anyone, and then she left. Even though it was hard for her to walk she wouldn't even let me help her home. She yelled at me to stay away." Naruto can't help feeling like he'd done something wrong, or why else would she be mad?

'_**Okay, I need more details**_,' Naru-nii responded. '_**Start from the beginning because this isn't making sense,**_' he said before quickly adding, '_**if there isn**__**'t enough time left to help you train, than keep working on the first step. Now, what happened?**_'

The younger of the blonds explained to the older how she asked him to help her find a plant, how they met near the monument, how weird she was acting, then how she essentially jumped him. With a fair bit of trepidation, an embarrassed Naruto even admits he didn't do a good enough job stopping her, simply submitting to her demands.

'_**Wow**_,' Naru-nii gasps absolutely stunned before Naruto further explains, "I was kinda scared at first and tried to stop it, but… you know, she's Ino-chan, and she looks like she does, and- and it looked like she was hurting! I swear, it was like she needed my help… like, with her _p-privates_, which is totally bonkers, but I... I did it…" Naruto trails off lost in memory for a moment before exhaling a deep sigh then continuing. "When I realized she wanted to do that adult stuff, well, she's so pretty and Kami, did it feel good... _uggh_, but that shouldn't matter, should it?! I'm horrible, aren't I? I'm a sick pervert."

'_**You're neither a sick pervert or horrible**_,' future-Naruto responds. '_**I honestly don't know how to explain that situation. It doesn't sound like you did anything to start it, but she seemed pretty upset at the end**__**… I just don't know. That's a tough one.**_'

"Should I... tell Sakura-chan?" Naruto weakly asks, his face crumbling and on the verge of tears. "_Uwah_, I just feel terrible! I think about how much I liked doing that with Ino-chan, then I think about how I betrayed Sakura-chan, and I get so confused! It's crazy! It was wrong because I love Sakura-chan, but it felt so right, and that means- it means-"

'_**Stop!**_' Naru-nii commands, getting his younger self to stop. '_**Listen carefully, because I only have a few more minutes. I don't think you should tell Sakura-chan. And I only say that because, well, she doesn't really see us that way... at the moment. It**__**'s super easy to feel how guilty you are over what you did with Ino, even when you have someone else you're in love with, but I think telling Sakura-chan is less about her, and more about you punishing yourself. And in our experience, we both know that never solves anything. The only thing I can say is try and focus on what you can control.**_'

"What do you mean," he asks, clearing the corners of his eyes of budding tears.

'_**I mean, you'd still protect Sakura-chan and even Ino-chan if you had to, right?**_'

"Yeah," he lamely answers.

'_**Of course you would, because they're still your comrades as shinobi of the Leaf. Despite everything, at least you can say you always want them to be safe. How about their happiness? Do you want them to be happy?**_'

"Of course," he responds as if that's obvious.

'_**There you go. That's another connection you share, right? They're still people that know you, and who recognize you. That's important. It means you can also, at the very least, be a good friend to either of them, because a good friend would want them to be happy. I can't tell you what's up with Ino, since that's way beyond my expertise, but if she's not acting normally, what do you think a good friend would do?**_'

Thanks to years of not knowing the answer to questions asked of him in the Academy, Naruto immediately responds with his go-to answer, "I don't know." Hearing Naru-nii's sigh makes Naruto take a moment to actually ponder the honest answer asked of him. "I guess… I guess I'd ask her if she's doing okay? No, I… I'd make sure she was okay, and that I didn't do anything bad I shouldn't have."

'_**If that's how you truly feel, than I'm sure you'll figure it out,**_' Naru-nii pleasantly tells his younger counterpart.

"Aww, can't you just tell me?" Naruto asks.

'_**Sorry, I can honestly tell you this is way outside of my wheelhouse,**_' his future self admit with a bit of a chuckle. '_**Maybe find someone you can trust who knows more about that kind of stuff. I mean, I still can't really believe it. You and Ino. That**__**'s insane.**_'

"Yeah," Naruto nods several times in agreement. "Me neither. I use Kai or pinch myself like forty times a day just to make sure I'm real and that it happened."

'_**No doubt**_,' he says, though Naruto can hear his tone is fading. '_**Just remember, whatever happens, you know in your heart you'll always protect them.**_'

"Damn right," Naruto returns, but his future counterpart was already gone. Feeling a little better, Naruto spends nearly three hours running around the village, looking for Ino while his clones practice the first step of Rasengan in his apartment.

He spent the entire week looking for her without success. His disappointment even masked all the positives that week had produced. Sakura-chan actually came up to him… to talk! He wasn't thrilled about the topic, as she only wondered if he might be a little more forceful in his spars with Sasuke so she can treat him; any excuse to touch him apparently. He didn't know if she was progressing well, but she seemed ecstatic about her study.

Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-teme remained as distant as usual, but he was starting to surprise them with his taijutsu. Suddenly it wasn't quite as easy for Sasuke to beat him when they sparred. Hell, his high spirits couldn't be denied when he finally got a chance to talk to Iruka-sensei.

He snuck into his room after visiting hours and fortunately for the young genin, his favorite sensei was still awake. He didn't say much since he was still recuperating and very tired, but the older man made sure to tell him he didn't blame him for what happened before sleep took him. Naruto stayed in the darkroom for what felt like hours and would've stayed longer if a nurse didn't need to check the monitoring equipment.

His most vital success was finally completing the first stage of learning Rasengan. Naru-nii happily congratulated him, wishing he could be there to give him a celebratory Popsicle. Naruto didn't understand it, but he knows he would've liked that. Having only just succeeded in bursting the water balloon, he felt it was perfect timing as it would give him an uninterrupted weekend to start on the second stage of the amazing technique: Power.

It had been one of the best weeks of his life, but it always paled when his thoughts migrated to Ino-chan. Naruto had to make sure she was okay, and if possible, talk about what happened. So every day, he'd search for hours. He ran into several people multiple times, including Team 8 and their sensei, but never Ino. Despite running into the team three times, she was never with them.

He immediately wanted to ask about her, but an image of her yelling at him, angry for asking about her frustratingly kept him from taking the direct approach to learning what he wanted to know. So, he ignored the impulse to ask them directly… until the third time he ran into to them looking for her. After days with no luck, he instead—in his roundabout way of trying to learn where's she been—jokingly asks, "Ino-chan finally got tired of dealing with you two?"

Chōji immediately defends his teammate, spouting back, "no! She's just sick!"

"Oh," Naruto returns, genuinely unhappy to hear. "Sorry, I didn't know. Hey, do you guys want to train? I've been working on some killer new moves!"

They naturally turned him down, as he expected they would, and the moment he was far enough away, he raced to the Yamanaka compound. Having already explored most of Konoha as a neglected orphan, he knew exactly where he was going, and how to scout out the clan home. It wasn't as large as some of the other clan residences, like the Hyūga, Nara, Inuzuka, or Aburame. Aside from their large greenhouse, the Yamanaka didn't need quite so much space.

After thirty minutes of covertly surveying the perimeter, he couldn't spot her through any windows, balcony, or in their flower shop, leading him to debated his next move. It isn't that he couldn't think of a way. He was just worried about the fallout as it could easily lead to issues if he was found out. It had only been five days since their shared experience and everyday Naruto grew more and more worried, and so, after an agonizing over the pros and cons for several minutes, Naruto just shrugs and henge's into Shikamaru. The spiky-haired lazy-ass wasn't hard to imitate and as Ino's team member, it wouldn't be odd if he showed up to check on her.

Knocking on the main house door, a woman he wasn't sure was Ino's mother—as she didn't have blond hair or blue eyes and seemed very rigid—opened the door. Still, in a sweet voice, rich with familiarity, she instantly recognizes the bored expression of her daughter's teammate. "Shikamaru-kun, what a surprise. I had no idea you were stopping by."

After showing the perfect imitation of Shikamaru's unenthusiastic exhale, Naruto calmly responds, "I wasn't going to. I was just close by and wondered how Ino-ch- Ino was doing."

"Oh, isn't that sweet of you," she says, either ignoring the slip or not drawing attention to it. "That must be your mother's influence. I could never see Shika ever showing that level of concern. '_Too Troublesome_,' he'd say. Unfortunately, dear, she's still unwell. Here, wait inside, and I'll see if she's up for a visit." she states, naturally moving aside and waving him in. Naruto nervously enters and Ino-chan's mom verbalizes her daughter's need to always look presentable. "I know the importance of always presenting your best face, but teammates and strangers are two different things, I feel."

Naruto only hums a bored agreement as the madam of the house retreats to her daughter's room. After five minutes, she returns with an apologetic face, and seconds later, he leaves their home. Deflated, Naruto returns to his apartment in failure. He spends that night wondering how he can see her without causing too much ruckus. Of course, he could break in, like he's been doing to see Iruka-sensei, but he didn't think that would turn out well on Clan property. It was the next day, with Naru-nii's help, that Naruto figures out what he can do.

INO

Ino sat in her bed, legs bent under her so that her butt rests on her feet, staring forlornly at a pictured frame in her hand. The picture within the regularly polished oak frame was of her graduating class—after they had passed the exam but before team assignments. There were twenty students in the picture but Ino was only staring at one: the raven-haired, onyx eyes of Uchiha Sasuke. Gazing at the pale imitation of his likeness, her mind is a mess of thoughts about him, about her, about what happened, about it all. Deep down, Ino knows she's destined to be with him, though it always irks her no one else could neither see or accept that. Not that it mattered. In the end, she knew they would end up together. Simply put, she had a critical advantage.

Unlike his other simple fans, she was heiress to one of the Noble clan's of Konoha. She couldn't claim to be the only heiress in their class, but that was yet another sign that fate favored her inevitable union with Sasuke-kun since Hinata-chan, the Hyūga heiress, was perpetually shy and showed no interest in the Rookie of the Year to begin with. No, out of all the girls that could be with him, she was the only one with the pedigree to be by his side, a fact Forehead always ignored.

On top of that, much like all the girls rate all the boys by looks—Sasuke-kun being the clear victor—Ino was officially voted most beautiful girl in their class. She may have just missed out becoming top kunoichi but that's always been more academic than practical. With beauty and clan alone, it was obvious she was the clear choice for Sasuke-kun's affection. And still, she had more to offer him.

Her clan are specialists of the mind—mind-walkers, therapists, councilors, healers. On multiple occasions, her father explained the many ways their clan serves Konoha, and one of them happened to be healing mental anguish after surviving traumatic events; a vital service in a military village. She recalls vividly how her father felt such sympathy for Sasuke-kun after the massacre of his clan and his family. Her father cared deeply for his well being, making her care too, but at the time, he worried more for Sasuke-kun's mental state, and what that loss will do to him.

Ino will admit she lacks the expertise to properly treat his trauma—no matter what form that took—but she knew Sasuke-kun needed her more than anyone to help him heal from his suffering. She was the only one that could understand him, that could save him. They were made for each other. That's why it brakes her heart every time her memory wanders to the event that took place last week. She's meant to be with Sasuke-kun, to help him, to be his strength, and yet, she thoroughly debased herself with another boy; the weakest, loudest, Dead Last of their class, and worse yet, she was out of her mind in bliss for every second of it.

Thank Kami, the idiot wasn't in the photo she was desperately clutching at. He hadn't passed the final exam, and despite the oddity of him showing up to team assignments, no one cared. However, after what happened—what they had done—Ino didn't need his photo to accurately picture him. It had been seven days to the day, and she can still picture everything about his strong body so perfectly. Just thinking about him, undressed and on top of her made her chest tight and her mouth water as much as her loins.

Biting down hard on her plump lower lip, this was the burden she'd been dealing with all week. Thinking about him lights a fierce fire inside her and since her debauchery, it's been a constant penalty Ino was frightened would last the rest of her life. She would wake up in the middle of the night to heart-pounding wet dreams, her sheets soaked with sweat and vaginal fluid, and more often than not, her practically useless fingers between her perspiring legs.

Her body quite simply craved him, to feel his thickness inside her, to feel his steaming man-milk flood her… To Ino, it was the very definition of a drug. A schedule I Stimulant she was forcing herself to quit cold-turkey by taking it upon herself to relieve her body's frequent cravings. If she didn't orgasm several times a day, she was afraid her fragile resolve to avoid him would break and she'd run to the loser for a full night of being gutted and buggered by his weird dick.

After much thought and a lot of memory diving, Ino knows the way his penis ejaculates is most certainly not normal. It's not even common among humans. It's not even a medical condition to have. What Ino does know, is it's an extra layer of spice to her depressing shame. Somehow the penis that deflowered her—that ruined her—has a bulbous gland at the base that expands during ejaculation… '_exactly like a dog!_' her mind screams.

'_Why would he have that?_' she would always yell in her mind. '_Is he part dog?_' Ino is fairly well informed by many of the older kunoichi in the bathhouse and the workers in the Yamanaka shop. If the Inuzuka clan had a feature like that, she would've heard about it months if not years ago. The fact that she, Yamanaka Ino, heiress to their clan was knotted like a bitch by a blond idiot dog-boy is the greatest shame in her young life. '_Why did he do this to me?_' she mentally whines.

Ino knew she was supposed to be with Sasuke-kun, but her body can't seem to forget Naruto. It's why she stayed in bed, cried often, and shut the world out. Her parents were obviously worried. Her mother, in particular, tried to connect with her detached daughter, guilting Ino into lying to them, assuring them that she's just sick and will feel better soon. She's not sure they buy it. She knew her team was worried as well. Asuma-sensei and even Shikamaru have come by to see her, but she didn't want to see anyone; she couldn't.

Somehow, in the back of her mind, she expected them to know the moment they took one look at her. She somehow believed they would see his thick semen caked on her face and know it was from Naruto—which she's aware enough to admit was idiotic. Clearly, if her own mother couldn't see how excessively deflowered her only daughter now is, then Ino doubts anyone else will. It may be an irrational fear, but still, how could she just return to the world as if nothing had happened?

'_A woman always has at least two masks_,' Ino recalls her mother telling her some time ago as they were arranging bouquets. It was an extension of the lessons given only to kunoichi in preparation for the specific dangers women face as well as methods of coping; in other words, how to compartmentalize.

'_Some women need more than two, but one mask is for the world, and the other, if you're lucky, is for the one who accepts all of you._' At such a young age and with more spirit than most, Ino never liked that concept. Masks were meant to hide, and Ino felt far too pretty to be hidden. '_You wouldn't hide a flower_,' her mind at the time reasoned. Ino understands far more now.

It's another layer of her week's torment, as Ino's nearly certain Naruto has seen both her faces. She can't be sure, but every time she remembers his words, pleading to let him see her, to connect with her, she's fairly certain she had allowed what has to be her greatest moment of weakness. Through their eyes, souls connected and it was the highest peak of pleasure Ino's ever felt, more still, the strongest orgasm her body won't allow her to forget.

At the perfect recollection of his infinite sky-blue eyes peering into her very soul, her breath becomes shallow and quick. She grips the frame harder as she feels her body heat up with a searing focus between her legs, and her hardening nipples. She can feel moisture begin to dampen her panties and she clenches her teeth to fight it. After a full week of this, none of this is new, but fortunately, with every episode, she has an easier time managing the urges than the day before, to the point she doesn't need to masturbate in order relieve her of her spontaneous lust.

Eventually relaxing, her eyes slowly open to the photo in her hand, looking at herself beside Sasuke-kun, happy and proud. It feels like a lifetime ago, and she longs to return to that time, but slowly she's coming to the disheartening conclusion she'll never be the girl she was in that photo, beside her love, posing beautifully for the camera. It's a depressing thought. Her innocence is gone. It was enthusiastically taken from her repeatedly, and she'll never get it back.

'_No_,' she hates to admit. '_It wasn't taken. I gave it away_.' Ino would honestly blame that Dead Last idiot if he wasn't so stupid, or more specifically if she hadn't been the one to initiate it... to push for it. She's not so horrible as to accuse him of rape simply because she momentarily went crazy for him and he eventually became very willing. Additionally, it would only cause her irreparable shame if it became public knowledge. How could she show her face once everyone learns who her first time was with?

'_Would Sasuke-kun ever look at me after that?_'

'_No, he wouldn__'t_,' she honestly answers. Ino knows the only way forward with the boy of her future is to put last week permanently behind her, and ensure not a soul ever finds out. That starts by returning to her routine, acting normal, meeting her team—her new mask—then finding the right time and public place to make sure that idiot takes this secret to his grave. Naruto may have lavished in her most intimate constitution, physically and spiritually, but that doesn't mean she won't kill him if he breathes a word of it to anyone. It'll be hard to look at him when they do meet, but she has to make sure he's aware that his life is forfeit if he ever talks.

'_Hell, even if he inadvertently draws any unwarranted attention, I may just kill him,_' she mentally declares, enthusiastic for his murder.

"Ino!" she hears her mother call fearfully urgent from downstairs. "Come down here, now!"

Quirking a suspicious brow, the platinum-blond didn't want to leave the sanctuary of her room, but her mother's tone was frantic and was soon followed by her father's with just as much alarm. "Ino! Get down here!"

Making a silent prayer to her raven-haired love in the photo for strength, Ino sets the frame back on her nightstand, before moving to her bedroom door. Ino grabs her silk robe on her way out because she knows her father doesn't appreciate her love of short-shorts and tight tops. Making her way downstairs, she calls out, "where are you?"

"Front door," her mother calls out.

Huddled outside the front entrance of their estate is her father, mother, and two of her distant cousins—likely on their community watch patrol. They were bunched around a large chunk of dug up earth the size of a large picnic basket, easily poking at her curiosity. Apparently, the large, heavy looking square of freshly cut out earth with its roots sticking out the bottom, was left for them to discover. While certainly unexpected, she couldn't understand why call her so frantically or why her father was leaning over and inspecting the top.

Ino began to wonder about enemies the Yamanaka clan may have incurred when her mother turns to her, absolutely thrilled by the large box of dirt with vibrant green grass on the top. Her father was inspecting something on the top as her mother joyously tells her, "Oh! My, beautiful, wonderful, amazing girl! Someone out there is extraordinarily worried for you!"

Ino is exceptionally confused until she steps around her father next to eager mother and her pupil-less blue eyes bulge. Her father confirms what she instantly knows. "It's a genuine Fire Slipper Orchid," he chuckles in disbelief, then turns to his daughter.

"Here," her mother says, holding out a simple white paper board one might use to get an actor's autograph. "It came with this!" she finished exclaiming. Ino understood all three of them knew what the orchid was worth, but she didn't understand her mother's excitement until she read the note in surprisingly uniform characters.

FOR INO-CHAN. I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER.

Though normally very reserved, her mother is sashaying from one foot to the other, before asking her daughter the pertinent question that seems to be on all their minds. "Soooo, who's it from?"

"Yes," Inoichi added, clearly uneasy about the gift and dreading what it could mean for his little girl growing too fast for his liking. "Please, tell us his name. I'd love to know who'd bring you quite the gift."

"To _thank_ him," her mother exclaims, looking at her father warningly. "Not _interrogate_ him." Her father's face grimaces, ready to argue yet, wisely picking his battles and remaining silent.

"What makes you think it's from a boy?" Ino hotly asks, quirking her brow in suspicion at her father as his overbearing fatherly instincts are already triggered.

"Honey," he plainly returns. "That block weighs at least fifty pounds and this type of orchid doesn't grow anywhere nearby. Someone quite strong carried this a great distance to bring it here. So..."

Ignoring the pleasurable pulse between her legs as her body agrees Naruto is quite strong, Ino can't help but think, '_I'm going to kill him_.' In front of the man that raised her, his all-seeing eye staring at her, Ino falters desperately for a believable explanation, as the anger of her mind and arousal of her hot body interrupts her ability to lie. She wants to ease her father's suspicions, but lying to him has always been difficult; nearly impossible. It's why Ino generally speaks her mind because if lying doesn't work, than it's a waste of time to try. But she can't exactly tell him, '_Daddy, this is definitely a thank you gift from Uzumaki Naruto, you know, the worst student in our class, because I fucked him every which way I could for hours_.' It's likely to give him a heart attack.

An errant thought in her mind wonders if this gift makes her a prostitute, a terrible yet somehow thrilling idea that awkwardly makes her blush at the worst possible time.

Her father's eyes easily picks up on her blush and judging by how his shoulders tense and how deeply he inhales, he didn't like it. Her mother mewls happily in her throat, then quickly rotates the teen by her shoulders, forcing her to march forward and away from a protesting head of their clan. Her mother leads them away as she tells her husband, "Ichi, be a dear and store the orchid in the greenhouse. I'll examine it tomorrow."

Being bypassed didn't help his fatherly anxiety as he calls out, "Wha- wait! Ino, I demand you tell me who's it from?"

His demand had no real heat to it and her mother easily returns, "if you can clear the table and do the dishes, I'd appreciate that," before they make their way up to Ino's room. "Now," she starts once they've both settled on her bed. "Ino, I know this is a... meaningful time in your life. You're just starting your career as a kunoichi, you're growing into a very beautiful woman, and making sense of the balance between the two will be challenging. So, even if you don't tell me everything, I'd rather you not lie, okay? Say what you can."

'_I'm going to kill him_,' Ino thinks, nodding her head since she didn't trust her voice at the moment. It's the only thought she could agree on as her mind desperately tried to think of a way out of this.

"I won't ask too much, because I want you to feel you can trust me with anything. But I do have to know, did a boy send you this?"

Recalling several countermeasures ninjas can use when engaging in duplicity, Ino felt the best way out of this was mixing omission with truth and letting her mother form her own opinions, because after all, there's no way they would believe the truth without sufficient time and proof. Ino takes a deep breath and asserts, "you know I have my heart set on Sasuke-kun."

"Is that who sent it?"

As much as Ino wanted to sing to the high heavens, '_yes_,' if her parents—especially her intelligence gathering father—ever decide to investigate her claim, that lie could make things far worse for her down the road. Ino shakes her head no, her long blond hair flowing freely with her sway. "I... don't want to say who, mainly because the person who sent the orchid, just isn't my type, like at all! My heart is set on Sasuke-kun, so, in the end, whatever he was hoping for by bringing it here was for nothing."

"Oh, I don't know if it was for nothing, sweetheart. What does psychology tell us about this gesture?" Her mother asks. As a former psychologist, she's highly observant of behaviors, beliefs, feelings, relationship concerns, and even somatic responses. It's a very good reason, Ino's always felt more mature than many of the other girls from the Academy, though Forehead always manages to make her act like a child. "Come on, Ino. We may not be geniuses like some of those Nara men, but we know the mind rather well, and there's quite a bit of information we can deduce here. His card, for instance?"

Ino's shoulders slouch at having to suffer through this because of that idiot. "...I don't know, he has neat handwriting."

"Well, that's true," her mothers agrees, looking it over again. "Someone who possibly deals with seals on a regular basis?" Ino can tell her mother's fishing, so just shakes her head to deny the suspicion. "Can't blame a mother for trying. Anyway, let's consider the message. All he wrote was, '_I hope you feel better_.' No elaboration, not even his name, which denotes caution to reveal too much, but concern enough to go this far for you. There's also the possibility he doesn't care about credit. He used, Ino-chan, which implies informality due either to his upbringing or he's simply that close to you. He's more than likely an engaging person, which is reinforced by the fifty-pound block of dirt he carried-"

"We don't know if he carried it all the way here," Ino interrupts. "He could've used a cart or something."

"No," she returns. "_You_ don't know he carried it all the way here. Had you checked underneath, you would've seen hand prints. A young person's hand print, likely around your age."

Trying to give nothing away, Ino stays quiet long enough for her mother to say, "Listen, sweetheart, I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you into telling me something you'd prefer to keep to yourself—so long as you're not in any danger, of course. You've always been a headstrong girl, and your decisions, good or bad, have been your own for a long time now. I just don't want you to dismiss facts because they don't align with your beliefs. I know how you feel about the Uchiha boy, but life is full of unexpected challenges and it's always worth the time to consider if these challenges are hazardous traps or fortunate opportunity. You know your father and I'll support whatever makes you happy."

Ino stays quiet, unsure of how to think about her mother's caring words. They make a lot of sense, making her feel proud to have a mother like her, but of course, the older woman has no idea who the boy is or what they've done together. Maybe in another situation, she'd devote a fair amount of thought in the advice, but in this case, it's Naruto and there's no need for further reflection.

"Do you want to tell me more or would you like to be alone?" her mother gently asks.

"I'll think about it for a while, thanks, mom. I'll let you know if I do anything."

"Okay, goodnight."

"Night," Ino says, offering her mother a decently sized smile, while mentally thinking, '_he's dead_.'

KURENAI

"How long have you known him for?" Kurenai asks her student and ward. The dishes were clean and put away and they were settling down on Kurenai's living room's couch sharing a portion-healthy tub of orange sherbert ice cream—Hinata's choice, to Kurenai's unexpected delight. Hinata avoids any eye contact as she tries to burrow deeper into the couch cushions. "Hinata-chan," Kurenai starts with a small smile. "In this house and with me, you never have to worry about what you say. You're safe to express yourself however you like here. I won't judge or belittle you for it and it will never be shared with anyone; from your father to the Hokage himself."

The girl nervously asks, "w-why are y-you asking me a-about Naruto-kun?"

"Well, I noticed how you reacted when we ran into him," Kurenai easily points out. "As a woman and your sensei, I could see that you're more aware of Uzumaki-kun than any other boy."

Kurenai didn't think it was possible for the girl's cheeks to get redder but they blush another shade brighter as she quietly answers, "I-I wouldn't s-s-say I k-know him. H-he... we w-w-were in the same c-class."

Kurenai could easily detect the omission in the girl's averted eyes, tone of voice, and flustered face. She was too easy to read, yet another part of her skills they needed to work on. Having lived with the heiress for over two weeks now, running into Uzumaki-kun is about the only time Hinata-chan reacted differently. They had run into him as their team exited Hokage Tower, and while Hinata blushed stunningly from face to neck as the orange-clad ninja greeted them, Kurenai noticed the girl's beautiful white eyes focus unlike any time she'd ever seen. They were sharp, sure, assertive.

The raven-haried kunoichi isn't sure why, but it was clear the girl had a crush on him. She easily recalls looking over the other team's profiles, discovering like everyone else, that the young blond was the Dead Last of the class. Furthermore, he was an orphan with no exceptional talent. While she heard he defeated the traitor Mizuki with Kage Bunshin, she also heard he can't produce a single Bunshin, leading most to the conclusion that it must've been sheer dumb luck the boy brought down the traitorous Chūnin.

Still, it's more than possible Hinata's interest in the blond stretches beyond clan or talent. It's feasible there's something that Kurenai is missing that could be a key driving force for the shy girl's future. Kurenai needs to learn if Naruto-kun is something she could utilize to help drive her ward, or if it's another dead end. Honestly, Kurenai hoped this panned out. She was eager to prove Hiashi wrong, but more than anything, she didn't want to fail Hinata-chan.

As things stand, the Hyūga heiress was timid to a fault. While manners, kindness, and consideration of others were good traits to have, Hinata-chan takes it to a detrimental level, adversely impacting her own growth simply to avoid any kind of confrontation, a fact Kiba-kun is starting to take notice of and unfortunately, enable. Kurenai needed to break her meekness, and if possible, light a fire under the girl's belly.

Testing a theory, Kurenai gently asks, "he was the Dead Last of your year, wasn't he?"

Kurenai was happy, no, _thrilled_ to see that it had the desired effect when Hinata-chan looks directly into her red eyes and somewhat sternly tells her, "T-that wasn't his fault. The instructors were mean to him." As quickly as the girl's confidence appeared, it had departed.

Slowly sliding a moderate helping of ice cream passed her red lips to her lapping tongue, Kurenai can't help but be happy by the small bit of progress. It wasn't much, but it was something, and like the fragile light of an ember, she'll slowly coax it into a grand fire. Eager, yet gentle with her young ward, Kurenai follows up by asking, "what do you mean it wasn't his fault? He did the work, didn't he?"

Kurenai didn't really care to know one way or another, knowing what the boy contained within him always made her recall how her father died that night. However, for her ward, her student, she would happily hear about Uzumaki-kun's educational ineptitude.

Again, the girl's determination was back, making Kurenai feel a swell of triumph in her chest, as Hinata-chan answered, "he- he did do the work, b-but you can't blame him for his results. Many of the assignments th-that he did turn in deserved passing grades, but every sensei besides Iruka-sensei, failed him. He was never treated fairly by nearly all the staff, but even still, he kept on trying. He didn't quit. Even though he failed many times..." Hinata seemed to realize how much she said in that short moment, as did Kurenai. It's the most she's ever heard the timid girl speak at one time.

"How did you know his answers were correct?" Kurenai is genuinely curious to know.

"…B-Byakugan," Hinata answers ashamed for how she abused her clan's unique talent, and Kurenai smiles inside.

If this girl is willing to use her clan's ability for this boy, than chances were good he would be a vital part in helping Hinata. It's quite clear by now, Naruto is the key to motivating this girl, and with that revelation, Kurenai only needed to figure the method by which to take advantage of that. "So you mean to say '_Dead Last_' is not an accurate assessment of his ability." Hinata-chan nods. "That would make sense. Being made Genin despite most of the sensei's treating you unfairly… he doesn't give up easily, does he?"

"He doesn't," Hinata strongly offers.

"Is that why you like him?" Kurenai gently asks. She doesn't want to push the girl too much but it's already been two weeks and there were little other options. Hinata turns bright red, and Kurenai could feel the warmth emanating from her. "It's okay, you don't have to answer," quickly easing the indigo-haired girl's anxiety. "Do you know why I asked to be your temporary guardian, Hinata-chan?" The light-eyed kunoichi shook her head, no. "One of the hardest decisions life will constantly challenge you on, is choosing to walk away, or try harder. We're not so different, you and I, and you even remind me of myself when I was younger. The point is, I believe in you Hinata-chan, and I'm going to help you see that too, so the both of us can always choose to try harder."

Hinata nods one strong time, and Kurenai can easily see the tear at the corner of her eyes.

"One of the first things I'd like to remedy is your reaction to Uzumaki-kun," Kurenai tells the girl, who squeaks at the prospect. "How would you like to act normally around him?"

"I-I-I-I-I c-c-c-c-c-couldn't," Hinata stutters impressively.

It would've been cute to Kurenai if it wasn't a set back for their ultimate goal. Still, it's in the right direction and Kurenai just needs to continue pushing on. "Let me ask you a simple yes, or no, question. Would you like to act normally around Uzumaki-kun?" Not trusting herself to speak, Hinata shuts her eyes and just nods her head vehemently. "Than that means you can. Don't worry, Hinata-chan, and trust your sensei. I think I know a way to help."

* * *

One thing I really want to say is I DO like Choji. It sucks that I made him do something dumb but, that's how I thought of it. I don't plan on using drugging again.

Like I said, this will be with multiple women. I'm starting with Ino and Kurenai and I'll add as I go along. At the moment I'm thinking, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, Temari, and Mabui(and that's only because she dies in canon! Which is wrong! She's too hot to die!). I personally think 7 is more than enough but if someone makes an interesting case for a 8th, I may work it in. Mei is a good possibility but I still want her to be Kage in the future so maybe not.

Have a great one,

-Grae


	5. 05Resistance Is Dead

Great news everyone, I was horribly sick this past week :) Which means I couldn't work in the restaurant. Flem, sneezing and coughing just isn't a good look around other people's food, so I was sent home which gave me a lot of time to write out ideas and outlines. I just finished this chapter and I have most of the next one done. I just need to go over that update a couple more times and it'll be ready, so expect another update soon.

Enjoy and I look forward to updating soon.

* * *

KURENAI

The gorgeous Jōnin-sensei exits the bustling streets of Konaha's Market District and into the decently-populated Jōnin bar, Elite Spirits. Her goal is simple: find Kakashi. While Kurenai was eager to implement her plan for Uzumaki-kun, the first challenge she believes will posse an issue would be informing the genin's assigned Jōnin-sensei, and getting his express permission to interact with his student.

Kurenai can understand the significance behind the obscure rule of one sensei to a triplet of students. At such an impressionable time in their education of a very dangerous profession, a single sensei can better map out a timeline for growth and skill traits design for each student. A single sensei is integral to the development of their, hopefully, long careers, thus understands where the genin ninja is in their education and where they should go over a long period of time.

Even if the student receives lessons from another Sensei, it usually means the primary sensei doesn't match well with the student's clear talents, or simply is too inept to care. For example, a close-range taijutsu fighter would not be a good match for Kurenai's long-range, genjutsu instruction. Unfortunately, Kakashi is the furthest you can get from inept, and he seems to be a suitable match for Uzumaki, so any leeway Kurenai might've had for borrowing the blond won't apply to this.

Fortunately, Kurenai doesn't have to traverse the entire village looking for the shameless porno reading Jōnin. After leaving the cemetery, she finds the silver-haired Jōnin in their group's usual section of their bar. Walking through the moderately crowded, off-duty Jōnin and turning down two invitations for drinks, Kurenai sits across from her fellow sensei. Even if Kurenai's relatively certain her subtle tricks will work on the non-too-discreet pervert, she decided early on she wouldn't need to use her feminine wiles on a friend and senior Jōnin. It would be underhanded and there's always the possibility he takes the care of his students as seriously as she does.

After quick pleasantries and a firm demand from her to put his orange-covered filth away, Kurenai informs him, "I wanted to make you aware that I'll be using one of your students." Asserting confidence that she will have the thing she wants, even if it depends entirely on someone else has a better chance of success than simply asking, which is a sure way to hear no.

"Which and to what end?" the aloof Jōnin asks.

"Uzumaki-kun," she casually answer before adding, "and the reason is of a personal nature, but what I can tell you is it's to help one of my students."

"As a punching bag," he casually inquires.

Kurenai gives a head tilt and look of disbelief, answering, "no, nothing like that." Kurenai understands some shinobi—particularly those in clans—use younger or weaker ninja as little more than punching bags for a prized pupil in order to instill confidence in the favorite, which goes against everything she believes in. Kurenai wants all her students to succeed honestly; to learn and grow on the merits of their hard work and not on a fabricated sense of confidence. "I would never do that nor would I ever condone that behavior."

For Kakashi's part, he simply nods once, but he doesn't speak of her friendly appeal to use his student. A quiet moment or two passes between them before he simply hums, "...hmmm."

"What's the problem?" Kurenai asks, hoping to convince him there isn't a problem and his student's growth will not be hindered in any way.

Kakashi leans in a little and tilts his head as he asks, "have you approached him before informing me?"

She wasn't expecting that and answers, "no, I know the procedure." And he should know her well enough to not even bother asking, prompting her to ask, "why?"

He falls back again, shrugging once, conveying, "lately, he isn't acting like I expect, is all. Will you be instructing him in any way as a shinobi?"

"No," she quickly asserts. Truthfully, while she may want the blond to succeed and inherit the Will of Fire, she would prefer not to be tasked with that assignment. As challenging as Hinata-chan is, she can't imagine trying to mentor that blond failure as well.

"Will you be attempting to sabotage his development in any way," he follows up and before she can answer, he quickly adds, "and so we're clear, that has everything to do with your father."

"No, Kakashi!" she says with a little more heat than necessary. She doesn't talk about her father much. When all her friends have terrible stories of their own, it's just accepted that while it may drive the shinobi, it doesn't have to be spoken aloud. When she does speak about her father, it's only with her closest friends. While she's never told Kakashi, she's not surprised he knows. It's his job to know psychological triggers of ranking Jōnin, and during the mental eval to become Jōnin, she abruptly learned how much her father has shaped the Kunoichi she is today. "I require Uzumaki-kun's assistance for a simple function that will not impair his training in any way while simultaneously helping my student."

"Fine," he easily answers as if she asked him to pass the salt. He then wonders aloud, "are you staying?"

Kurenai smiles for her little victory and for the invitation, answering, "no, I need to get a move on this." A little giddy, she teases, "why? Will you miss me?"

As always, unless Kurenai was sex written out on the page of a dirty book, the silver-haired Jōnin doesn't seem interested as he casually shakes his head, 'no,' before nudging his chin toward the door. When Kurenai tilts her head to the right, in walks Asuma with Princess Tomoko by his side.

With the princess' delicate white-gloved hand resting on his strong, outstretched forearm, it looks like a delicate rose growing on a thick log. Kurenai's internal organs seize at the sight of them. Tomoko-hime is clearly beautiful and immaculate. He's well-groomed down to his beard which is neatly trimmed, lining his masculine jaw in such an appealing and powerful way, it makes her ache to see him. His uniform is brand new wrapped impressively around his wide shoulders and Kurenai can't help but recall the last time she had her arms wrapped around them, holding on desperately as they made passionate love. It seemed _too_ long ago.

Kurenai breaks out of her daze the moment Asuma's eyes sync with hers. Brown and red irises locked together as they are, she can't help the way her mind thinks of him; his smell, his touch, his gruff laugh, his passion for her, the love they share. There's a lot in his eyes and she's relatively sure he sees a lot in hers until he abruptly turns away from her in favor of speaking with the gazing princess. As the princess' guide, Asuma was clearly explaining the establishment and its elite clientele but Kurenai can't deny that hurt. It hurt like a kick in her stomach.

"You okay?" she suddenly hears Kakashi ask, bringing her out of her heart-thoughts.

Schooling her features like many kunoichi have been taught—extensively—she answers in her calm voice, "fine," before walking around the gathering and leaving.

NARUTO

Walking up the final flight of stairs, Naruto can hear before he sees someone knocking on his door. He had just finished some intense training with his clones, so he was sore, tired, dirty, just getting over his migraine, and his chakra coils felt chalky, like fire-damaged, but checking out the curvy figure knocking on his door, oddly enough, made him feel much better. His eyes land on the bubble of her butt before eventually moving up to her lustrous mane of ebony hair.

She noticed him as he approached and he recognized her as Team 8's sensei. Even under the ugly glow of the old flickering fluorescent lights of the hall, he can still see how extremely gorgeous she is. He's suddenly very mindful of his appearance in front of such a stunning beauty, but as he's just come back from training, there's really nothing he could do about it.

"You're Team 8's sensei," Naruto absentmindedly comments, stopping just in front of her, when suddenly, he realizes he doesn't know her name.

"I am," she responded. "I'm Jōnin-sensei, Yūhi Kurenai."

Forgetting his exhaustion for the polite beauty before him, he smiles as he returns, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Konoha Hokage!" It's not very often he meets others who don't immediately look irritated or disgusted to see him. So he wants to impress her with his best attitude.

'_Arrogant_,' Kurenai mentally asserts. Easily recalling his Academy grades, she just can't see how anyone could boast about a future when all evidence says otherwise. That sort of delusion is a pitiful pitfall she's trying to help Kiba-kun steer clear of—though in Kiba's case, he does possess credible ability and his clan has always been headstrong, so Kurenai isn't sure how much success she'll have with the Inuzuka. Uzumaki-kun, however, isn't her student and doesn't care nearly as much. Still, Kurenai does need his help, so she presents him with a tight smile, asking, "can we speak inside?"

"Sure," he exclaims before opening his door.

She regretted it as soon as he opened the door. His residence was a complete mess. She felt stricken by the clutter, trash, unwashed clothes, and he didn't even seem to notice. The old, rancid, musky odor is so overwhelming, Kurenai's eyes water as they feel infected. Realizing her uniform will more than likely retain the infectious smell forever, she plans on throwing it away later. Her worry graduates to her skin and hair, to which she makes a mental note to buy several bottles of odor neutralizing conditioner and pray it'll work. '_How is he not embarrassed_,' her mind yells.

After moving the only chair in the small space to the filthy couch, and taking a seat he waits for her. She isn't sure why he doesn't remove the old ramen cups, the clutter of papers, an adult magazine off the old stain couch for her to sit—not that she would—as it would be the hospitable thing to do when she remembers he's an orphan and probably doesn't know any better. Refusing to sit anywhere, and eager to leave, she forgoes setting him at ease with polite conversation and jumps straight into the purpose at hand. "I would like you to help a student of mine. Do you know Hyūga Hinata?"

Tapping his chin, he hums, "Mnnnn, yeah," guessing himself, "dark hair, white eyes?"

"Yes, that's her," Kurenai politely confirms, though wonders how he can be so oblivious about a girl he attended school with for four years. "This might be tricky to understand but don't be afraid to ask me any questions when you don't understand something."

"Got it!" he responds with gusto.

"So, I want to help Hinata become more assertive-"

"What does assertive mean?" He interrupts.

Inhaling in disbelief, she slowly answers, "it means confident. I want Hinata to be more confident." After he nods she continues. "This is where I feel you can help. She's noticed how confident you are, and I believe if you were to talk with her, than she will learn to be more confident as well."

"So, you want me to tell her she should be confident?"

"Not exactly," Kurenai patiently states.

"I'm confused," Naruto interjects.

"Let me finish, Uzumaki-kun," she states.

To which he happily expresses, "you can call me Naruto!"

He's really testing her patience, but in order to keep him comfortable, she corrects herself. "Naruto-kun, the thing that's difficult for Hinata is that she's very _very_ shy, which is why she's never talked to you before. Now, before you say anything, my plan is to convince her that she's only talking to a genjutsu version of you. If she believes it's only a genjutsu that she's talking to, I believe she'll eventually feel safe enough to talk to you in person and grow more confident because of it."

"Soooo, you want to trick her," Naruto simplifies as only the best pranksters can.

With a tighter smile, Kurenai digs deep to answer, "...I wouldn't use those words exactly, but if it'll help you better understand, than yes. A simple play to help ease her anxiety."

With squinted eyes, deep in thought, he asks, "and you know how to use genjutsu?" It sounded like fantasy the first time he heard of the discipline, and he's been told many times he doesn't have the head for it.

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I do," she answers tightly, doubting her reputation as the best for a moment. "Now, would you assist me in helping her?" She didn't need to tilt her head and look at him with soft eyes, but she wanted him to agree quickly so she can leave. Asuma had already annoyed her enough today. Add to that she's standing in front of the seal containing within the cause of her father's death on top of the gagging odor of this apartment, and her annoyance is rapidly eating away at her patience.

Even with a slightly pleading look on her attractive face, Naruto answers, "I don't know. How long will this be for? I have a lot of training to do." Normally Naruto is all for helping, however, he's dedicating every waking moment to his training with Naru-nii. Knowing what some of the future will bring and those it'll hurt is a powerful driving force, and Naruto is making progress he doesn't want to slow down for anything… unless it's for Sakura-chan… or Ino-chan.

'_Maybe he__'s too dense for that type of subtle play_,' she wonders before speaking, "evenings would be best, every day until she's better. I've already asked your Jōnin-sensei and he's approved, so any training Kakashi has you doing can wait."

Quirking his brow low in agitation, Naruto nearly laughs when he asserts, "I didn't mean Kakashi-sensei's training. All he ever teaches us is team drills. We spar in the mornings before we do D-rank missions and that's it!" Crossing his arms confidently, he smirks as he proclaims, "I meant my own training. It's super important and I can't waste any time."

Though mildly glad he seems to take independent training seriously, Kurenai has her mission and for Hinata's sake, she will have her way. "Surely helping out a fellow genin is important to you."

"Yeah, it is," he answers, adding, "but so is my training. There are no shortcuts to becoming the greatest Hokage ever, which means I have to train hard every day."

With a bit more genuine a smile, she replies, "that's admirable, but Naruto-kun this is also for the village. I can see how much you want to be Hokage, and strong, powerful leaders always put their village first. Help Hinata. You may even make a friend out of it." Desperate to leave, Kurenai lowers herself to his eye level, so her chest swings forward some and he can see a bit of cleavage before sweetly asking, "can I count on you, Naruto-kun."

Eyes wide by her forward posture, he hesitates for half-a-second before aggressively nodding with slack lips and declaring, "okay!"

"Good," she quickly states, standing straight again and already leaving. She can't stay for another second. On her way out she makes sure he meets her at the Hokage tower at six sharp… right in the middle of his training time.

Usually, after missions he tends to have six or so hours to train, but this help Kurenai-sensei needs for Hinata will cut right in the middle of that. Still, he wants to help Hinata since he doesn't recall ever having any problems with her, and so decides to leave clones in his apartment training while he helps Hinata. He doesn't get why she's so shy that she won't talk to him, but hopefully, it won't take her long to become confident.

The young genin learns the very next day that Naru-nii is a big fan of this plan.

'_**That sounds great**_,' Naru-nii chimes. '_**That means things are working out well over there. Hinata-chan is one of the strongest kunoichi Konoha will ever have. Since she was always so quiet and shy, I never knew how badass she actually was. Trust me, if she can get rid of that early, than it'll definitely be better.**_'

"Cool," Naruto states surprised to hear the declaration.

Abruptly, Naru-nii asks, '_**so, any luck with Ino?**_'

"No. A clone saw that she's back with her team," he states, taking one of Naruto's suggestion to use a clone for surveillance and reconnaissance. "She looks fine, almost like nothing happened. I figure I'll try and talk to her when she's alone."

'_**And you haven't told Sakura-chan?**_'

"She's too busy healing every little scratch on Sasuke-teme to notice me!" he says angrily, blaming Naru-nii for his constant agony of witnessing his teammates. "And I'm the one that gets hit the most when we spar! You would think she can spare a bit of Iryō-jutsu for me!"

'_**I really wish I could see you to help with your taijutsu**_,' Naru-nii comments yet again. Prayer beads are for voices and if it does include a visual connection, then Naru-nii hasn't figured it out yet. '_**I learned a lot of good stuff I wish I can show you. You should ask Kakashi-sensei if he has any scrolls or something that can help.**_'

"Yeah I will," Naruto mumbles.

'_**Are you close to getting the second stage yet?**_'

"No," Naruto grumbles. "This part is crazy hard!"

'_**You have to remember to focus and retain until the final second**_,' Naru-nii reminds him. '_**Don't worry, I think you're doing great so I'm sure you'll get it soon**_.'

Naruto is waiting at the Hokage tower when Kurenai arrives promptly at six. He didn't trust himself to be on time and so arrived ten minutes earlier. Though he was lamenting not training, the mesmerizing sight of her approach made him feel better about it. As attractive as she is, Naruto would still prefer training which is why he has teams of clones training in his place. A team of ten are in his apartment working on the second stage of Rasengan while another team of ten are in the forest working on chakra control, so it's not a complete loss.

Kurenai explains how this play was going to go. "I've already explained to Hinata that she will be seeing a genjutsu version of you, but she will not know that it's actually you. For this to work, it's imperative-"

"What's imperative mean?" he curiously interjects.

Exhaling deeply, she corrects, "for this to be effective, it's important that she continue to think the entire scenario is genjutsu and not the real you."

In hopes of probably getting out of this, Naruto asks, "why not just make an actual genjutsu of me?"

"Because, I don't actually know you and the '_you_' that she sees needs to be as authentic as possible for this to cover any and all unforeseen variables. Also, if you see me materialize out of nowhere, you cannot react to me in any way. If you react to me, it may tip her off that you're the actual Uzumaki-kun and then we fail."

"Wait, I said you could call me Naruto."

"I prefer Uzumaki-kun," she returns a little chilly. "Do you understand how this is going to go? Can you repeat everything I explained to you."

As the pranking king of Konoha, he feels insulted but humors her nonetheless. "I'm going to pretend I'm a genjutsu you created to talk with Hinata-chan. And if I ever look at you, she'll figure us out."

"Close enough," the raven-haired Jōnin mutters before they prepare for the play. Expertly hidden by Kurenai-sensei, Naruto watches Kurenai-sensei enter the kitchen where Hinata is washing the dishes. Kurenai asks, "are you ready Hinata-chan?"

Shocked, nervous and red in the face, Hinata asks, "Wh-wh-wh-what? Now?"

"No time like the present," Kurenai easily states while mentally thinking of showing up the girl's asshole of a father. "Now, remember, it's only an illusion, but it will feel very real. And don't use your Byakugan." Kurenai doesn't expect the girl to see through her genjutsu but she wanted to make certain the girl didn't spot Naruto from where he's hidden.

"S-se-sensei," Hinata nervously starts. "D-d-don't you n-n-need a good understanding of Na-Na- of the person you'll be m-m-making an illusion of?"

"You shouldn't underestimate your sensei, Hinata-chan" Kurenai confidently yet playfully relays. "I'm very good at what I do. Now, are you ready?" Hinata takes a few deep breathes before nodding. "Okay, you can keep cleaning if your hands need to keep busy, and keep in mind you can do no wrong here."

When he got the signal, Kurenai disappeared and he walked into the kitchen, casually greeting her, "Hey, Hinata-chan."

Her eyes round to near perfect circles under raised eyebrows and her cheeks blush a deep shade of red. "Na-Na-Na-," she tries and her pupils roll back into her skull as she passes out.

"Hinata!" he calls as he quickly catches her. Whipping his head around in search of Kurenai-sensei, he yells, "is she okay?" Kurenai reappears beside them, checking on the young girl. "What happened? Did I do something wrong?"

"Kami, what are we going to do with you?" Kurenai slowly comments of her ward, ignoring Naruto's concern in favor of checking her pupil. "She's fine. Go and hide and we'll try it again."

Hesitantly, Naruto gently lays her down and returns to his hiding space. It takes Kurenai a few minutes to gently coax the girl to consciousness. Confused as to why she's lying on the floor with her Sensei over her, gently stroking her hair, Hinata asks, "Sensei," when it all returns. Hinata can't help but turn away ashamed of her failure. It wasn't even a real Naruto and she passed out from his close proximity.

"It's okay, Hinata," Kurenai reassures the embarrassed girl. "This is a good first attempt. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"…I passed out," Hinata weakly counters, clearly alleging it's something to ashamed of.

"This time, maybe," Kurenai asserts. "But the next time maybe not. Don't worry about how you react because the only way you can fail is if you quit and I will not let you quit. Now, do you think you can try again?" With a slight sniff, Hinata nods her head, yes. "Okay, how about I keep him silent? He'll just stand there so you can get used to it. That's all this is, Hinata-chan, practice." The girl nods again and they get off the floor. After a quick moment to gather her expectation, Hinata nods at Kurenai.

"Okay, here we go," Kurenai says, giving him the signal before she disappears like a mirage in the desert; a jutsu of beauty in Naruto's opinion.

Naruto steps into the kitchen, and immediately forgets he isn't supposed to speak. "Hey Hinata-chan!" he says with a bright smile, causing the girl to squeak and hop back.

Looking around, Hinata can't help but ask, "I-I-I-I- th-th-thought h-he wasn't g-g-going to-"

"He wasn't," Kurenai says from nowhere with a little more force than she intended, and quickly covers for the blond's slip up. "I only wanted to shock you a little, by doing something you didn't expect. And look, you haven't passed out, so you're getting better already." Hinata can barely look at Naruto, her index fingers poking each other nervously, but it's true. At least she's conscious. "He'll stay quiet now, if you want to walk around him."

Hinata takes her time, moving close to him, always avoiding eye contact but at least trying to look directly at him. After several minutes of Hinata observing from several paces away, Kurenai can see Naruto start to fidget. He never struck her as a patient person, and she can see he's starting to become antsy. Hoping to avoid another blunder from the boy, Kurenai suggests, "why don't you do some housework together. That might make it feel more normal."

For the next two hours, Hinata and Naruto do chores while Kurenai observes her pupil under the unseen cloak of her genjutsu. Though Naruto wanted to help Hinata-chan, he couldn't help but feel this is a complete waste of his time. He's big enough to admit he doesn't understand much more than tricking Hinata into thinking he's a fake-Naruto when he's actually real, but he can't believe this is the only way to cure the girl of her shyness.

'_Maybe Kurenai-sensei hasn't tried everything_,' he thinks, '_because this is barely better than a D-Rank mission._' He hopes there's something else Kurenai can do because he can't see himself just doing housework for two whole hours with a girl who can barely look at him every single day. '_Better than the glares_,' another part of him mentally admits. As previously discussed, Kurenai alerts Naruto to be ready for a quick and stealthy exit. The Raven-haired sensei had already left the door open for him so he can wait outside for her before Kurenai's voice ends the session.

"I think that's enough for tonight," the beautiful sensei announces, materializing out of thin air. "Hinata-chan, before I dispel Uzumaki-kun, would you like to say anything to him? Remember, he's only an illusion."

Hinata looks from her sensei to the general vicinity of her long-time crush. She opens her mouth to bid him goodnight, but little more comes out than, "g-g-g dd n-n-n-ni t-t."

She takes a breath, exhausted for some reason as Naruto-kun smiles at her, replying, "Night, Hinata-chan!"

The girl's sensei places a gentle hand on her shoulder and has a proud smile on her caring face. It reminds Hinata too much of how her late mother would be with her and overcome with emotions of gratitude, acknowledgment, and affection, the indigo-haired kunoichi couldn't help but hug her sensei dearly; for what she did, for what she's doing, and for believing in her when no one else does.

Hinata feels as if she's discovered someone who seems to genuinely care about her, regardless of her clan or ability. It's as if her sensei sees more in her than she can in herself and Hinata hasn't felt anything like that since her mother's death. Until now, she hadn't known how much she missed that feeling. Holding her sensei tighter, as if to make sure the feeling doesn't disappear, Hinata is comforted by the woman's warmth. It's slightly scary, but Hinata feels as long as her sensei is a part of her life, she could amount to something even she would be proud of.

'_This is why it's all worth it_,' Kurenai thinks as she holds her brave pupil. Dealing with the arrogant Hiashi, the Kyūbi container, even having to bear witness to Asuma escorting Princess Tomoko by his manly arm. At this moment, nothing mattered but the compassionate girl giving her one of the most appreciative hugs the red-eyed Jōnin's ever felt. Kurenai felt euphoric gratification by helping a girl who was in desperate need of it, by the good that may come of her growth in the future, and by the next generation that might inherit her Will of Fire. '_Yes, everything is worth this_,' the devoted sensei easily determines as she lets out a comforting exhale. After a few more minutes of embrace, Kurenai pats the girl on her shoulder, suggesting, "why don't you get ready for bed. We have an early day tomorrow."

Stepping away, Hinata bows respectfully. However, before she leaves, she shyly asks, "will we be doing more of these training sessions?"

Kurenai smiles at the girls reddening cheeks, neck, and forehead, and answers, "yes. Every day until you see that there's nothing to fret over." With a final nod, the girl goes to get ready for bed, while Kurenai quietly slips out the door.

The impatient blond was on the porch, restlessly waiting with his arms crossed and fingers tapping his clothed bicep. "What-"

Kurenai quickly put her hand over his mouth, lifting an index finger over her full cherry red lips, silently telling him to be quieter. Ignoring his question, she whispers to the blond genin, "be by Hokage Tower same time tomorrow and I'll come get you when I can."

"Isn't there another way," he quickly asks. "This is boring! And I have a lot of training that I have to do."

"No, this is the best way," Kurenai quickly shuts him down. The last thing she wants is to lose a handle on him when Hinata made more progress in two hours than the past two weeks with her. "You're doing okay, just try to pay more attention next time. Good night." And with that, she turns and leaves him.

Upset, angry, annoyed, Naruto felt each one of these emotions until he returned to the excessive mess of his apartment. The exhausted-looking clones were still working on trying to pop the rubber ball and Naruto became even more upset that he couldn't be here with them. Naruto felt the first stage was very difficult, but attempting to amplify the volume and density on chakra spinning in multiple directions immediately sounded impossible. Even with Naru-nii's tips, it doesn't look like there's been any progress, but as he grabs a rubber ball and moves to the last spacious area in his one bedroom apartment, he's determined to take the challenge on, even if he has to work on it throughout the night.

SAKURA

Sakura happily walks the moderately busy streets of Konoha, holding a birdcage with the purple starling Naruto-baka had brought to her. The idiot knows she only just started training in medical ninjutsu, yet for some odd reason, he thought she could heal the bird's injured wing—not that she minded all that much. It was a beautiful bird, but the goal of her training was her team, more specifically Sasuke-kun—if she was being honest with herself—not healing birds.

It's the reason Sakura has been so happy this week. She finally managed to heal a few cuts on his arms, three bruises on his back and bicep from when Kakashi-sensei sparred with them and the most marvelous one of all was the small cut on his cheek. She had been so nervous, yet so thrilled to be so close to him—to feel his body heat—her hands were shaking from sheer joy and womanly thrill.

Her absolute jubilation is the only reason she's taking the mostly healed Starling across town to the idiot's apartment. Her parents do well and they have a two story house in some of the better civilian blocks while Naruto's one bedroom is somewhere between the civilian markets and bars. She didn't recognize the area as she's never stepped foot in this part of the village. It's easily one of the seediest parts of Konoha most are warned to stay out of.

She noticed a few rougher necks standing or passing by would either monitor her as a mark or just plain ogle the roundness of her sixteen-year-old posterior. Like every kunoichi in the village, Sakura had to take special classes on the affects women can have on men, so she understands—as repulsive as it makes her feel—their carnal gaze of her body is in part due to her being a ninja—a very popular fantasy among civilians, she's been told—as well as the positive physical affects daily chakra use and physical conditioning can have on a body. Molding spirit energy with physical energy as Kunoichi often do, they develop slightly faster than civilians her own age. Her breast may not have grown much as of yet, but her derriere was developing nicely. With her long lustrous pink hair, hips, butt, and toned legs, Sakura appreciates what she has, and judging by the attention she receives, others do as well.

In stark contrast to her attractive features—her long pink hair being the most noteworthy—it seemed like everyone in the area was ugly, dirty, poor, and or unsavory in some other way. Dirty laundry hangs outside on laundry pins, garbage littered much of the area, some of the streets were muddy, and the smell of raw meat from the market permeated the air. She actually spotted a dirty broken toilet on the road. Sakura made a vow when she neared Naruto's four-story apartment that she would never visit him again.

"That idiot better be grateful," Sakura spits out as she makes her way to the top floor. Fortunately, his is the only occupied apartment on the top floor, and once outside his browning red door, she kicks it a few times, rather than mar her knuckles on the rusty surface. She hears a, "coming," a few seconds before the door opens.

Naruto, in his abhorrent orange jumpsuit, instantly smiles at the unexpected visit, "Sakura-chan! Hey!" It should feel nice to see someone regard you this happily, but Sakura can't stand him. '_He's just so clueless... well, aside from his suggestion I study Iry__ō-ninjutsu_.' "Come in! Come in!" He happily beckons.

"No," she tells him. "I'm not staying. I just came to give you this." She raises the birdcage with the purple Sterling keeping perfect balance on its swinging perch. "I wouldn't even have come here today but okaa-san is making me. Tou-san's allergic to the feathers, so, here." She shoves it forward and he automatically takes it.

"Uh, well, thanks," Naruto says. "It's so cool you managed to heal her, really, but I think I'm just going to let her go."

"Baka, that's the first thing I did," she responds. "She leaves and then she comes right back."

"Okay," he tells her. "I was heading out, actually. I could walk you home if-"

"No way," Sakura returns. "Thanks, but I can't let someone see us together without our teammates. They might think we're friends or something worse," she says making a queasy face that sort of hurt Naruto to see. It sort of reminded him of the face Ino-chan made after the last round of sex. He hadn't seen her at all during the week, and thus far he was beginning to think the flower she was looking for didn't work as well as he'd hoped.

Since that amazing experience with Ino, Sakura-chan's constant scorn, and Kurenai's cold attitude toward him, Naruto is starting to wonder what it is about him that women don't seem to like. Outside of Ayame-neesan, he didn't have much interaction with women, but even then talking with Ayame-nee is only ever for a few minutes when she has a break from work.

He just doesn't understand what woman want from him, and on top of that, he doesn't understand how Sasuke-teme can be the object of their affection when he acts like he doesn't even care about them. Sure he's the last Uchiha, and he seems to have a face girls like, but he never smiles, or cracks jokes, or plays pranks. Naruto was so excited to be on the same team with Sakura-chan, and even after he gave up pursuing his love for her growth, she's still treating him as if nothing's changed.

Still, she did bring the pretty bird all the way here, and if he was ever given the option of being friends or not, he'd always pick friendship. So, Naruto smiles as best he can, which barely pushes at his cheek and offers an olive branch. "Well, maybe next time. I have an old camera that prints out the photos right away, if you want to keep a picture of her. You can even name her if you want."

Sakura pauses for a moment, considering the offer. She did love the way the purple shines, and starlings are one of her favorite birds. Sakura nods, saying, "make it quick though. I want to get out of here as fast as possible." Running inside, Naruto quickly grabs his old camera and his last cartridge and takes a picture of the pretty bird. Handing it to Sakura, she reminds him, "and don't feed it Ramen, or you'll end up killing her after I went through all the trouble of healing her. Get bird food, please."

"Mhn!" he sounds in the affirmative. "Do you think they have ramen flavored bird food?"

"I'm leaving," she yells over her shoulders.

With a shrug, Naruto reenters his home and sets the bird cage up in a nice spot near the window and opens the cage door, just in case the bird wants to fly.

INO

The week had been a test of wills for Ino. She hadn't given much thought to how difficult keeping up appearances would be. The days were unremarkable, and her routine could be as normal as any other day, but the moment it feels her deflowering was truly well in her past, something would jolt her back to that day, to that reality, and sadly, the physical response that came with it.

Her walk to meet her team could be peaceful, until she saw two dogs, or cats rutting desperately for that release, and instantly her mind returned to Naruto taking her doggystyle just as desperately, spreading her just as deliciously until she came, knotting her like she was his bitch. And until Ino can return home to relieve herself, the rest of her day is a constant battle against the rousing desire of her moistening quim.

A conversation with her mother about clothes could be as normal as it ever was, until she grips anything cylindrical with a curve, testing the firmness of a cucumber or banana, anything with sausage links, or sucking on a Popsicle, then Ino would immediately excuse herself. Couples with blond hair, stretching in a provocative fashion, or even bathing can all trigger a physical response. Ino found herself getting horny a minimum of five times a day. So she threw herself into training, finding the exhaustive focus a good remedy for her arousing thoughts of blue-eyed blonds.

She, of course, kept her '_old Ino_' mask on with her team as much as her parents, but she couldn't quite _be_ as domineering as she used to be. So much mattered far less than it did a couple of weeks ago. Her figure was still important, but the innocence she was saving for Sasuke-kun is gone now, so how pure could that gift for the man she loves really be; she'll always know what she did. She makes certain to chastise and heavily critique her teammates and sensei when she felt they didn't meet her expectation, but again, she lost her virginity to their class's Dead Last; a bigger idiot than Kiba. And she did it happily, with a hunger comparable to Chōji and his chips. How can she expect from them when she's failed her own expectation?

She knows her mask is creating the image she needs to present, but it's also a constant reminder of why she needs it in the first place: Naruto. The boy who's apartment she's currently walking toward under a knee-length cloak. Ino wouldn't willingly search the blond subject of her trepidation but she was given little option. If she wanted the money form the orchid, than she needed to see him.

It was so simple for her parents to wonder if they now had the only Red Slipper in Konoha, or if there were more. Her parents explained if there were indeed more of the expensive orchid, than they would sell the orchid on her behalf and give her all the money, but if not, than the best option for the clan would be to try and cultivate more. It would take years but ninja are patient and planned for the future wherever possible. It would be well worth the wait if, in fact, they were the only clan or business with the ultra-valuable flower. But of course, they needed to ask the source who found it in the first place, and she wasn't going to ever disclose his identity to her parents, ever, which meant she needed to ask him in person.

She concealed herself under a heavy travel cloak with the hood up and he lived alone, which was fortunate as the fewer people that spot her there, the better. However Ino's luck as of late was not a thing to rely on and as Ino spots Sakura walking toward her, she was certain fate is against her as well. If Ino had only kept still, Sakura may not have noticed her, but the knee-jerk reaction of turning away caught the pinkette's attention and the green-eyed kunoichi was on her in moments.

"Ino-Pig," Sakura says with a smile that's too self-assured. More than anyone, Ino knows how insecure Sakura can be. Even in her strongest moments the pinkette was always doubting herself. It's the safety net Ino always relied on when fighting over Sasuke-kun. Ino always knew that Sakura felt undeserving when it really mattered, and that's why she never truly worried about Sakura's advances. The pink-haired kunoichi was her own worst enemy, thus never really a contender for the beautiful Uchiha's affections.

But the victorious smile plastered on her face informed Ino otherwise. Her rival for Sasuke's heart was very happy, _too_ happy, as if in a few short weeks, life had generously handed the pinkette a large home, a beautiful husband, and a prized career. It didn't look good on her face. A month ago was the last time Ino saw her rival, and even with that majestic perfume, Sakura never looked this happy. Ino was getting a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"It's been soo long," she says, her tone with an annoying level of levity. "We really should catch up. I'll go first. Sasuke-kun is mine and I'm going to be a medic-nin possibly as talented as the legendary sannin herself. How are you?"

Forehead's interest in how she's doing is so clearly fake, Ino needn't bother answering. Her anger however focused squarely on the only statement that mattered. "You know, living out your delusions is indicative of a psychological break, a severe medical condition by all accounts. But allow me to help you on your path to recovery. Sasuke-kun is NOT yours!"

"Oh, well, I can understand how you might think that," she mocks, her cunning smile broadening as she flicks her long pink hair back. "It _has_ been a while, after all. But, now that I'm the teams medic, I get to touch Sasuke-kun every time he's injured. The tiniest scratch mars his beautiful body, and I'm there, my hands all over him. I've touched his arms, his back, his chest, which felt amazing, his face, which is it's own heaven, and pretty soon, he's going to invite me, the _only_ girl he's ever really cared about, to his home, so I can touch him some more."

Ino had no idea Sakura was training to become a medical ninja. It would be a brilliant move if not for her rival advancing so much further than herself. '_That Forehead__'s touching him?_' Ino's mind torments her with. Every female with any sense for seduction knows that skin contact is very influential in getting what you want. She's heard so many stories from her mother, female clan members, or the woman in the bathhouses, that Ino's regards its use as practically a jutsu. '_And now Forehead__'s taken an amazing step forward to take my man!_'

"Just think," Sakura continues, relishes in how silent the most confident girl she's ever met is. Sakura knows how devastating this revelation is. She herself would be utterly crushed if the tables were turned, but for the first time since they announced their rivalry for Sasuke-kun's traumatized heart, Sakura finally feels well and truly ahead of Ino. The blond heiress always had so much going for her after all—beauty, confidence, intelligence, perhaps not of her level, but she wasn't stupid either, and is an heiress of a prominent clan of Konoha. It just wasn't fair. Now, however, nothing her platinum- blond, former-friend could do would ever compare, and Sakura couldn't help but twist the knife just a little bit harder.

Moving closer than necessary to the Yamanaka flower, Sakura practically sings near her ear, "Sasuke-kun and I have only been teammates for a month and I already get to touch him practically anytime I want. Who knows what might happen when it's just the two of us… by ourselves… sweaty and hot-blooded from intense training… in his comfortable home… so near a bed."

For the first time since her newfound outlook, Ino's mask broke. Her hands move of their own accord, pushing a surprised Sakura back, not enough to fall, but more than enough to extend her hands ahead of her, directly at the heart of the pink-haired demon. The action was faster than they can rationally explain, or properly counter. Ino only reacted like a wounded animal desperate to survive against a predator toying with their prey. Maybe two weeks ago, the news would've only stunned her, if not ruined her day, but now, after everything she's lost to the worst person to lose it too, after fighting her daily carnivorous desires for more, Ino couldn't take any more beatings her life's been taking.

Her hands move fast, not with her explicit authority, but not without her consent either, as she forms her clan's signature hand seals. "Shintenshin no Jutsu," she declares like a strong war cry.

Ino's body dropped to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut as Sakura, now under Ino's control, assesses the pinkette's body movement and hand grip. Not a second after she used her family's technique on a former-friend and now eternal adversary, Ino-Sakura picks up her unconscious body and continues her trek as she was originally doing, all the while mercilessly forming the plan to make all the hurting stop.

Kicking at Naruto's door, Ino-Sakura calculates how much time she has before she'll have to dispel when she thankfully hears, "just a second!"

Ino-in-Sakura's-body was very worried her blond defiler wasn't home and would have to do something less effective, but at least in this, things are working out. Calling through the door, Ino yells, "Naruto, it's me Ino."

"Ino-chan!" she hears him yell through the rough metal door. She places her foot on the door just as he tries to open it, stopping him from ruining her plan. She didn't exactly have time to explain to him why she looks like Sakura and is hold a body that looks like Ino. She yells back, "Look, I don't have a lot of time to explain, so you need to do everything I say, okay?"

"Um, why do you sound like Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto!" She yells back, already anticipating the chakra exhaustion if she doesn't finish in time. "Unlock the door, go to your bedroom, find something to tightly cover your eyes and sit on the bed."

"Uhh, really?" he asks from the other side of the metal door

"If you don't do it now, I'm going to leave and never come back," Ino-Sakura throws back, and within a matter of seconds, the door's three locks click unbolted and the sound of footsteps running away is heard.

Ino-Sakura quickly gets inside and places her body gently on the old ratty looking sofa. It's the first time she's been in Naruto's room and other than coming to the conclusion that it's utterly disgusting, she ignored it. Lucky Sakura's sense of smell isn't as developed as hers, not to say she didn't detect the sharp tang of garbage among other moldy odors, but Sakura's sense of smell dulled it more than her own body would've detected. Moving to his bedroom, she leans against the door frame, calling out, "you're blindfolded right?"

The moment he replies, "uh, no," she notices an insta-camera. "What? Why not?"

The dolt surprises her some by asking, "how do I know it's you and not some trick?"

"Fine," she states, admitting that made sense, but she was on the clock and went with the most obvious proof. "You and I had... _sex_… two weeks ago in the forest… a lot of it," she adds, feeling Sakura's cheeks heat with blush. She grabs the camera as he tells her he's ready.

Walking in with purpose, she's quickly on her knees in front of Naruto's seated position on the edge of his unkempt bed. His blindfold seems intact and unlikely to see Sakura's notable features. Her original plan was to fool Naruto into thinking that it was Ino in the henge form of Sakura, but that would've involved more complications than she can plan for in the heat of the moment. Ino also wants this to be uniquely Sakura's penance, and with the old camera, it completed her plan neatly. That is to say, a perfect plan after she gave the boy a blowjob.

She hates that she's both dreading it and looking forward to it. It's not as if she hasn't had him in her mouth before, but she's been working hard to quash her craving for that feeling he gave her two weeks ago. It was a daily struggle, sometimes hours long to refuse that longing, and she was getting better as time went on, but now her hands are on his strong thighs, moving up to the ambrosia that gave her a taste of pure bliss. She wasn't sure what would happen afterward, how hard her fight would become, but if it meant Sakura's mutual destruction, it would be worth it.

Set in her task, she sets Naruto at ease. He doesn't seems to know what to expect and is nervous. "Naruto, I can't stop thinking about what we did, and I want to do some more now, but I'm really nervous, which is why I asked you to put the blindfold on."

"I guess I can understand that," he casually mentions. "But what did you want to do?"

She moves closer—between his legs—and begins to unbuckle his trousers, fettering with the zipper before bringing it down. The sound is deafening, nearly causing Ino to second-guess herself, but she squares her shoulders, reaches for his toad covered boxers. "Lift your hips," she asks, and she slides both trousers and boxers to his ankles.

It's smaller than she remembered, but as she moved closer, the heat of her exhale and proximity sent a thrill through Naruto that had him hardening in no time at all. Of course, he also had his memory of the girl he gave his virginity to, which he masturbated to at least seven times a day.

Ino was very surprised by the size of his erection, now wondering how the hell something this big fit inside her little slit. The physical echo of how it thrust into her to the hilt made her—within Sakura's body—wet... very wet. Juicy enough to make the girl ponder her rival's physical health, that is until Ino feels her chakra slip. She wonders if Sakura is fighting it as she leans down and licks the tip of his hard manhood.

He moans to the touch, adding a little thrill to her already soaking center. It all comes back to Ino, and in no time at all, she's licking the underside of his throbbing pole. Ino grips the base of his veined member with her right hand, wondering about his bulbous membrane as her left-hand massages his balls. She sucks on his head as she strokes him and Ino can feel herself get into it. Hearing the groans escaping his throat tells her she's doing good, but she doesn't have much time. Ino needs the money-shot.

With a final suck of his thick crown, Ino's promptly wraps Sakura's open mouth around his cock. Taking him in her small mouth a tentative inch at a time, Ino barely remembers the camera, grabbing it in annoyance before returning to the saliva covered meat in front of her.

Bobbing her head up and down as he groans in blissful satisfaction, Ino is more enthused than she originally planned and squeezes his balls for the fun of his pleasured growl. When he thighs tense from a particularly hard suck, her mind reminds her for the second time of the camera. Knowing instinctively how the photo would look from the perspective of the old camera, she angles her bobbing head as she wantonly tries to take him in her throat—noting he has too much meat for it. A click and a hum later has the thick paper falling to the ground, clearly showing a still capture of Haruno Sakura, on her knees, sucking Uzumaki Naruto's long, thick cock, and best of all, loving it.

Ino-as-Sakura took another photo of her managing to take a little over half his thick length down to her small throat. Naruto couldn't last much longer, but Ino didn't know that as he didn't warn her and blew his boiling load, hard, like a water pistol, in her mouth, cheek and pink hair. The smell of his cream was instantly in her nostrils as much as numerous shots were in her mouth, and Ino missed the feeling. She honest to Kami, felt numb with tingling pleasure.

Some of the cum Ino-Sakura swallowed, some she left nestled between Sakura's teeth and tongue like runny yogurt. Ino made sure there was plenty enough white cream on her rival's face and hair, and it was exactly what Ino needed to take Sakura down. When he stays hard, Ino feels such a rush of excitement ripple through her. Nipples like pebbles, Sakura's panties and shorts were soaked from Ino's recollections and the heat vibrating from Sakura's core nearly makes her discard the plan for a night of orgasms. It took all her will to pull away.

While the boy caught his breath, Ino gathered the photos, but rather than check them, she hurries to leave as she can feel her jutsu ready to dispel. "You better not mention this to anyone," she says closing the bedroom door behind her. As she picks up her body, she can hear Naruto redressing himself as he calls to her, "wait!"

Ino-Sakura moves fast as she replies, "you better not even think of coming after me! I still-" Ino cuts herself off, concerned that finishing that sentence might imply she's unsure if she wants to be with him, and that simply can't be possible since Sasuke-kun is the only man for her. Managing to just close the apartment door before he can see them, she tries again to keep him from coming after her. "You're still not-" she pauses again, as the thought of him not being good enough made her falter. Unsure why, she continues, "you don't make me feel good at all!" she lies, and quickly adds a low blow to keep him away. "You don't even know what you're doing, so, so-" Cut from finishing, Ino-Sakura rushes to the dirty and tatted stairwell, lays her actual body down and puts the photos in Ino's pock just as the last of her jutsu gave away.

Sakura's vision slowly takes in the grungy, pale yellows and greens of a stairwell with a flickering light above. Palming the ache of her head, Sakura didn't know how she got there, but she knew the setting disgusted her. Rubbing her forehead a few times, she's puzzled by a thick fluid on her skin. Bringing a bit of it to her green eyes, she rubs it between her fingers and it reminds her a bit of the face cream she uses. When Sakura begins to question the slimy liquid in her mouth and teeth, Ino groans awake. At the sight of her rival, Sakura's memory rushes to tell her that they were on the street only moments before.

Getting to her feet, Sakura is about to question the platinum-blond kunoichi when she feels a foreign substance slide down her throat. Curious still, Sakura wonders why her jaw and throat ached, which shouldn't be the case. Sakura is further mystified when she pulls a blond hair from between her lip and teeth. It's at that moment Sakura remembers her former-friend using some sort of jutsu on her; a jutsu she can only assume was taught to her by her Jōnin-sensei or her clan.

"Ino-" Sakura tries than quickly rubs her jaw, before continuing, "what did you do?!" Ino slowly rises to her feet, ignoring the question for the gold content in her pocket. "Using jutsu on a fellow shinobi is vile even for you, Ino-Pig," Sakura screams, still working her jaw, spitting out what she could and swallowing some of the salty substance too far back to spit. Vaguely observing her quiet rival as she spits, Sakura doesn't grasp the blonde's interest on the cards in her hand, but at the moment, she's too angry to care.

"You think it's okay to overreact like that just because you lost Sasuke-kun to me? What you did is a punishable offense! And you can bet your ass I'll tell the Hokage about this. You'll be lucky if you're still a ninja after this." Having to take a break, Sakura finally feels something is more wrong than she can understand. Ino should be scared, she should be apologizing, she should be on her knees groveling. Instead, she's smirking, or outright laughing depending on which card she looks at. Ino shuffles from one to another, questioning each one as if trying to decide which is the best, and Sakura finally asks, "w-what are those?"

"Oh, these," Ino finally speaks as if every threat Sakura declared on the blond was never spoken. "They're pictures, Forehead. I thought even you would be smart enough to see that."

Sakura couldn't see the front of the pictures but she dreaded what they might depict without fully comprehending why. "What did you do?" Touching her face at the drying substance, Sakura fearfully asks, "what is this?" Several seconds pass as Ino shifts her sights between two photos she seems to be deciding over. "INO!" Sakura tearfully yells, feeling arrested somehow.

"Mnn?" Ino playfully returns looking at the cum covered, pink-haired girl who's ready to cry. Ino smiles wickedly. '_This girl thought she had the upper hand_,' the blond's thoughts happily express. "You're not going to tell Hokage-sama, or anyone for that matter-"

"The hell I'm not-" Sakura tries to interrupt but is cut off by a louder Ino.

"And you're going to stop all attempts to be anything more than Sasuke-kun's teammate." That stunned Sakura even as Ino continues. "Outside of trying to be the best teammate possible, nothing else is permitted; no more asking for dates, no more trying to seduce him, no more gifts, no more special treatment. Unless it's something that you do for your other teammates, it's not allowed. Hell, if I ever find out you dreamed about him, well, I won't be very happy."

"How dare you!" Sakura screeches. "Who gives two shits about your happiness! Nothing you say will ever keep me from being with Sasuke-kun!"

"No, not what I say," Ino plays. "But I bet this picture of you sucking Naruto's dick will," Ino states as she extends a photo of a girl with pink hair sucking Naruto's dick, happily, cheerfully. The absolute, dumbfounded expression of unsettling shock on her pink-haired rival's face was like a quick release of all the pent up stress and anguish Ino's suffered these past few weeks, like a radiating tingle running up and down every part of her chakra exhausted body.

Sakura was speechless as she glared at her clear visage with a large penis in her mouth, cheeks caved in as she sucks at his man meat like trying to suck the grease out of a sausage. No matter how much Sakura stared at it, unable to believe it with her heart of hearts, but undeniable to her sharp mind, all she could see was her face wantonly sucking Naruto-baka's dick. '_His dick!_' Her mind yells.

"I also got a money shot," Ino tells her, casually overlaying the petrifying polaroid with another stunner of said blond-bushed penis firing white goo all over her face. In a fraction of a second, Sakura knows the fluid substance she felt on her face, hair, and in her mouth... that she swallowed…

...is, "…Naruto's sperm?"

The irrefutable truth Sakura's mind slowly spelled out was that she, under control of Ino, gave the worst loser of their class, a boy she didn't even like, let alone love, a blowjob, but sinking her deeper in despair was that she can taste his seed, thick and slimy, as her mind automatically tries to break it down to her great disgust. However unlikely, Sakura could sense the foreign secretion traveling down her throat and her stomach lurches, as if trying to jump out of her mouth. Sakura immediately doubles over and starts vomiting, heavily. It was unattractive, to say the least, as if a large quantity of bile was being forced through a throat too small. Though it'll do nothing to help her forget the taste of it, she'd welcome the burst of acidic burn her mouth and the putrid smell if it burned away Naruto's semen.

"Not bad, right?" Ino sarcastically asks after the worst of her retching ceases. "I'll assume you already know what these ten pictures mean, what with being the top kunoichi in our class after all. You know what I can do with these if you upset me, or who I can show them to if you don't do as I say."

After some dry heaving, having already expelled the content of her stomach on the disgusting floor, Sakura tearfully asks- yells, "Why?! How could you do that?"

"Well, I can't say I liked it," Ino lies. "But he was nearby and I was really working on the fly. If we were somewhere else, I might've done something else instead."

"Something else? …You- You raped me!" Sakura screams, eyes filled with running tears and pleading.

"And you were being a bitch!" Ino furiously returns, gripping the rails as a dizzy spell hits her. "Equal only to how piss-poor of a kunoichi you are! '_Sasuke-kun this and Sasuke-kun that_,' like a dumb little lamb, lucky enough to be oblivious to anything or anyone else. You were innocent, Forehead, but now you know how easily everything can change... Now you know how easily it could all be taken away," Ino trails off, fighting back her own tears from a drained body. Forcing fervor she didn't feel, Ino continues, "forget about what you want. All is fair in love and war, so unless you want Sasuke-kun to see these pictures of you sucking the Dead Last's dick, you're going to be the smart Forehead I know you are and do as you're told."

Sakura said nothing. Even as Ino left, Sakura could not utter a sound of protest. Her resistance died along with her hopes for the raven-haired boy in her heart.

* * *

For Sakura Fans out there, I just want to say that I AM a fan of hers as well, but I think we can all agree, in the beginning Sakura was... lacking personality wise. I want her to be hella strong in my fic... a girl who wouldn't pick a man who tried to kill her twice to marry... and this is a necessary step to break that.

For those who brought up the knotting thing, I get why it's distasteful(minor beasting and such) but there's a reason I thought of which I liked that will be explained in the future. For now, just know it's not something that I even bring up all the time.

WindyCitySlayer1 had a great suggestion I try for 9 partners for Naruto. I like the symbolism and I'll try it but if it doesn't make sense why a girl may somehow be with him-that is to say organically- than I'm not going to do it. I want to write this but I also want it to be as grounded as possible.


	6. 06Broken Rules

Hey everyone,

This chapter is sort of like a 1 of 2. I wrote one big chapter which I decided to just split in two. I hope I'll be able to update the 2nd part tomorrow, but if not, it'll likely be the day after. So this is one of my shorter chapters because it's half of another.

I would like to reiterate this is a mature fanfic not simply because of the lemons, but also because of the moral ambiguity and gray area decisions. I want to keep the characters as close to canon as I can while I weave this story. It's the reason why everyone either disregards or dislikes Naruto in the beginning. Like canon, I don't think that will really start to change in my fic until the wave mission, which I've started outlining(I can't wait to get to Haku :)

Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

NARUTO

Naruto never made it to that night's session with Hinata-chan. Though Naruto isn't an expert in picking up on subtly, even he can see they're making decent progress, despite how boring all the housework was. Hinata-chan was almost looking directly at him for two seconds before she turns away. She can also say, '_hi_,' and, '_bye_,' to him without fidgeting much. As she is very shy, Naruto handles the bulk of the talking, not that he minds, since she seems content to listen and in less than two sessions, he finds it's actually nice talking to someone who's willing to listen. If this wasn't orchestrated by Hinata-chan's sensei, he'd be happy to be friends with the shy girl outside of all Kurenai-sensei's rules.

The beautiful sensei had a lot of rules and sometimes they were hard to remember when he gets caught up in a story. It forces him to repeat her guidelines over and over in his head: '_Don't ask or mention her clan. Don't talk about specific events from school. Don't be too personal or ask her too many questions. If you run into her, act as you did before the sessions._' And on and on. After every session, Kurenai-sensei would critique how he engaged the meek Hyūga heiress, reciting some of the comments she doesn't approve of verbatim—even _he_ didn't remember everything he said in the session—adding more to his opinion of the adult kunoichi.

For a sensei, she was beautiful, smelled really nice, and he liked the way she would lean over sometimes, but she was very controlling over every part of the sessions, even governing the way he talks. Apparently, she thinks he's too cocky, but he's fairly sure she just doesn't like him much. She hasn't done anything outright to express her hatred of him, not like many of the villagers had when he was younger, but with every interaction, he felt more and more convinced she didn't see him as anything more than a tool.

Still, Naru-nii had already told Naruto how incredibly strong Hinata-chan can and will be. Hastening her training so she can be that much stronger is definitely better, which is why Naruto feels bad about missing the session the day Ino came over. After the unexpected turn of events, one orgasm wasn't enough to settle him and he couldn't leave without taking care of his raging hard-on. His hand helped but a cold shower worked better, however under the bone-deep cut of freezing water, he couldn't stop replaying Ino-chan's words in his head...

'_You don't make me feel good at all!_' he recalls Ino trumpeting endlessly. A painfully sobering recollection rivaled only by a sentence equally as destructive, '_You don't even know what you're doing!_'

Her words struck him as deeply as being seen as a failure does because in this case, it's actually true. He didn't know what he was doing. In fact, he didn't even think about making her feel good at all, focused solely as he was on the immense pleasure he was feeling. If he were painfully honest with himself, he wasn't thinking of anything but satisfying the lust of his ravenous hunger. '_Why wouldn't Ino stay away from me when I couldn't even make sure she felt good too?_' On top of his guilt over his betrayal of Sakura-chan, it pained him to realize he was using Ino-chan to satisfy himself, and he never noticed until she had to yell to get it through his thick skull.

He was selfish, and when he'd thought about the heedless way he'd rush into anything, it's demoralizing to realize he'd failed Ino-chan. If his mind loved training, and his stomach loved Ramen, than his body, apparently, loved sex. It was like discovering a whole new world of joy, with untold but truly amazing kinship, and Naruto was desperate for more exploration. He's been eager for that feeling since that day, but unlike training, he had no guide of reference, or, more importantly, a girl to '_train_' with. After all, he may be able to relieve himself every morning and night, but the connection he craves can't be done alone.

Throughout his life, loneliness has been his constant companion, and though he'd never admit how much it bothered him, he could feel the solitude even in crowds. Training, ramen, pranks, all helped stifle the constant heartache of alienation. This new world he fortuitously discovered with Ino-chan, could not be explored by himself like his other favorite activities. He absolutely needed someone else. Though it would be a dream come true if it were Sakura-chan, he knows pursuing her as he did would only get in the way of her self-discovery.

Naruto made this monumental discovery with Ino-chan, a very beautiful girl in her own right, and likely more popular with the boys than Sakura-chan. The Yamanaka may not have his heart the way Sakura-chan does, but he did make a connection with her, if only for that afternoon. Aside from sex that day and the blowjob the day before, Naruto knows next to nothing about the pretty blond. If Naruto wants to explore this new amazing branch of activity, he has to be good for her as much as she is for him.

Sadly he doesn't know what that means or entails, thus he stayed up well into the night torturing his mind for a solution to this complicated dilemma. He didn't even train, which only highlights the plight of his impasse as losing several hours of training actually amounts to days when he uses his clones. On top of the remorse of missing the session, he was feeling guilty he hadn't trained, especially with the knowledge of what's at stake, but fortunately, he's given the chance to catch up lost time.

"Listen up my cute genin," Kakashi begins abruptly, showing up in a swirling circle of leave after being two hours late. "I'm sad to report Sakura-chan has fallen ill, so she won't be joining us today."

"Is she going to be okay," Naruto fretfully asks, worried straight away about Sakura-chan. "How bad is it? Is she in the hospital? Are we going to visit her?"

"Ma, ma," Kakashi starts, waving a free palm to calm the blond down. "Her mother said it was just a cold. She's resting in her home, so we shouldn't interrupt her recuperation."

"It's just a cold, dobe," Sasuke calmly points out. "Unless her existence is too weak for this world, it shouldn't kill her."

"She's not weak," Naruto throws back angrily. How anyone could love this pompous, emotional Shut-In is beyond him, but Naruto's animosity has more to do than Sasuke's indifference. "She's our teammate, teme! And you better start treating her like one or I'll-" Naruto angrily slams his right fist into his left palm. "Kick your ass!"

"I'd like to see you try, Dead Last," a scowling Sasuke challenges.

"Hey, now, where did our teamwork go," Kakashi easily states stepping between the two. "Sasuke, Naruto's right. You should treat your teammates better. And Naruto, just because you don't agree with your teammate, doesn't mean you fight them. Now, since the third genin of this team is out, I'm willing to give you a three day weekend, but I want you both to continue training and conditioning. We may not have missions but maximizing the strength of your body and skill never takes a break."

"Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke tamely calls. "I need you to oversee my training."

"I guess I can take a look," Kakashi says just a bored.

"Ne, ne, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto eagerly chimes. "I need you to look over my training too!"

"If I have some time, sure," Kakashi replies, taking some of the wind out of the blond's sail. "How's that task Kurenai-sensei wanted going?"

"What task?" Sasuke quickly asks. "Is another Jōnin-sensei training the dobe as well?" Sasuke is clearly irritated by that notion.

"Relax, I'm the only instructor for all the members of Team 7," Kakashi tells the raven-haired avenger, who crosses his arms. "Naruto?"

"It's fine, I guess," Naruto tells him, recalling another of Kurenai-sensei's rules explicitly forbidding him from telling others how he's helping Hinata-chan. "It's super boring though."

"Alright then, dismissed," Kakashi announces, and Naruto is off, hell bent on making up lost training time. His thoughts couldn't be more apparent if he said it aloud...

'_I'm going to get the second stage of that damn jutsu down today even if it kills me!_'

Naruto's only break of the day came in the form of Ramen, then he would sprint back into training deep in the forest, keeping well away from unexpected witnesses. When Naru-nii joins him for thirty minutes, Naruto goes all out trying to master this stage of the Rasengan.

'_**You have to work through the pain**_,' Naru-nii would explain, though it was impossible for him to judge his progress since he couldn't see Naruto's progress. '_**And focus as much chakra into that point as you can. Use the pain as a gauge. The more it hurts, the more force you infuse in the chakra. That's how you blow that stupid ball up!**_' Naru-nii exuberantly calls, firing Naruto up.

With nineteen clones, all twenty Narutos spend the day trying to burst the rubber ball, pushing meeting Kurenai-sensei as far as he possibly could until he couldn't afford to train another minute without being late. Naruto decided to rush back and let his clones continue training. He was nearly back in the village when his mind warped painfully, like someone tried to squeeze a huge influx of nineteen individual memories and experiences in the small jar that is his brain. Before everything went black, he singles out the cause. Somehow one of the clones managed to burst the rubber ball to such a degree that all the clones were dispelled, knocking Naruto unconscious.

He woke up in the morning on the forest floor not fifty yards from the top of the Hokage monument. Fortunately, his head aches with minimal throbbing, which is surprising considering how fast he heals. Heading home, his guilt for missing yet another session contends with his joy for completing the second stage of Rasengan. Triumphant joy won out and he simply commits to apologizing to Kurenai-sensei before that night's session.

KURENAI

"Hey, babe, you're ruining the dango for me," Anko tells her best and only girlfriend.

The red-eyed beauty says nothing, knowing any reply she gives will only make it clear how much of her mind is full of stress. Kurenai's daily routines pale in comparison to the two positive pillars in her life at the moment; two faces at the forefront of her thoughts, one with indigo hair, looking disappointed that her sensei failed her, and the other face looks at her apathetically, as if he doesn't even care enough to hate her.

"I know this whole thing with the Daimyo's daughter sucks but you gotta keep it together," Anko continues after swallowing her green dango with delight. "You can't ever be sure how these things'll turn out, you know. There could be an engagement until minutes before the wedding when it's called off because some other Daimyo or prince needs some kind of alliance. And even if Asuma marries her, it's not like it's for love."

"You're not very good at cheering people up," Kurenai deadpans, pushing her red, white, and green dango away for her tea.

"I usually rely on a lot of alcohol to do the heavy lifting," Anko happily states as she grabs her friends uneaten dango. "Look, your little lamb is with her family for the weekend, I have sometime before tonight's interrogation, let's get some drinks and have fun, yeah? Make a couple cute guys drool?"

"I guess," Kurenai agrees, exhaling. "I think that could help."

"And please get laid," the busty kunoichi adds, quickly provoking a friendly glare from the red-eyed beauty. "What? It's been ages already, and enough is enough. You've been all business since you got your brats and I'm telling you, you can't keep going without a bit of dick every once in a while. You might not have another opportunity to cut loose."

"You know it's not like I'm opposed to some overnight company," Kurenai levels. "It's just..." Kurenai trails off, an image of Asuma appears bright and impressive in her mind and heart. As much fun as a night of non-committed pleasure with a stranger can be, it's a paltry substitute to being with someone you genuinely love. If anything, it just means she has more of an emotional expectation from a partner that Anko didn't seem to care for.

"I know," Anko says sympathetically. "We both have men in our lives we can't forget, though in my case it's because I want to murder him… brutally. It's why I keep it strictly physical, babe."

"I would if I could," Kurenai freely admits with a smirk. "Kami how much easier life would be."

"It's heaven," Anko returns with a broad smile. "For now anyway. I'm sure it'll change eventually—way down the line if I'm lucky."

Kurenai and Anko understand how change is inevitable. It's one of the many principles taught to every shinobi of the Leaf; in their line of work, they can't allow that moment of being stupefied if something doesn't go as planned. Plans often fail, and that failure can cost lives, so they both know in order to survive, they must be able to adapt. Being adaptable means surviving longer and they all want to survive.

After a moment of silence, Anko admits to her dearest friend, "personally, I think this is the moment for you guys, but whatever happens, at least you'll know where you stand with him. That sounds better than all this stress and anxiety."

"We're trained to endure," Kurenai replies with no real conviction.

"No one can endure when love is in the mix," Anko easily replies. "Field Shinobi have no value if they chose loved ones over the mission and village. It's why Anbu literally conceal their persona from society, always detached, simply so the mission always stays first. If for some fucked up reason you and Asuma don't work out, at least I can expect to see one hell of a Team Eight for the Chūnin exams," she jests with a wide grin.

"I don't need that kind of motivation to create the best team for the exams," Kurenai returns a little more forcefully than she intended. Kurenai brings her cup to her ruby red lips, unable to shake the image of Hinata-chan's beautiful face breaking from sadness after being told for the second night in a row that they won't be having a session. The kind-hearted girl tried to be accepting of her sensei's decision but she couldn't hide the abundance of sadness pouring from the girl. The young Hyūga was making so much progress, it broke her heart in an entirely different way from Asuma to have to stop. It made Kurenai eager to find Uzumaki-kun and yell at him for his part in what her dear student is going through. Unable to find the boy only added to her already high levels of agitation.

"Yeah, yeah," Anko says, easily batting away Kurenai's frustrations as nothing more than a girlfriend having a bad day. "I got some reports to finish up. I'll see you tonight."

Kurenai searched for the blue-eyed blond menace for some time before giving up and heading home to ready herself some for the night. She didn't need her S-Rank level of dress for casual drinks among friends at the usual Jōnin only bar, but it's always a bit of a thrill to look sexy enough to catch a man completely off-guard. Wearing comfortable shorts that showed plenty of leg and a tight red top, she meets the others at Elite Spirits.

It was gratifying spending time with Anko and catching up with Genma, Guy, Yūgao, Hayate, and Kakashi. Despite how early in the evening it was, Kurenai had already earned her intoxicated buzz. That's not to imply she drinks heavily, quite the opposite; she's a very modest drinker, however, her typical strategy when out with Anko was to drink early and taper off for most of the night, so that a usually intoxicated Anko rarely notices. It also has the extra added bonus of no hangover the following day.

"Kakashi," Kurenai speaks up, taking a seat next to the Copy Ninja, "would you care to explain to me where your student is hiding?"

Playing with a saucer of clear liquid, the elite Jōnin asks, "I assume we're talking about Naruto?"

Nodding stiffly, she states, non-too-happily, "he's missed two meetings. These delays are unacceptable."

Sensing her clear agitation he chuckles lightly, hoping to ease the tension a bit. "Mah, well, that kid is a ball of energy, you know. He doesn't do boring well."

"He told you what I wanted help with?" Her eyes widen, getting more upset than surprised.

"No," Kakashi quickly tells the brunette. "He just said it was boring. He's generally out most of the day but the best places to find him are Ichiraku's or his apartment. I suggest trying Ichiraku's first. It smells better."

Content with the info, she simply tells him, "as his sensei, you're ultimately responsible for his faults, so I expect you to buy my drinks to make up for it." Genma and Hayate laugh and without a response from the famous ninja, she simply leaves and returns to Anko's side, momentarily relishing in getting one over Asuma's friend.

It seemed fate did not approve.

Neither Anko or Kurenai expected Asuma to enter the bar, a muscular arm entwined with the delicate arm of princess Tomoko, only she wasn't dressed as royalty of the Fire Nation. Instead of the large ornamental gown, pristine in its cleanliness as it was complex in its appearance, she was wearing a tasteful, yet alluring royal red dress, cut a few inches above her knee so when she sits most of her thigh will show. Her hair was loose, silky in its buoyancy, and long, reaching her lower back. Her face and neck were elegantly longer than Kurenai first observed, which only made her look that much nobler. It was with great tribulation and heartache that Kurenai kept drinking more than she should.

It was explained to them—because naturally, Asuma would bring her to their table—that the princess wanted a break from her perfect life to congregate below her station. Kurenai listened to every word, memorized every gesture between them, but the phenomenon that made her heart sink into her stomach was the way Asuma would only look at her red-irises when it was due in polite conversation. It clearly demonstrated that Kurenai was no more or less important than anyone at the table. It hadn't stung immediately but the longer it simmered, the worse that realization became, and with her growing anxiety, so too did her drinking grow.

When Anko eventually realized that Kurenai had consumed far more sake than she should've, she gathers her highly inebriated friend and bids them all good night. With her girlfriend's arm wrapped around her neck, it took Anko ages to reach Kurenai's house, all the while listening to Kurenai's tearful apology for her behavior.

"I'm sso sssorry, Anko," Kurenai slurs a remorseful apology. "I let it get under my skin. I let her... ugh-"

"It's okay," Anko kindly returns as she lays the beauty on her couch. "If she wasn't a princess of our country, I'd've kicked that bitch's ass for you."

Looking up at her friend dearly, Kurenai couldn't stop the tears any more than she could stop the smile that spread her sad face. "Thank you! I wanted... I was beside myself with anger! Not even at her, but, just… at everything!"

"That's what rough sex is for, babe," Anko comments, but Kurenai is too in her head to hear it. Worried, Anko's concern compelled her to ask, "do you need me to stay? I can get someone else to torture my prisoner for me."

Pulling out of her thoughts, Kurenai simply shakes her head, "no. No, thank you, Anko. It's inappropriate to shirk your responsibilities. I'll- I'll be fine. Plus I know how much you love their screams."

"I do," Anko grins. "Okay, I'll check on you tomorrow," she declares before leaving her.

Kurenai stumbles into her kitchen, swaying heavily toward the cabinet. Pilfering through the contents of the top shelf, her hand finally lands on the bottle of sake she stored for occasions such as emergencies or celebrations. She hugged her sake, taking it with her to the backyard, where Kurenai drank directly from the bottle as she envisioned the princess on one of the target's she has set up thirty yards away.

Launching a kunai, she misses the imaginary forehead for the imaginary ear. She pictured Asuma on another target and missed just as badly. In between swigs, she imagined many faces; the Hokage, for allowing this, Hiashi, for Hinata-chan's predicament, her mother, for leaving, her father, for dying, Uzumaki, for being content as the vessel for that monster that took her father, Anko, for not torturing the princess, Hinata-chan for being so weak-willed, and clearer than all their faces, herself, for all her failures. Every face was spared a kunai to the forehead, all except her own, which she shot with deadly accuracy.

"Helloooooo," a loud familiar call sounds from the front of her home. '_Why do I know that voice?_' Her mind sluggishly asks as her sloppy feet shuffle to the front door. Halfway there and the person wouldn't stop knocking, irking her enough to yell, "alright! I'm coming!"

Slowly, Kurenai takes in the sight of a tan boy with blond spiky hair and deep baby-blue eyes. '_You__…_' her irately mind narrows in on. He missed sessions when he had no right to. He's at her front door when he has no right to. He smiles at her when he has no right to. With angered fueled recognition, she allows herself a moment of selfishness; a moment of release of the poisonous anger her character and virtues always keeps in check. Looking at Naruto, remembering Hinata-chan dismay for canceling the last two sessions, thinking of her father, it was easy—too easy—to let go of the anxious rage bubbling within her.

"Yo!" Naruto calls with half a smile, and Kurenai felt body move, as if detached from her will, with a single-minded purpose to attack and destroy the source of her scorn. With the speed of a first-rate Jōnin, Kurenai punched the unsuspecting boy, hard, in the nose. She felt the satisfying crunch of a broken nose as she sent him back several feet. It was the only sound in the cold night of her neighborhood. Landing hard, his hands are already covering his bleeding nose as he rolls to a stop.

She walks calmly toward him, devoid of sympathy, regret, or hesitation, as he awkwardly yells, "whaa da phluck!" As he gets up, Kurenai kicks him with all her considerable strength in the stomach, knocking all the oxygen out of his lungs as he flies through her picket fence onto the hard deserted street. He rolls to a stop and his desperate hands feebly fixates on painful wounds no amount of rubbing would ease.

Still walking towards him, patient as the setting sun, she watches him gasping for air through his bloodied mouth clutching at his stomach with both arms until he finally notices her approach—her face, in particular. Naruto forces his feet under him and decides to run rather than fight. Like a bolt from an arrow, he dashes away as fast as he can until he feels an immensely sharp pain rapidly spreading from the back his thigh throughout his body, making him trip than tumble through the dirt floor.

Adrenaline gathers his baring and when he awkwardly looks to the back of his left thigh, he sees a kunai sticking out. Turning to the fierce Jōnin, still calmly walking toward him, still making that face, he grits his teeth, grabs the kunai's handle and yanks it out before fleeing. Thankfully she doesn't pursue him, and Naruto doesn't stop running until he reaches his apartment. Unsure of what to make of what happened, he throws himself into bed and burrows himself in his sheets.

Kurenai returns to her home, to the sake bottle on the kitchen counter, and drinks the night and her worries away.

INO

It's Sunday, and Ino is cheerfully making her way through the market with a bag of syrup-coated anko dumplings. Her elation is so effortless, she barely feels the need to dawn her mask that reveals nothing to the world of her worries or struggles. It amazes her how easy it is to hide her strong cravings for an inferior boy she doesn't like when she has relative control over the rival for the boy she does love.

But Ino's wise enough to understand she really only has the illusion of control over Sakura, and not unquestioned control. Ino knows Sakura would much prefer those photos never saw the light of day, but if Ino backed Sakura too hard into a corner, the pinkette could do something radical that might bring everything into the light. They were ninja, after all. Secrets came with the territory, but also how to manage them. Ino needed to be tough but fair. Establish the rules, follow through, and punish if Sakura challenges the order of things.

Sakura's family live in the civilian sector just past the markets. It's a nice two-story home for a successful tradesman and elected official, and unlike her clan home, Sakura's home has modern architecture. A design Ino remembers loving when she visited as a little girl. Knocking on the door of the Haruno residence, Ino meets Sakura's blond-haired mother.

"Morning, Mebuki-san," Ino cheerfully announces with a smile.

"Ino-chan?" Mebuki calls in question. "Oh my, what a lovely surprise. I haven't seen you in so long. My, look how beautiful you've grown!" Mrs. Haruno exclaims examining the beautiful flower in front of her from top to bottom.

Ino shyly poses, thrilled by the older woman's rave adoration. "Thank you, Mebuki-san. It's great to see you again. It really has been too long."

"Much, but, you're here now," Mebuki asserts. "I take it you've come by to see how Sakura is doing? Her sensei has come by and one of her teammates, but she wasn't up to seeing anyone."

"Which teammate?" Ino cautiously asks, hoping to Kami Sasuke-kun didn't care.

"The blond one," Mebuki replies with a crinkle of her nose, as if smelling a foul odor, allowing Ino to release a relieved breath she didn't know she was holding in.

"Well, I know I haven't been by in a while but I think maybe a female friend will do the trick," Ino alleges with a bright smile. Mebuki returns the smile and allows Ino in before going upstairs. As Ino had anticipated, Sakura was '_well enough_' to see her, and a few minutes later, Mebuki leaves a tray of tea and biscuits on Sakura's desk. "I can handle that Mebuki-san," Ino tells the older blond, taking the kettle and pouring two cups.

"If you need anything else, I'll be in the kitchen," the mother tells them as she leaves.

The silence in the room is staggering, but it doesn't bother Ino in the slightest. She takes the cups and extends one to Sakura. This is a basic test Ino uses to gauge where to begin, and Sakura is smart enough to know taking the cup isn't just polite but to some extent, submissive. While not a rule anyone should simply assume, it is a decent indication where they both stand. One of them will be the submissive, the unresistant, the tame, and the other will be the dominant, the assertive, the lead, because if they're both assertive about their positions, the probability of things spiraling out of control is high. With the pictures in Ino's possession, Sakura's predicament can easily turn into something worse; something the green-eyed beauty would never be able to live down...

...Hence Sakura begrudgingly takes the offered cup, and Ino smiles a little.

Watching Sakura' defeated manner from the seat by the bed, Ino can't help but remember when she was bedridden, though the shock of what she went through immobilized her for a whole week. Comfortable in her position, Ino takes a sip of her tea, enjoying the slightly sweet and fragrant beverage when Sakura finally asks, "how could you?"

"That's what you want to start with?" Ino returns. Sakura's defiant stare is answer enough and for the prosperity of her power over the pinkette, Ino chooses to answer honestly, "to tell you the truth, you caught me on a bad day. We haven't been friends for a while so you wouldn't know, but I've been having a bad time of it lately, and that day, you were definitely the tipping point."

"Because I was talking about Sasuke-kun," Sakura reasons aloud.

Ino nods as she answers, "I snapped." Play-snapping her manicured fingers for effect.

"So because you were PMS-ing, you took out all your bullshit on me?!" Sakura angrily retorts.

Taking an insta-photo from her pocket, Ino calmly states, "I don't know if you want to give your mother a reason to come up here, but, it wouldn't go well for you if she did."

Sakura struggles to force herself to calm down. They stay silent a few moments making sure Mebuki hadn't heard her daughter yell and was on her way. Once they were sure, Sakura asks, "so, I expect you'll be going after Sasuke-kun now. B-But, you should know I won't just sit by and let him end up with a cruel, manipulative, rapist bitch like you!"

Forcing down her own insulting rebuttal, Ino can't help but feel uncertainty, hesitation, when she entertains thoughts of her and Sasuke-kun now. She loves him and more than anything wants to be with him, but the daydreams of their first kiss, their first date, their first time, their first child... they've become no more than ash. With the exception of her first child, there aren't many significant firsts that she hadn't already given to that blond idiot.

Ino is still very much within the powerful orbit of her womanizing and the partner who helped find her was Naruto. Even now, she wakes up at least once a night to a frenzy of feather-light, micro orgasms erupting throughout her sweaty body from the most erotic, Naruto-centered fantasies. Worse still, she's already used the pictures of herself as Sakura enthusiastically sucking Naruto's penis to get herself off three times.

No, thoughts of Sasuke-kun aren't as pure or perfect as they used to be, and Ino isn't sure how to deal with that. Fortunately, her love for him isn't challenged every day since genin teams usually don't interact in the first few months. In fact, she hasn't seen Sasuke-kun since the academy.

"We're not here to talk about me," Ino responds, brushing aside Sakura's concern for the boy they both love. "You should worry more about yourself, since I'm here to make sure you understand the rules."

"What rules?" Sakura suspiciously asks.

"Oh, Forehead, you didn't think I'd make you figure that out on your own, did you," Ino chides, fanning herself with the photograph; its backside facing Sakura so she can't see what it depicts. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you what'll happen if you break one of these rules-"

"And I'm sure I don't have to tell you what'll happen to you if I tell the Hokage what you did to me," she hastily returns. "Using family jutsu on me, raping me, blackmailing me! Those are all crimes!"

"They certainly are, but Sakura, I'm the heiress of the noble Yamanaka Clan; one of the four honored clans of Konoha. Obviously, my family wouldn't allow me to be sent to prison. If you consider the fact that you and I are fairly inexperienced ''_brats_'' prone to making bad choices in our youthful age, I feel confident I'll be okay; confident enough to take the risk. You, on the other hand, will have to live with the very public shame of being the girl who sucked off the Dead Last of our year; a boy everyone hates. I have no doubt that stigma will stick with you for a long time. Maybe other guys will try to get some of that action for themselves because they think you're easy, and don't think you won't consider it either since I doubt Sasuke-kun will ever be with a woman who was with that idiot. Team Seven will probably disband after-"

"But it was you!" Sakura cries.

"It was your mouth," the platinum-blond returns. It was not lost on Ino how she, in actuality, is the one carrying that shame of being with Naruto, and the daily urges that come with it, but much like Sakura, she doesn't want anyone to know either. "As it clearly shows in all the photos." Ino shows her the photo of Sakura on her knees, her pink hair a mess, taking Naruto deep enough that the tip of her nose was rubbing his blond pubes.

Sakura turns away, disgusted by just the flash of it. This reaction works well for Ino as her original plan was to give Sakura a copy for her to always carry around, but after inspecting how hungry Ino—in Sakura's body—looked as she devoured his thick prick, the platinum-blond decided it might be too easy for Sakura to notice and possibly deduce Ino's wanton shame. Sakura looks defeated, exactly where Ino wants her.

"The rules," Ino curtly picks up. "As I said before, you're going to stop all advances toward Sasuke-kun. No dates, no presents, no walks alone, I don't even want you to sit by him. No makeup, no perfume, or skin creams; you won't need any of that since you're no longer trying to impress him. If there's anything else I'm forgetting, don't try that either. There is no loophole to this rule, and you will follow it, not only to the letter, but in its spirit as well. Do we understand each other?" Slowly, dejectedly, with a grimace on her face, Sakura nods once.

Ino continues, "I realize you're teammates and since there's nothing I can do about that, rule two is you have to hang out with Naruto more." The flames of indignation race back to Sakura's jade green eyes. The furious kunoichi tightened her shoulders and clenched her fists ready to punch Ino's nose through the back of her head. It took all of Ino's considerable effort to mask her startled panic and subsequent fear for her physical well-being, remaining as still as possible. It took several moments for a fist-raised Sakura to stop huffing her seething outrage and forcibly unclench her fists.

When Ino was sure Sakura was calm enough, she continues, "I'm not saying you have to date the idiot, honest. Even I wouldn't be so cruel, but I do want you to train with him-"

"I can't," Sakura growls, holding back her anger. "I just can't! I know the moment I see him, I'll feel this overwhelming urge to kill him! Literally, kill him!"

"Makes sense, but if you do, he won't know why," Ino comments.

Baffled, though through rage filled eyes, Sakura demands to know, "what do you mean? He's in the picture. Obviously, he was a willing participant in raping me!"

"No, actually, he didn't even know it was you," Ino says as she displays the photo again. "You know it's Naruto because of his pants, his hands, the jacket, his mouth, chin, and a few of his birthmarks, but what you can barely see is the edge of the photo is a blindfold I made him wear. Now, I didn't really need to blindfold him, but it helped with this neat little jutsu Daddy taught me. By the end, I made Naruto forget the last ten minutes and he went straight to sleep."

Wide-eyed and hopeful, Sakura desperately asks, "...so he doesn't know?"

"Or he thinks it was a dream," Ino suggests, easily enforcing the lie to a willing Sakura. It's clear she doesn't want anyone to know, and it also helps her plans if Sakura doesn't do anything reckless. "But again, the blindfold helped make the jutsu possible since he didn't actually see anything. I doubt he even remembers you walking into his gross apartment, telling him how much you loved him instead of Sasuke-kun, getting on your knees, ripping down his pants-"

"Alright!" Sakura bellows. "Alright."

"He doesn't know, or else he would've been knocking on your window every hour since then to see you," Ino reasons, impregnating the lie. "Rule two; spend more time with Naruto. In fact, you're going to join him every single time he trains, without fail."

"Ino-pi- Ino, please," Sakura pleads. "If Sasu- if the others, anybody really, sees me spending so much time with that Baka, they'll think I like him."

"Maybe, maybe not," Ino shrugs callously. "I don't care either way, but unfortunately for Sasuke-kun, he's stuck with the two of you, and I will not have either of you slowing him down, or causing him injury because you're both too stupid and weak. I want Sasuke-kun to stay safe from enemies _and_ incompetent team members, so, keep learning Iryō-ninjutsu, but from now on, you're training with Naruto as well. Is that understood?"

Sakura simply nods.

"Rule three," Ino continues. "I expect a report every two weeks, obviously written by you, on certain topics."

"What topics?" Sakura curiously asks, more surprised by the rule than the curiosity of the topics.

"Whatever I choose," Ino answers. "I could ask for a report on the best ways to give a blow job and you'll do it." Sakura blushed, though angered by her reaction and the memory of her trauma. Ino pays her little mind as she continues, "I want objective, comprehensive reports using your own experiences as examples. The first topic is on obsession, specifically on love obsession. If you finish early, start on the next topic, superficial love. If you finish with that one, start on the third topic, what is real love? Provide examples with a minor comparison to obsessive love; all due two weeks from each other."

Sakura actually looks surprised by this rule, and can't help but ask, "why?"

"Are you kidding me," Ino asks with a mild look of disgust on her face. "You're like the poster child for obsessive love. I've been telling you for ages that you're love for Sasuke-kun isn't real, but you always brushed it aside thinking that I was trying to trick you. I bet you never once considered that the Yamanaka clan are students of the mind, of society, and that I've been exposed to more social/behavioral sciences than you ever have. If you don't want to believe me, fine. I'll make sure you read how perfectly you fit the definition of superficial and obsessive love."

"You won't change my mind," Sakura asserts. "I love Sasuke-kun no matter what you make me read."

"I actually wanted to help back then," Ino explains truthfully. "But you don't even realize because you have no frame of reference. If he was a murderer or a rapist, would you still love him? All you cling to is this, '_I love him no matter what_,' bullshite! But you don't have the self-respect necessary for love! Now you have no choice. If you want to stay ignorant after a couple dozen reports, fine. At that point, I'd say you're beyond medical treatment, though for your sake, I hope you're lucky and decide to grow and learn."

"Is that all," Sakura practically spits. "I'm getting really sick of seeing you spout your utter horse crap."

Getting up and moving to put back her empty cup of tea, Ino answers, "you break any of these rules, Sasuke-kun sees them first, then your parents, and so on."

"What guarantees do I have you won't just show him on a whim, or to prove some point?" Sakura angrily asks after the retreating blond. "What if you find out that he loves me just as much as I love him? Are you going to poison our love just because you had a bad fucking day?"

"I don't know," Ino easily states. "I suppose I'll ask him why he thinks he loves you, after, of course, we give him a full medical work up to make sure he's not being controlled somehow," she says with a winning smile. "As for your guarantee, you don't have one. It's not like I'm asking you to do anything heinous here; just train, and read. Pretty easy compared to the damage I can do, so just be a good girl and do as your Ino-hime commands."

Sakura says nothing as Ino drops a white bag on her bed, tell her to, "enjoy the dumplings," before she leaves.

* * *

Short, I know, but like I said, this is like a part 1 of 2 and the other half shouldn't take me too long to go over.

I loved the idea of using Sakura's obsession(because that's my opinion of her love for him) for Sasuke to force her to train harder. It made me laugh.

So, I have pretty solid plans for Kurenai, Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, Temari, and Mabui. As for the last two spots, I've been getting a lot of requests for Samui and Mei to join the harem. Like I said, I'll try but if I can't EASILY think of a grounded way it'll happen than I won't do it. Sorry. This a leisure writing project for me, so I don't want to wrack my brain trying to hard to force it.

Thanks again,

-Grae


	7. 07Why Bother

Hey everyone,

As I stated in the previous update, this is part 2 of 2. I think both chapters totaled out to 16K words which is why I split it up. I feel pride, ya'll. I mean I did it while I was sick. Granted it wasn't like a terrible, "I'm dying!" type of sickness but still, that's a lot for me.

Thank you all for your comments and opinions. I found them enjoyable and informative to read.

Warning: Lemons.

Enjoy,

* * *

NARUTO

'_**Alright**_,' Naru-nii's voice calls. '_**Great job learning the second stage so fast**_.' Naruto chuckles happily. Learning the second stage of Rasengan has really been the past week's only saving grace. More than ever, Naruto was eagerly training with several clones on the second stage until Naru-nii returned. Naru-nii then asks his younger self, '_**you ready for the last stage?**_'

"You bet!"

'Alright!' Naru-nii then passionately explains, '_**the third stage is containment, and it's even harder than the last two stages. Obviously, I'll give you every tip I can, but your body is going to have to learn it. Blow a balloon to the same size as the rubber ball-**_'

"Another balloon?!"

'_**Why do you think I had you buy those as well?**_' Naru-nii gently asks thinking it should've been obvious.

"I thought they were celebration balloons," Naruto admits. "You know, to celebrate when I learn this technique."

Naruto can't see Naru-nii shake his head but he can hear his long exhale. '_**Like I said, you want the air balloon to be the same size as the rubber ball. This is to help you visualize the shape. You're going to combine a hundred percent of the first two stages**__**—rotation and power—but contain it in a sphere. So if you pop the balloon, you fail. If the balloon even wiggles a little, you fail.**_'

"That... sounds impossible," Naruto can't help but gasp, completely shocked.

'_**Man, I really wish I was there to show you, but you're me, and this is for our special people, so I know you'll get it.**_'

At the mention of special people, Naruto can't help but wonder about his own, or lack thereof. Academy graduate and a ranked member of Konoha's Shinobi forces, and he's still getting assaulted by ninja. Everyone still thinks he's not worth their time. Naruto feels like he's getting stronger but nothing's changed. "...Hey, Naru-nii?"

'_**Yeah**_,' Naru-nii voices.

Thinking about his most recent attack by the Jōnin-sensei he was helping, Naruto asks, "do people still hate me in the future?"

'_**...mmm, I don't think my teammates started looking at me differently until after our first real mission. The other genin probably looked at me differently after the Ch**__**ūnin exams, and the villagers, not until years later. Why?**_'

"Has a Jōnin-sensei ever beaten you up?"

'_**Loads of people have beaten me up**_,' Naru-nii isn't afraid to admit. '_**But you know, instead of letting them get to me, I put my everything into proving them wrong, showing them and myself, that I'm not what they think I am; that I'm worth more. And you know what else?**_'

Listening intently to the best thing that's ever happened to him, Naruto eagerly asks, "what?"

'_**It'll take some time, but hard work is the only way of making your dreams come true. You wouldn't give up on being Hokage just like you wouldn't give up on Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei, Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-neesan, even the teme. Oh, and I can't forget the one and only Ino-chan... that still blows my mind**__**… Ino…**_'

"You and me both," Naruto laughs.

'_**Have you talked to her?**_'

"Actually, she came by the apartment," Naruto chuckles like a gleeful maniac at the memory of her lips wrapped around his dick, then his mood sours when he recalls the sting of her departing words. "I think she's having a hard time, like she's not sure if she likes me or not."

'_**Can**__**'t really help much there, mini-me. Sorry,**_' Naru-nii says, lamenting having so few answers for his past self. '_**If there were some way to train for that, believe me, I would tell you.**_'

"I know. It's okay. Thanks anyway, Naru-nii," Naruto happily tells the future voice. "Now let's get cracking! I want to master Rasengan by next week!"

'_**Ha! Don't look down on the technique created by the Fourth!**__**'**_ Naru-nii warns good-naturedly. '_**This is an A-class jutsu for a reason.**_'

Naru-nii gave him every tip he had learned before he couldn't remain any longer. Naruto spent all the afternoon and part of the early evening in the forest training; until a dinner break made him return to his apartment. He would've loved to dine in Ichiraku's but the weekends were hectic for the friendly uncle and his daughter, so Naruto thought of his instant cup of Ramen fondly, until he stepped on the fourth floor of his building to find someone waiting for him.

KURENAI

Waking up on the kitchen floor, in a puddle of dried vomit is the unsightly result of a long night of heavy drinking. Her hangover was massive, and painful, to the point she almost didn't want to move from the vomit covered floor. Just thinking of how pathetic she is made her head throb. It didn't all come back to her right away. Under crisis, Kurenai's mind worked one step at a time, and the current step was gathering enough resolve to remove herself from the repugnant stench of vomit mixed sake.

For the first hour, Kurenai thought of nothing but swearing off alcohol as fatigue, nausea, migraine, and dehydration stunt all her movements; from taking a cold shower, to changing into comfortable clothes, she forces herself through it all; even cleaning her kitchen of the drowning stench of ammonia and vomit. It is as Kurenai is thoroughly disinfecting her tile floor that her higher reasoning—the method by which she governs her entire life—begins to process everything that happened.

"Oh, Kami," she swears, rubbing her throbbing temples soothingly as flashes of last night start to filter through the splintering pounding of her poisoned mind. Kurenai suffered every-which-way she could feel misery, however, proper agony is reserved for those she interacted with. Not only had she made a fool of herself in front of her friends, respective peers, and forced Anko to drag her home, but she violently attacked a weeks-old genin.

"Kami, I threw a kunai at him as he ran away," Kurenai shamefully voices as her memories clearly replays the entire incident. As terrible as she felt about attacking a weak unguarded boy nearly half her age, she was more worried about Hinata-chan. For whatever reason, the girl absolutely adores the Jinchūriki and he, above anyone else, can help her the fastest.

'_And I assaulted him with a weapon!_'

Kurenai stopped cleaning and reached for the sake bottle on its side, hoping for a little bit left to ease the magnitude of her fuck up. '_What the fuck is wrong with me!_' she states in alarm, tipping the bottle over her lips and finding no dampening relief in the empty bottle. A flash of a saddened Hinata-chan with the Caged Bird Seal on her forehead feels prophetic, making her feel powerless to stop it. Growing increasingly anxious, Kurenai felt like she was panicking more than she could control and rushed to the nearest seat.

Taking deep and even breaths, Kurenai tried to slow her thoughts and clear her mind of self-deprecating reflection. Her shinobi training for torture situations tells her not to endure pain necessarily, but to consider one's life as the duty of the village. The concept that a ninja is more than a body, but a nation, keeps the mind sound through turmoil, and in this case, serves her well as she voices, "Yūhi Kurenai. Kunoichi of Konohagakure. Rank, Jōnin. Registration number 010881." As she speaks, thoughts of Asuma didn't seem quite so disparaging.

"Yūhi Kurenai. Kunoichi of Konohagakure. Rank, Jōnin. Registration number 010881," she repeats and thought's of Hinata-chan with the cursed seal on her forehead didn't seem so inevitable.

"Yūhi Kurenai. Kunoichi of Konohagakure. Rank, Jōnin. Registration number 010881," and again, thoughts of her father didn't seem so disappointed in her failure. She repeats the coping method several times before she calms down, and focuses on what she does best, critical thinking and planning. As there is little she can do about Asuma, and any focus on him only increases her agitation, Kurenai reflects on Hinata-chan, and how to get her training back on track.

The indigo-haired genin is making so much progress in her team training, even smiling more. In one week, with hard work and unwavering diligence, the beautiful kunoichi was starting to come out of her shell. Missing the last two sessions—the sadness in Hinata-chan's eyes because of it—Kurenai felt shame for snapping the way she did on Uzumaki-kun. She knows it wasn't right, but for Hinata-chan's future, she'll have to fix her error somehow.

She spends the rest of the afternoon re-hydrating as she cleans, all the while trying to anticipate the boy's needs for the possibility of bribing him. The ideal situation would be if he understood that she was far too drunk and angry to make good decisions. '_Certainly, he must know alcohol inhibits thought of consequences making it easier to make bad decisions__… Who wouldn't know that?_' If he does, than she can finesse a way for him to return to the sessions, but the critical analysis part of her mind felt the likelihood of that happening was very low. At dusk, she does a moderately intense work out to increase blood flow and ease tense muscles before showering and searching for the boy.

Armed with Kakashi's intelligence, her first stop was the ramen shop as it was closer than his apartment. Asking the busy girl if she's seen Uzumaki-kun, the girl informed her he generally doesn't come by on the weekends. After thanking the waitress, and coasting the market toward his apartment, Kurenai was praying it wouldn't take long to find him. Fortune must've been paying attention because barely a moment after knocking on his rusting door, Uzumaki-kun steps off the stairs onto his floor.

The panic on his face is immediate, throwing out a rash finger and yelling, "stay back!"

Kurenai expected a reaction but not to this degree. She can see him inspect his surrounding, prompting her to raise her hand in surrender as she states, "Um, Uzu- Naruto-kun-" is all she gets out before he hops on the wall of the apartment, and to her surprise runs up the wall toward the roof.

'_Kakashi's already teaching them tree-climbing chakra control?_' is her only consideration before she realizes she now has to chase after him; a task that she's heard many times in the Chūnin bars is very annoying. Hopping on the wall, she gives chase. They leap from rooftop to rooftop, and to her great displeasure, he's making her work for it. The boy was smart enough to travel toward the market before jumping and landing down in the streets to try and lose her in the crowd.

Kurenai keeps the high ground, for the inevitability that he would disguise himself to move with the crowd. Unfortunately for him, villagers and people as a whole project easily if you pay enough attention. She can separate a crowd of routine everyday destinations from subtle yet cautious attempts to blend. Red irises scan the throng of villagers like a hawk and soon enough, she spots her prey casually looking around before walking again. It was a good disguise, she notes, but he's obviously lacking experience in body language.

Kurenai retains a safe distance above as she tails him. When the genin is confident he'd lost her, he enters an alley to cut across to the next street and that's when she drops in front of him. "Relax!" she starts quickly putting empty hands up. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"Maybe not this time!" He throws back, jumping in the academy standard fighting stance. "But who knows when you'll be in a mood to beat on a Genin again!"

'_He wasn__'t wrong_,' Kurenai guiltily thought, adding, '_but this isn__'t getting us anywhere._' "Naruto-kun, I came to apologize for what happened last night-"

"Oh, you mean apologize for stabbing me in the leg with a kunai!" he yells drawing some attention from the passerby.

Realizing they should talk in private, she suggests, "how about we go somewhere else. We're not too far from my home." They're actually very far from her home, but Kurenai didn't want to have this conversation around anyone with even decent abilities in surveillance and reconnaissance. This may be a military village but attacking active shinobi, lower rank or not, is taken very serious. Not only is it possible the walk could cool him down but her home is private. He looked warily at her offer, as if about to say no when she adds, "please. I'd really like the chance to make it up to you."

Very reluctantly, he agrees, but he stays behind her the entire walk to her home, giving her the unsavory opportunity to add a little more sway to her hips to break down some of his justified anger. For the setting, Kurenai picks the comfortable couches and gestures for him to have a seat so she can strategically sit across from him to cross her legs whenever needed. She didn't like the idea of using her wiles on someone so full of teenage hormones to manipulate him, but this was too important to leave to his immature process of assessment and resolution. She'll offer him what she needs to in order to reestablish his help, but she needs to be sure he's not too emotional to say no.

She expected the normally talkative boy to yell at her straight away, but he says nothing, and many seconds pass in painful silence. Within those seconds she analyzes his appearance and overall demeanor. He's clearly suspicious of her and not at all shy about showing anger. He's very dirty—training being the most obvious reason—but with dried sweat, bits of blood, dirt, grime, grass and mud stains littering his body, he looks as if he's been thrown to the ground for hours.

Finally, she offers, "how about you wash up a bit and I'll make us some tea. You remember where the bathroom is," she states, moving toward the kitchen without his compliance.

Before she takes more than three steps he interrupts, "can't you just say what you wanna say so I can get out of here?"

"It'll only take a second," she counters. "Go on, wash up and I promise I won't keep you long." She exits into the kitchen and is relieved to hear him get up and head to the bathroom. '_Come on water, cool him down,_' she mentally hopes. Though he was grumbling the entire way, it's definitely positive that he's following her suggestions. Settled exactly as they were moments later, his cleaner face still blatantly mistrustful, he impatiently started tapping the floor with a shaky leg.

'_I guess not_,' she thinks, recognizing no difference in his attitude. In hopes of breaking the ice with a compliment, she happily comments, "I had no idea Kakashi-sensei started training your team on the Tree-Walking exercise. You did it quite naturally."

"He didn't," Naruto answers hotly. "I'm going to leave, and I'll fight you this time if you try to stop me, or you can say whatever the hell you want to say, so I can get back to my training."

'_A dog with a bone worse than Akamaru_,' Kurenai thinks before gracefully jumping right in. "Naruto-kun, I sincerely apologize for what I did to you."

"You know, I expect that from stupid civilians, or retired shinobi, but not Jōnin sensei."

It's understandable how many react to the sight of the blond. She too, will occasionally see the rampaging monster over the boy. But rather than let this be some emotional tirade, she replies, "you're right. I should've known better and I am sorry. I was upset and took it out on you when I shouldn't have, but, part of it was due to you missing our last two sessions. Hinata-chan was doing really well and you may have hindered all the progress we've made."

"I wasn't trying to skip out," Naruto irately returns. But as he couldn't exactly bring up Ino's blowjob nor his longest lasting boner ever, he simply said, "something came up," without going into more detail.

"Look," Kurenai starts. "Why don't we forget this happened, start fresh, and you can come by tomorrow for another session."

"No way," he quickly puts down. She can tell from his eyes alone how dauntless and unwavering he is. '_Not shy to authority at all_,' she mentally recognizes.

"Naruto-kun," she slowly says as she sensually crosses her long creamy legs. She catches him sneaking a healthy look as she continues, "I understand you're upset and again, I am sorry, but think about Hinata-chan. You're helping her exactly like I'd expect a Hokage would."

"I'm not upset, I'm pissed," he loudly returns. "And Ji-chan always talks about ignoring crazy people who're trying to take advantage of you. So you can forget it, sensei. Figure out another way to help Hinata-chan cuz I don't want to work with you again."

Kurenai allows the silence to linger as long as she dares, to give the boy some time to cool off. She expected some resistance, but her hopes for a submissive response from the blond dwindle to non-existent. She can't outright force him and negotiating with an altruistic motivation seems like a weak leg to stand on, leaving the beautiful kunoichi with bartering. There isn't a person alive who doesn't want something, and boys his age want all the latest ninja equipment, ninjutsu, or maybe just money.

Remembering the state of his door, and the area he lives in, money might be the best option, prompting her to say, "I prefer this method of helping Hinata-chan. But if working with me feels that difficult for you, how about I offer you some ryo for your assistance? Buying yourself something nice simply for talking to a girl doesn't sound bad, does it?"

Naruto looks at her dumbfounded, a reaction that Kurenai finds unexpected. On the outside, her smile remains just as pleasant, her posture is perfect, swelling out her breasts further with her hands clasp together on the top thigh of her crossed legs, not for a moment betraying her thoughts as he says, "you shouldn't pay people to be friends with your student. That just sounds wrong." Kurenai had not expected that level of integrity from him and she's silent long enough for him to add, "Hinata's nice and I want her to get strong, but I've got a lot of training to do too you know."

When Naruto stands to leave, Kurenai hastens to offer, "I'll help you with your training." If the blond was a master negotiator, she's certain he would've noticed the weakness in her bartering position.

Instead, he turns and looks at her suspiciously, responding, "Kakashi-sensei said I'm not supposed to train with other sensei. He says it could throw off our teamwork if we have more than one sensei at a time."

Stalling for time to consider the boy's other interests, she voices the cannon fodder, "Naruto-kun, this is very important. All you have to do is be yourself, I don't see what the problem is."

"That's because you don't care about me," he hotly returns, thinking of how often he's mistreated and is rarely given the chance to speak about it. With Naru-nii and the fate of the future dangling in the forefront of his mind, he seriously asks her, "you think you're the only one with stuff to deal with? I've got plenty of troubling stuff too, and your stab-happy ass is definitely not helping!"

"Okay, then let me help you," Kurenai quickly hops on the opportunity. "If you're really going through troubling issues, I feel we can work something out that can help us both. If you continue helping me with Hinata-chan's sessions, I'll help you with whatever I can." Noting his pause to ponder the offer, she can't help but mentally exhale and think, '_finally, progress_.'

Kurenai didn't know about Naru-nii, the prediction of the future, Naruto's training to prevent that, or the absolute secrecy he swore to his future-self he would keep. Kurenai was also unaware of Naruto's dependence on those now forty minutes a day with Naru-nii, when he can talk to someone who cares about him like family, helps and guides like Iruka-sensei, and most importantly, completely believes there's something great in him. Naruto would never reveal that secret to anyone he didn't trust, so he certainly won't be discussing that with her, but that wasn't his only problem.

Kurenai didn't know how sexually conscious Naruto has become. She couldn't see him pondering about training and mastering an area of his young life he or Naru-nii knew very little about. Of course, Ino-chan's words play across his mind like a brass winded instrument blaring in his head, _"You don't make me feel good at all!"_ he recalls Ino yell from beyond the barrier of his front door. And of course,_"You don't even know what you're doing!"_

Naruto really _didn't_ know what he was doing. Naru-nii couldn't help and some of the books he's looked through are more story based than instructional. Naruto needed an ultimate guide to the female body and how to manipulate it like he does his chakra. He needed a sensei for sex. Kurenai didn't know any of this, but felt a little nudge would move her closer to what she wants. As Naruto ponders whether he should ask—if it's even _proper_ to ask—she challenges his hesitation by inquiring, "do we have a deal? We'll even shake on it so neither one of us backs out of it, okay?"

'_She __**is**__ a woman, and really hot,_' Naruto thinks. '_Since she__'s older, she should know more… unless she's virgin_,' Naruto grimaces, then shakes his head. '_A woman this beautiful is probably beating them off with a stick__… or kunai,_' his mind reminds him. "Well," Naruto hesitantly begins, cheeks turning a tough pink. "There is something I need to learn more about."

"Alright then," Kurenai says with a smile, bringing her index and middle finger up to her chest, as if activating ninjutsu, than extends her paired fingers out in harmony. "On the Konoha honor of reconciliation, we'll promise to help each other out."

Naruto easily recalls the Seal of Reconciliation from Iruka-sensei's classes, but can't help a nagging uncertainty about the differences between each of their needs. "You don't even know what I need help with."

Keeping her hand extended, Kurenai confidently replies, "we're simply agreeing to help each other if it's at all possible. Obviously I won't steal, kill, or abuse someone with jutsu for you. And I can't teach you something if I have no experience with it." Tilting her head with her winning smile, Naruto guardedly joins his paired fingers with hers in amiable harmony.

"Okay than," he agrees, with a firm two-finger shake.

"Good," Kurenai happily states. "I'll see you tomorrow, same time. This is important, so please be there."

"I will," Naruto grumbles.

Moving back to the couches for a celebratory tea, Kurenai asks, "so, what would you like me to help you with?"

Naruto grows incredibly nervous fast, enough so for the beautiful kunoichi to notice. His cheeks grow warm as he looks away from her and scratches his head. "Mnn, haha, well, I uh, ...n- hel… mak- um, gir ls- f-feel-… gd."

Despite his garbled response, Kurenai honed in on the last three words and slowly, very reminiscent of when she attacked him, walks to him. "Uzumaki-kun, I didn't quite catch that. As a self-respecting and very dangerous woman, I suggest you choose your next words wisely."

"...I," he balks a moment at the intensity of her antagonistic red irises, but gritting his teeth, he bravely returns, "I need to learn how to make girls feel good!"

She grabs him by the dirty collar of his jacket and forcefully hoists him up.

"H-hey!"

"Do I look like some sort of harlot to you!?" Kurenai growls. "Put me do-" he tries but she cuts him off. "Or that I would prostitute myself to you for your perverse fantasies?!" He struggles, as he yells, "let go," but she doesn't. "I always knew you weren't very bright, but I never thought you were this stupid!"

"You're choking... me!" She drops him like a sack of potatoes before Naruto angrily whirls on the woman who physically assaulted him for a second time now. "Fine, jeez! You don't want to help me, I get it! Just don't expect me to help you either!"

Taking a deep breath, she practically growls, "we shook!"

"I'm not the one backing out!" he hurls back, rubbing his throat.

"I said I'd help you, but not with that!"

"Fine!" Naruto yells. "It's not like I'm forcing you too. I- I just... don't know a lot about... _that_, and you said you'd help as long as I don't ask you to kill or steal, or use jutsu on people. And we shook, so, well, that's what I need!" It's silent for a long time, and Naruto mutters, "whatever," before walking to the door.

His hand on the door's knob, he opens the door half way before Kurenai's extended hand slams it closed from behind him, sullenly compromising by countering with, "... I can get you books."

"Oh, wasn't I too stupid for you a minute ago?" he sarcastically asks. "I can't say I've tried _all_ the books but I've read some and they're not- …they don't say what I need to know."

"You're worse than Kakashi," Kurenai mutters exasperatedly. She turns and walks a few paces down the hall before facing him again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "What exactly is it that you're asking?"

"Uh… I can't say exactly what," he slowly struggles to reason aloud. Keeping in honesty of reconciliation, he continues, "it's like I need to learn what to do when I'm with a girl so she doesn't... regret being with me. I want her to feel really good, so- so, if you can show me how to do that, than I'll definitely help you!"

Her analytical mind tries to separate her desire to kill the blond from the ultimate goal. Despite the weight of the choice ahead of her, the mission is Hinata. Naruto's a boy. It's common for young boys to be curious about the female body. Kurenai knows at a planned point in the future, a shinobi-sensei will take his young pupil—if he's single and willing—to Redlight Alley in Konoha or a gambling town in the nation, to properly shed the vestiges of his innocence, but that isn't for several years if she remembers correctly. It's almost unbearable to Kurenai that Uzumaki-kun—the Jinchūriki—would want this of her. '_But the final step is just beyond this,_' she thinks. Hinata's fate—the village's next generation—is resting on her shoulders. If she hadn't fucked up maybe she wouldn't be here suffering for it.

"…We're not _**ever**_ having intercourse," Kurenai phonetically puts down.

Naruto shrugs, completely fine with that stipulation, stating, "as long as I learn what I need to, that's fine."

"Why do you need to know this?" she asks. "You're still so young."

"Why do you need to help Hinata-chan so badly?"

"She's my student," Kurenai easily answers.

"I don't live with Kakashi-sensei," he snaps, clearly pointing out Hinata seems to mean more than her other students.

"I have my reasons," Kurenai returns irately, wondering why this conversation feels so one-sided.

"Than so do I," Naruto just as easily replies.

"Are you dating anyone?" Kurenai asks, changing tact. "Because this is the kind of thing you both learn together... a very long time from now."

"I'm not dating," Naruto answers glumly, instantly picturing Sakura-chan's face, followed by Ino-chan's. "I want to know because I want to be the best. Isn't that enough?"

"I... will attempt to figure out a decent way of helping you, but if that's not enough for you, tough. It's all I'm offering."

"Sweet! Ne, can we start tonight? Please? Please?" Naruto begs with a sparkle in his perfectly blue eyes. "I've been dying to know what a girl is supposed to feel like when a boy puts his thing inside of her."

In that very moment, Kurenai realizes she drank her last bottle of sake and there's nothing else in her home that could possibly make this bearable. "H-How about you let me gather the material... to teach you and- and we'll start tomorrow." His suspicion is apparent in his squinting eyes, but after a moment he shrugs and agrees.

HINATA

Lying awake in her bed, Hinata stares at the dark oak of her ceiling wondering when she'll have another one of her special lessons with Kurenai-sensei. The Hyūga heiress wasn't sure about the genjutsu in the beginning, far too nervous to see a fake Naruto-kun, but after that first time, Hinata slowly began to learn, if anything, it's slightly better than her dreams. In her mind at rest, Hinata is strong, brave, assertive, and more than anything, always by Naruto's side; helping him, supporting him.

She may have difficulties within her clan, but at least she's given a first-rate education, a warm place to sleep, food, training, a beautiful sister, and despite how cold her father is toward her, she would much rather have him in her life than not. She loves her family and would willingly give her life for theirs. Given what can happen to her, should the seal be placed on her forehead, Hinata is always comforted knowing that her little sister will be spared that fate. So long as Hanabi is safe, Hinata knows she can endure.

Hers is not a terrible life and she only has that perspective because of Naruto-kun. Using her perceptive eyes, she knows with absolute certainty that nearly the entire village hates him, or is completely indifferent to his existence. Naruto-kun is treated like vermin since he was a child, and yet he doesn't give up. He doesn't even look sad. He always tries, always smiles, and with a strength that completely baffles her, refuses to ever accept their fate for him. He fights. Always fights. And she loves him for it. Despite the fact that Kurenai is using genjutsu to help treat her crippling insecurity, the genjutsu-Naruto-kun feels so real, she can't help falling for the illusion.

Thinking of the depth Kurenai is willing to go for her, Hinata is so grateful to have her as a sensei, making her want to try harder all the more to move past her fears. For the goal of being able to talk to Naruto-kun properly, in real life, Hinata will do the best she can. '_I just hope we can keep doing the special training session,_' she mentally huffs before finally succumbing to sleep.

KURENAI

The balance of power between them shifted with every turn. Naruto did well in the next session, very well in fact. To Kurenai, it almost seemed like he can project warmth and happiness because Hinata-chan never smiled more. It certainly embarrassed the young Hyūga to smile in front of him, but Hinata couldn't help pay so much attention to Uzumaki and would forget her shyness from time to time. It was one of the best sessions yet, and in that singular moment, watching her student's honest smile, Kurenai couldn't be more relieved.

Later that night, her every step toward Uzumaki's residence filled her with dread. With the manuals in hand, the knowledge she was about to impart on a boy eight years her junior, made her stomach turn. Knocking on the rusted, faded-red door, she wished she drank another saucer of sake before coming here. When Naruto excitedly opens the door, she was absolutely relieved to see his apartment was filthy.

There were several full trash bags in the corner along with oddly organized piles of trash. '_Recycling_,' she thought, noticing several tall stacks of ramen cups nearly as tall as Uzumaki. Clothes in a pile on the floor, dust, and for some odd reason, partly-cut leaves were littered everywhere. The smell was just as bad as the sight, and Kurenai knew this was her best way out of this uncomfortable situation… at least for a few days.

"I refuse to spend one minute in this squalor of a room," she told him. He tried to argue that he could clean it all if she gave him fifteen minutes but rather than watch him shove everything into a closet, she tells him, "I will point out everything that needs deep and thorough cleaning as well as washing before I leave. Consider this your first lesson; girls like a clean man." The single charming point in that entire apartment was the beautiful, majestic purple Starling he kept by the window with its cage door open. She noted it didn't leave and figured it must enjoy being there, though why that could be, she'll never know.

Despite the filth and stench of the room pressuring her to flee, she quickly told him there wasn't a single spot that didn't need cleaning. She made sure he understood that sweeping something to the side or dusting wasn't enough and he needed to disinfect absolutely everything, as well as promising that she'll never teach him anything in such a polluted environment.

That didn't work out well the following session when Uzumaki was noticeably upset throughout the entire two hours with Hinata. He was quieter than normal, sullen, clearly upset, and Hinata-chan thought it was her fault. Kurenai could literally see the girl retreat into her shell. Moments after Kurenai '_dispelled_' her '_genjutsu_,' she managed to convince Hinata-chan that his behavior was simply a test to see how she might act to an upset Naruto even though she did nothing wrong and further explained how the girl could remedy the situation in the future.

By nightfall, she was pounding on Uzumaki's door. Walking in, she was momentarily stunned by how clean the entire apartment was. The floors were clear, swept, and actually shone. The walls were unblemished of the trickle down stains she saw the night prior. The stove, counter-top, table, and chair seem sterile and uncluttered. Even the smell is a mix of disinfectant, lemon, and freshness. It was shocking to see and realize he had done it in a day when she was expecting it to take at least three. Still, her purpose did not waver and she demanded to know why he acted that way.

"I- I'm almost sure you just wanted to leave yesterday," he told her with an edge of uncertainty, but still adamant. "I told you I could clean it fast. We even could've gone to the roof, but you wouldn't even listen. So excuse me for being angry with you."

"Uzumaki-kun, you have to understand that this isn't easy for me," Kurenai tries.

"You think this is easy for me? How am I ever going to learn what I need to know if someone won't teach me?!"

"Because this is the kind of thing you learn with a girl who likes you as much as you like them."

"Girls don't like..." Naruto cuts himself off to avoid feeling depressed. "We shook, right? You said you would, so either do or don't, because I have other things I could be training on."

With a disgruntled huff, a much too sober Kurenai stressfully explains in painfully blunt detail the many points of anatomy for both female and male genitalia, as well as the numerous pleasure zones for each with a few scientific diagrams. It was terrible for her and only made worse by his many questions. It was clear he didn't understand the difference between locating and exploring a girl's erogenous zones, from just sticking it in and out. He had far too many questions for the hour allotted to explain this incredibly uncomfortable topic.

But Uzumaki did much better the following session with Hinata-chan. There didn't seem to be noticeable progress on Hinata-chan's end but there wasn't a decline either. With enough liquid courage for the following sex lesson, Kurenai was able to feel a little less perturbed by the whole affair and answer more of his awkward questions; '_why do we orgasm? What__'s the difference between girl orgasms and boy orgasms? How do I make sure she orgasms? Are you supposed to make sure you fit your entire dick inside her or is part of it okay? What if you can't? I heard it feels good for a girl in her ass?_' And on, and on, and on.

With every session she eventually learns two shots of sake is best for the hour long session though in her inebriated state it worries her when she thinks the way his whiskered cheeks redden is cute. If the topic for the night is particularly stressful, Kurenai will ingest three shots.

His constant and often repeated questions showed her he couldn't mentally rehearse with knowledge and theory alone. By their third night, she realized at some point this wasn't going to be enough. She's been around him long enough to realize he's a more practical learner, and sure enough, the next day he nervously asks, "can you, please, um, show me, please?"

"The pictures are enough," she flatly puts him down. He lets it go until the next day, when he again asks, "can't you please just show me? Just to see how- how a girl looks when s-she... cums. Please!"

"No, Uzumaki-kun!" Kurenai asserts forcefully. "Use the diagrams and visualize according to the information!"

He asked again the following night and her response did not change.

Though it was the weekend and Kurenai didn't have Hinata, it would've been very easy to argue fairness—trading sessions for sessions—to get out of '_coaching_,' however he's slowly but steadily growing despondent. She can almost feel him withdrawing as she left his apartment, dispirited. So, in order to show the genin her dedication as an instructor, she came by Saturday night. Though she had to turn down his request, yet again, she promises to come by the following night as well to prove her participation and keep him from backing out.

Sitting at the bar, alone, is difficult for Kurenai. Not only is the sight of a woman sitting by herself good incentive for bachelors to approach and offer one's company, but Kurenai is one of the most beautiful kunoichi in Konoha. She was turning away company left and right since she was already planning on heading to Uzumaki's shortly. She also wanted the time alone to ponder.

Kurenai was considering adding rubber models to the lesson plan and if worse comes to worst, actual genjutsu to make him see examples of what is being discussed. Taking this humiliating endeavor so seriously isn't something she's comfortable with because Kurenai never wants this to become a normal thing she does, but the faster she teaches him what he needs to know, the faster she can be done with it, so going further may actually end this quicker.

"Buy you a drink," a familiar voice asks from behind her.

"No, thank-" Kurenai begins to say before turning and recognizing Genma complete with his toothpick. "Oh, hey," she says offering a small smile. "Thanks for the offer but three's more than enough." '_Enough to teach a young boy about sex_,' she mentally adds, downing her last shot.

"Just as well," he says, before taking the seat next to her and leaning over. "Listen, I went ahead of the others just to make sure you weren't here."

Furrowing her brow curiously, she asks, "what are you talking about?"

"The princess," he starts, taking a breath before explaining, "wanted to take another break from nobility and come back here, tonight. I- well, we just thought it would be better if you weren't here to see them."

'_To see them_,' her mind quickly repeats three times. Suddenly short of breath while her heart tightens as she mentally adds with repetition, '_to see them_,' as in, '_a couple,_' as in, '_to see them as a couple_.' Kurenai's lungs deflate but her chest feels incredibly tight as a burning prickling sensation breaks throughout her skin. For some reason, she feels the warmth of the sake in her system, but cold in her weakened bones.

As the rejection and hurt start to settle in, Kurenai throws up two fingers for another couple of shots as Genma continues, "I get that this isn't ideal but I don't think she'll be here much longer. Nothing's been announced and who knows what might happen even there were an announcement."

Kurenai can't comment in any way about them or the situation—preferring instead to avoid more heartache—as she throws back both shots in quick succession, and simply asks Genma, "can you cover this. I'll pay you back," she adds as she leaves the bar. She takes no more than four steps outside when Asuma and princess Tomoko in fine, yet civilian clothes, are walking towards her. Kurenai freezes and is about to at least wish them good night, but Asuma, escorting the princess, walks around her with a simple, "Yūhi-san," before clearly ignoring her very presence.

Kurenai could have stood there all night trying to understand what exactly happened. She could have replayed that series of motions over and over in her mind and never understand it. She could have run inside and demanded an explanation but she already knows. She already knows because this was exactly what he warned her about; why he, as the son of the Hokage stayed an arm's length away from anyone. It didn't stop the tremendous hurt, but it did provide some heart-weeping clarity.

Kurenai stopped at the convenience store for a bottle of sake on her way to Naruto's—saving it for when she returned home—but Sunday night in Uzumaki's neighborhood, the locals weren't exactly shy about heavy forms of public displays of affection and half the bottle was already gone by the time she reached Uzumaki's ugly door.

He let her in and they take their usual seats at the dining table. She can tell he noticed how different she was speaking and acting but didn't comment otherwise. After thirty minutes of horribly disjointed explanation, Naruto again asks, "ne, ne Kurenai-sensei, can't you please just show me what it looks like, so I know she felt good? You said it's harder for girls, right? So how would I know unless you show me!"

"Uuuzumaki-" she slurs.

"Please, please, please, just once," he begs her with prayer's hands. "Just this one time and I know I'll understand more if you do! Please!"

"I try ssso hard... for my v-village, my ssstudents..." she glumly says, disinterested and dejected with images of Asuma and his beautiful princess replaying in her mind as she mentally adds, '_why?_'

"I'm your student," Naruto pleads, suddenly next to her, breaking through her fog of dismay. "I'll try hard for you!"

'_Y__ūhi-san,_' she hears him echo in her mind.

'_Why?_' Her mind repeats in a tired defeated fashion. '_Why bother__…_' and she mentally checks out. Kurenai slowly gets up and on uncoordinated legs walks to his bedroom, exciting him to no end. Skipping happily, he eagerly follows her into his thankfully clean bedroom and commands the blond to, "ssshut off the lights. Leave… the door open."

Slowly moving to the light switch, he comments, "I won't be able to see if I shut off the lights."

Her fingers fumble with the button of her white shorts as she responds, "thasss why I sssaid keep the door open. The light from the living room'll be enough." She'd prefer to remove as much of her sense of sight as possible. Though the absurdity of this thoughtless decision hasn't sunk in as well as the sake has, she still feels some embarrassment for someone seeing her well-maintained nether regions.

She hasn't been with anyone in over a year and judging by Asuma's cold shoulder, it would appear her bed will remain devoid of love for the foreseeable future. Lying on the edge of Uzumaki's bed as she untangles her shorts from her feet, her uncoordinated weight nearly tilts her forward. When she realizes Uzumaki is kneeling a few inches away from her knees, Kurenai easily observes his breathing has quickened and his eyes are laser focused.

"Uzumaki-kun, girlsss can easily become nervous if a boy ssstares too much," she slurs as she removes her black lace underwear, though her long toned legs remain closed.

"But I want to see," Naruto whined. It's been so long since Ino-chan, he's finding it incredibly difficult to control his excitement. "Since it's you training me, it's alright, right?"

"Training... " she slowly repeats. "... I..." With the constant image of a princess and son of the Hokage walking together in her mind, her arguments, her worries, her rationality, her soberness, her sense of caring, all fall silent and absent. For this singular moment, nothing matters. Nothing. "...don't care."

Kurenai spreads her legs and allows Uzumaki full view of her vagina. "Thisss isss my pussy," she crudely says.

"It looks way better than the pictures," Naruto says inching closer and closer between her legs to take in as much of her pretty pink slit and clear white skin.

Kurenai barely registers his radiating warmth but can certainly feel his breath on her skin. Despite the close-up underage audience, Kurenai starts touching herself; using her middle and index to circle the petals of her pussy. "I ssstart by ssstimulating my labia, or pussy lips," she explains to him what she's doing and why. She further explains, "it doesssn't have to be excessive clitoral stimulation…" but her mind slips the longer she continues to play with herself.

Her juices are leaking down the underside of her spread legs and Kurenai falls back in the bed, eyes closed as one hand searches for much needed release while her other hand snakes to her aching breasts, massaging the hard nub of her nipples and the ample bosom of her chest. She pulls and twists her hard nipple through her top, moaning, "_Mnnn__… Aahhnn… mmn, ysss…_" Kurenai forgets about a lot on her back and in the dark: Asuma, the princess, her deceased father, her precious ward, and her genin team, but most importantly, she forgets about Uzumaki.

"_Mnnnn__… _yesss_… _so close_… _so close_… haahnn… hhnnn… _I'm_\- MMMMNNN._"

Naruto is inches away from her soaked and digging digits when Kurenai groans a loud moan, plunging two fingers in her cunt while her thumb massages her erect clit. Her pelvis bucks madly when she cums as concentrated pleasure shocks her quaking body, filling her with stress relieving bliss much like her moans and whimpers fill the dark room. In her blissful ignorance, Kurenai didn't expect, at all, for Uzumaki to launch his head forward, tongue leading the charge as his mouth engulfs her twitching cunt, eagerly licking and swallowing as much of her pleasure juices as possible.

"_AAHHNN!_"

His unexpectedly rough tongue was a shocking reminder that she was not alone, but in her inebriated, pleasure-flooded mind, little thought was spent explaining the presence of an eager tongue in her weeping cunt. She just saw a black ceiling and felt pleasure coursing. Pondering who simply didn't matter to Kurenai as the digging, muscular organ lapped up her expelling essence, its bumps scraping at her clit in the most delicious way while her only thoughts were on how much she missed this feeling.

He was eating her out for every ounce of nectar, like a man whose thirst is days old from an inordinately long drought. She grabs his blond silk mane and presses him further into her drenched crotch, crying out, "deeper!"

Abruptly, restless fingers begin to probe her throbbing, pink pleasure hole as a moist hot mouth latched onto her fun button, sucking and prodding her clit with gleeful abandon. Naruto couldn't believe how hot her wet pussy felt, how hard she clenched or how much she spasmed. Her cunt was like the best glove ever and he wanted to put more and more inside.

Learning with his body had always been the best way for Naruto to become better. Though he was incredibly excited, he'd listened to her moans and mewling, feels her twitch or grip and tried to detect which spots made her moan the loudest. He wasn't sure what he was doing or if he was any good, but he loved it.

As she feels the build of another intense orgasm approach her high edge, her hands grip his hair as she uses his face to roll her throbbing labia for more surface contact. The heat of his face only complimented the way his tongue played with her ultra-sensitive nub, as his warm fingers would thrust and curl in and out of her sopping wet love tunnel.

She lost track of time, of location, of her identity as the strong meat coil at the pleasure pit of her stomach would continue to wind with his every attack of affection. Tongue, fingers, sucking, the heat of it all making her excited and lightheaded. Naruto found her womanly body amazing and like a third helping of Ramen, it wasn't enough. She was tight, warm, wet, and her ever-growing mewls and moans were the best sounds he'd ever heard.

"I'm… I'mm_mmnnn_, your tongue, yes… _ahn, ahn, yesss_," her voice would tickle his ears. "I'm almost… suck me off- MMn, yes! Suck me!"

Moments after realizes how close to oblivion she was, the grand wet coil of amassing pleasure snaps with the concussive power of a canon, rolling waves upon waves of shocking pleasure throughout her delicate body. Her arching back snaps up and down as sweaty black locks shoot back with the snap of her marvelously moaning head. Her toes curl and every muscle in her body twitches repeatedly in a delicious frenzy; even her eyelids prickle with minute pops pleasure. She holds an eager Uzumaki against her crotch as he licks and sucks every fluid jetting out of her, gripping her gyrating hips to keep her as steady as possible.

Her legs abruptly fall limp over the edge of his bed, her body boneless as she's singularly aware of the constant rolling pleasure of her long coming orgasm. In her elated euphoria, her eyes were closed so as to enjoy the happy buzz travel up and down her taut body. Judging by the pulling joints at her hips, Kurenai couldn't understand how her legs spread wider, nor could she see what an inviting sight her dripping pleasure hole was for a desire-heightened blond with a thick dick. Gripping her hips, she only felt the head against her opening a moment before Naruto thrust his thick manhood to the hilt, earning a grunting moan from Kurenai.

Her mind is as dark and hazy as the room, filled with animalistic pleasure as the two sweaty bodies began rutting against each other. Kurenai didn't need a face or rational thinking; she just needed to forget and a good hard fuck and Naruto was all too eager to relish in the wet furnace of Kurenai's gripping center. Feeling her rolling walls grip and suck at him in desperate wanting, her moans, her hands stroking the pebble nubs of her breasts, her long strong legs easily wrapped around his waist… it all aroused him to paranormal heights. He didn't last long, but he didn't soften either. Naruto would thrust into her soft folds even as he ejaculated into her flooded depths. He was starving for her delicacy as much as he starved for his ramen, and just like his favorite food, one helping wasn't nearly enough.

Naruto pumped his raging hard on into her quaking quim for a length of time that just felt insufficient. They moaned together with his every energetic thrust moving closer and closer to the fantastic end. The smack of skin, moans of ecstasy fill the room as much as the creaking of Naruto's old bed.

He reaches his height again before Kurenai joined him, both gyrating against each other, vibrating intensely as they came together and it's the first break his thrusting hips take. Yet he only spends it sucking and kneading Kurenai's perfect C-cup breast, extending her pleasure with continuous micro orgasms while the knot at base expands to plug her stuffed cunt. Kurenai didn't know what the additional pressure was but it pulsed snugly against all her spots at once and her mind couldn't cope. A little scared, Kurenai simply held on to the hard body on top of her enjoying the magnitude of her overflowing bliss.

His energy, his passion, his rapture was intoxicating and Kurenai lost herself to the moment; to anything her mind would consider meaningful, purposeful, respectable. All that mattered was the trance exaltation. Within those parameters, it didn't matter that she moans, begged, and screamed for more. It didn't matter whether she was on her hands and knees as he took her from the back, slapped his ass for more, or that she forced him on his back while she rode his thick, meat pole. It didn't matter that he filled her womb with his virile seed, knotted her to mindless orgasms, or that she begged for more. The only thing that mattered was the lush delirium that took her away from all her responsibilities, and it's subsequent hardships. All that mattered was a paradise of dick and mind-numbing, body-crumbling orgasms.

The room was filled with the stench of sex and fluids as they would chase their cosmic orgasms repeatedly, often reaching that bliss together. Though in the early hours of the morning, Kurenai's orgasms would simply erupt continuously, one after the other until she passed out.

* * *

I don't know how many of you guys know this but Kurenai is noted on the data books and in anime as being an evening drinker(honey wine if i remember). She's always enjoyed a drink. Obviously I pushed it pretty far here but my one excuse is she's young. How many of us-who are legally allowed to drink-haven't pushed it that far a time or two.

I know some have voiced concerns about the dubious decisions of these characters and I just have to say, given the right circumstances, I personally believe anyone is capable of anything. I read a book on the great depression and a line that always stuck with me was, "Starvation and despair turned men into monsters." If that makes no sense to you, consider than that maybe you've lived a better life than most.

I also want you all to know that just because a character starts off with undesirable characteristics does not mean that's how they stay. I love making my characters go through a transformative journey. If my character is the same in the beginning, middle, and end, than I personally feel like I've failed as a writer. So I hope that helps

I'm still trying to get the flow of writing a sex scene. It's certainly a lot harder than I thought. I'll have to practice some more until I find a tempo I'm comfortable with.

As always, thanks again for reading and have a great one,

-Grae

P.S. Yay, his apartment is clean, lol. I found it hilarious people brought that up :)


	8. 08End Is To Begin

Hey guys,

This one is a short update. It just kind of wrote itself. I have to say, there's little to no time spent just sitting in front of the screen and just staring. This fic just writes itself. It's probably because I'm a bigger fan of Naruto than I am Harry Potter, but I love them both so...

Warning: Lemon.

Enjoy!

* * *

KURENAI

Years of training as a shinobi disciplines the body into an effective, efficient and powerful weapon, so like many shinobi in the Hidden Leaf, Kurenai's body has developed a natural internal alarm clock, always armed to wake her well before dawn. With busy days fulfilling the many duties requested of a shinobi, early morning or late in the evening are a shinobi's best times for personal training and her steadfast alarm is no different this morning. However, Kurenai is slow to learn exactly how far a cry from normal the present actually is.

Kurenai awoke with a splitting headache. Her head throbbed so bad, her vision blurs slightly with every painful beat. The gorgeous kunoichi groans miserably, bringing a shaky hand to her sweaty, throbbing temple. Her mind slowly begins interpreting feelings and sensations she absorbs from her senses. She was on her side, her mop head of hair resting on a pillow and she was closely hugging what feels like the best body pillow in the world or a radiating sack of comforting warmth.

The warmth paired well with the delectable aches, circulating randomly throughout her hips and lower spine. The warmth between her legs held the most tremors, making her mind focus on the pleasure of her nether region rather than the dry pain of her throbbing head. It was not difficult to focus on the hard-fought sated peace warming her from core to spine; the type of warm after-aches one can only experience after a night of numerous orgasms. Squeezing and stretching against her body pillow surprisingly encourages the warm pillow to hug and squeeze her back, fearfully hastening her rational faculties and memories.

As the memories of the previous night's depravity floods her mind, she feels ticklish breathing and wet lips on her chest. Further confirmation of the ravages of last night was not needed, yet even still, looking down is the most shameful proof of her moral descent. She is completely entwined with the young blond genin. Uzumaki has his strong arms wrapped around her, under her own arms, with her traitorous legs wrapped over his waist, locking his thinner pelvis perfectly together with her own. An errant thought of how well the blond fits against her is quickly throttled and dumped to the side as tears well to her eyelids before they overflow and roll down the sides of her head.

'_I'm never drinking again_,' she mentally asserts, wondering how her tribulations can be so suffocating that she'd be desperate for anything, be it alcohol or pleasure, to overwhelm her sorrows.

As if nothing more could be as humiliating, his hip jerks as he sleeps, making her clench, informing her in the most embarrassing way that his flaccid penis is still inside of her. As if thinking about the soft penis head just past her entrance, her pussy grips at his appendage, unnecessarily confirming what she can already feel. His hips jerk again, though this time, she can feel him growing steadily bigger.

Trying to move the blond away by his shoulders, he instinctively grips at her body tighter as he quickly grows much larger. Without her consent, her body grows warmer than it should—intimately so—as if her body didn't understand immoral pleasure isn't supposed to make her feel good. Instead, she frantically grips the sides of his head and pulls him to face her stern red irises, calling, "Uzumaki-kun! Wake up- _Mnn_," an unauthorized moan interrupt her call to the slumbering boy lightly jerking between her legs massaging her insides.

He thrusts his semi-erect penis further into her moistening love tunnel and her body overlays the present pleasant sensations with the blissful aches of last night. The rush wakes him, groggy though he looks and his next thrust is more confident, burrowing himself halfway into her semen lubricated, tight, meat tunnel.

"U-Uzumaki!" she calls, repressing the tandem combination of lasts night's pleasures and the current dopey tramping. "Stop... this instant."

"Mnn," he mumbles questionably, before becoming more aware. "Yes, again!" he calls as he moves away from her.

"No-" she starts but then he lifts her resistant leg to get out. She almost felt embarrassed by her body's want to keep him there until he lifted her leg higher, so the inside of her thigh was resting flush against his chest. One leg pointed to the ceiling, the other between his, he's lined perfectly with her still on her side.

"Wait- Uzumaki-kun, stop," she calls as she fights her unbelievably palpable urge to continue. It's as confusing as this entire situation, when he returns, "why? You said this one-" he thrusts his hips forward, reaching the kiss of her womb to her great delight. "Is," he pulls out. "One," thrust forward again. "Of," pulls out and thrusts back in. "Your… favorite… Positions." he finishes, punctuating each word with a pull-out and push-in for deep penetration.

'_When..__'d I ssayy tha'_,' her creaming mind wonders as she tries to hold down her pleasure filled moans. The position always brushed her G-spot in the most delicious way, and no longer than a few minutes of energetic pounding and she was already moaning with every impact against her spine-arching weak spot. Her legs weakened considerable, which is apart of the reason she enjoys the one leg against his chest. He can wrap his arms around the boneless limb and keep pounding away.

"_MMn__… MM… MMnn… MNN!_ No- _AAHN! _You ha-ha- _MMn, AHH!_ Have to- stop," she weakly expresses between moans barely above a whisper, repeating as best she can. For who's benefit, she couldn't say. She couldn't understand why his cock felt so good, and soon she couldn't care. She was debased and moaning for more. "_Mmnn, ahn, ahn, aah, yes! Yeessss!_"

Hearing the wet '_shlurp_' with his every plunging, '_smack!_' and knowing it was the mixture of his underage cock in her dripping pussy, excited an immoral pleasure she didn't know she possessed. Close to release, she sped her finger play against her swollen clit, expanding and unbearably tight coil set to be the death of her when detonated. Naruto could feel the way her ribbed walls were sucking him in with his every motion to pull out. The moist heat was the most wonderful feeling he can think to feel, but the way he felt when her body wanted him, was the most erotic thing ever.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop," she kept repeating despite her hands working her hard nipples, and sensitive clit. Naruto would've been confused by her words if her actions weren't saying something else, but he couldn't stop his hips even if he tried. Holding her in this position as he pounds her slick walls flushed, he's mesmerized, unable to do anything more but relish in his rising bliss.

"I'm cumming- I'm cumming- I'm cumming- I'm CUMMMMM-," Kurenai screams as the great coil of bliss erupted and her vision blurs to a mesh to a surreal mess of colors and light. Her entire body flooded with spasms of electric ecstasy, curling her toes, gyrating her taut hips and tight butt, sending rivulets of unceasing pleasure up her spine and into her cranium. For many moments, Kurenai was nothing if not the rolling waves of buzzing euphoria. Her jaw slacks and her red oval lips trumpet her heavy breathy moans until she felt her entire pelvis lift off the soaked sheets, confusing her.

Naruto lifts her by the sweaty, muscular thigh still wrapped in his arms and buries himself as deep as he can go. Kurenai has enough mind to wonder why the boy's phallus expands until she feels molten man juice shoot load after load deep into her fertile womb. She saw white at the feel of such a massive ejaculation of hot thick semen pressing into quaking rupture of her accepting tunnel.

She regains awareness moments later, and thankfully a sweaty Uzumaki-kun is resting face down next to her, breathing heavily through his huge grin—very nearly making her smile by how elated he looks... but not near enough.

She takes the opportunity to move off the bed and away from him. He's not a threat by any stretch of the imagination, but Kurenai is not feeling like herself and her body is more sensitive than she ever remembers feeling before. Her usually strong legs, weak from the long night of pleasurable exertion, tremble to hold her weight. Taking a step away from the bed, a large—much too large—amount of thick semen oozes down her legs.

"I need to shower," she groans with embarrassment as she rushes to the bathroom. Twisting the nozzle for heated water, she vaguely notes the pearl-white glutinous ejaculate is flowing past her knees. Impatient for a hot shower, she touches the water to learn it's still freezing cold. Confused she tries the cold nozzle, but it changes nothing. Assuming he has no hot water, Kurenai, simply jumps in, violently snuffing out all the warmth, lust, and throbbing from her sensitive body. It was the shock that she needed as she feels more semen stream down her shapely legs.

Kurenai unintentionally analyzes the sheer amount and concludes the blond must've climaxed several times inside her. Aware most grown men ejaculate at most four to five times in a day, she can only assume teenagers are much more zealous, restoring there vigor faster than normal. '_Or it's possible Uzumaki is unique_,' she considers as she recalls the plugging feeling.

Anko has mentioned running across truly unique sexual partners either on vacation or missions. Kurenai has heard of all sorts of abnormalities from Anko; odd bumps, subdermal implants, three testicles, and a really odd one who urinated his ejaculate. Kurenai recalls the busty kunoichi's tale of discovering a chubby civilian—not the seductress's usual target—with a birth defect of two penises. In her sheer excitement, Anko actually kidnapped him for the longest weekend of double stuffed debauchery that ranks in her top five. Anko was saddened when she learned his experience with her resulted in a phobia of women, ruining his ability to get aroused by women.

As for Uzumaki, he seems to be able to swell at the base of his penis when he ejaculates, but Kurenai is sure that it doesn't happen every time. The raven-haired beauty has also heard Uzumaki has very high stamina levels. Flashes of intense memories that prove the statement true makes her blush, despite the ice raining down her humming body. As she washes her dark locks, she shakes her head of vulgar thoughts. None of what happened last night should've happened, but now that it did, Kurenai considers this new predicament. Though parts of her just want to wallow in sorrow, she compartmentalizes her emotions as any well-trained shinobi can, and considers her options as rationally as possible.

Kurenai can't kill him. If he wasn't so important to the village, she would consider it, but as a Jinchūriki, he sadly must remain alive, which means the arrogant blond can talk. He can tell anybody he wants that he lost his virginity to one of the more popular kunoichi in all of Hidden Leaf.

While her reputation to her peers and the civilians of her village is very important to her, Hinata-chan's opinion is far more important. If Hinata-chan ever found out her sensei—the person she's supposed to trust her future to—had sex with the love of her young life, it would crush her to nothing. Kurenai can't even picture the indigo-haired Hyūga ever recovering. Kurenai needs to make sure Uzumaki stays quiet. More importantly, Uzumaki-kun is vital to her plans to encourage and empower Hinata-chan.

'_How the hell did this boy become such an important piece in my plans?_' she mentally bemoans. As much as she's dreading it, it's more than likely—especially after what they did last night—that the price for his help will go up. She hates the rational threat assessment but he's a hormonal boy, after all. She's not expecting an abundance of self-control. He'll want more, '_but will I pay it?_'

Stepping out of the shower she notices her clothes horribly folded on the bathroom counter. Despite the cold, she feels mildly better as she changes. Stepping out of the bathroom, she finds Uzumaki-kun in his boxers waiting for her with a broad smile. Though fully clothed, she feels completely naked under his intense gaze.

"Ne, Nai-chan-" Naruto happily calls, attempting to take her hand.

"Do not call me Nai-chan," she yells at him, hopping back a step. He tenses in surprise by her outburst. Without preamble, she points to the shower, and he cautiously enters for a shower of his own. When Naruto exits the bathroom, he finds her behind the dining table. She points to the only dining chair he owns, commanding him to, "have a seat."

"Are you okay?" he tentatively asks, doing as she asks as his deep blue eyes stare straight into her large red ones. "What's the matter? Did- did I do it wrong?"

"Uzumaki..." Kurenai couldn't even properly express her chaotic thoughts. So much about this was wrong, not least of which was how vigorous she participated in their coupling. She would be furious with him if not for her own part in allowing it to happen in the first place.

"Uh, I can do better," Naruto tries to cut her off. "I promise, I'll do better next time! Just give me one more chance!"

With a long exhale, she continues, "last night shouldn't have happened nor will there be any more nights like it again. Not only am I an adult eight years your senior, but I outrank you. And while I can't entirely lay the blame on you, it'll be a mutual mistake that will never happen again."

"Wha- but it wasn't a mistake!" Naruto argues, getting to his feet. "It was great! The best! There's nothing wrong with that."

"Of course there is!" Kurenai can't help but snap back. Obviously, there's little chance a young boy going through puberty is going to turn down the opportunity to lose his virginity, especially to a woman who is as well-received as Kurenai is, but it didn't mean that he couldn't have stopped it. If he wasn't so insistent, if she wasn't so... woefully dejected, suffering the deep sting of rejection from the only man she truly loves, if she wasn't drunk, if her world hadn't tilted last night… than everything would've remained as it was.

"You don't realize how wrong it is because you're a child who doesn't know any better," Kurenai asserts.

"Wha- Well, if you're such an adult, than why was it okay last night," Naruto returns. "You liked it then, right? You came just like you said girls do. That means you liked it! And I may be young but I'm a ninja first!"

She lets out another long sigh, then warily says, "Uzumaki-kun, Ramen is your favorite food, right?" She asks, trying a different tactic as he nods vehemently. "If I purchased an extra large bowl exactly how you like it, and threw it on the ground, how would you feel?"

"Tha- You can't! That's so wrong, it'd break my heart. I'd probably fight you, or just get really mad," he easily answers letting the mental picture spur his ardent words.

"What if it made me feel really good to do that? I'd buy several bowls exactly how you like it just to throw it all in the dirt," she continues to ask.

Eyes wide with fear, he easily asserts, "than I'd definitely kick your ass! You can't do that! If you're not going to eat it, don't buy it!"

"There are no rules saying I can't do whatever makes me feel good after I've purchased the ramen with _my_ money," Kurenai argues, seeing his growing confusion, she clarifies. "What I'm trying to say is, just because something feels good doesn't mean you have the freedom to do it. Even though there isn't a rule against it, everyone agrees buying food only to throw it away is wasteful and wrong. There are certain expectations in a civilized village that everyone should follow, for example, don't waste; eat what you buy. Don't murder, don't rape, don't vandalize, are more examples even though there are rules about those. In this case, you don't sleep with a person eight years younger than you! If you weren't a genin, this would've been illegal and I would've gone to prison."

"What!?" Naruto blurts out. "But this isn't murder or any of that bad stuff!"

"What I'm trying to convey is, simply because something feels good for you, doesn't make it right to society. We should not have done what we did."

She can easily see the wheels of his mind spinning before he asks, "but- but, I'm a genin, right? So- So, that means it's okay, then," Naruto reasons.

"It's still not okay!" Kurenai maintains. "You're not supposed to do that with an adult!"

"I don't care about what I'm supposed to do," Naruto yells back. "If all I ever did was what I'm '_supposed to do_' than I wouldn't even be a ninja! I wouldn't have pushed Ji-chan to emanc- imantipat... to make me an adult so I can live on my own. I'd probably still be in the orphanage, getting hurt, and I wouldn't even think about being the absolute best Hokage ever! I don't let people I don't know—who don't even care about me—tell me what I can and can't do!"

Kurenai couldn't help pick up on a few key phrases in his emotional retort. An emancipated adult, being hurt while living in the orphanage, and a small question of who this Ji-chan that helped him become emancipated sparked her curiosity. It was a very revealing speech, and it certainly gave Kurenai's analytical mind more insight as to why the loud obnoxious blond was the way he was. It would almost be admirable if he had any skill or ability to show for it. It also led her to ponder his view on what they had done. '_This is just training for him. At the most, training with a partner,_' she mentally hypothesizes. Willing to test her theory, she asks, "Uzumaki-kun, do you love me?"

Taken aback by the question, he comically ponders the question a moment, his cheeks stain red before he answers with a question of his own, "is that like a precious person? Like Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji, Ayame-nee, or Iruka-sensei?"

'_He doesn't completely grasp love it appears_,' Kurenai reasons before responding, "no, I mean like a romantic love; a girl for instance?"

"Mnn, I... don't know. I mean, I'm super psyched you're helping me, and you feel really _**really**_ good." Kurenai can't help but blush at the quick flashes of physical and mental memories the boy invokes. Judging by his reddening cheeks and the shifting from side to side, it's easy to interpret he's recalling last night as well. "I would definitely protect you, no question, but... but I still think about Sakura-chan, a lot... even though I know I can't ever be with her..." he says despondently. Oddly enough, Kurenai understands that completely. "But I think, as long as she's happy and strong, I'll be okay. Plus, I can still protect her if she needs it."

As a rule for his sessions with Hinata-chan, Uzumaki isn't allowed to speak about other girls, so Kurenai's never heard any of this before. It's slightly surprising to Kurenai that he actually has this side to him and even though she's fairly certain he sees their coupling as little more than training, she tells him, "listen, we can't ever do this again. It wouldn't be good if anyone found out. Lots of terrible repercussions can happen to you, to me, to my students if others learned about this and I don't ever want that to happen."

Naruto tilts his head curiously as he asks, "so, you want to keep it a secret?"

"Yes," Kurenai asserts. "A very important secret. Absolutely no one must ever find out."

"Well I'm really good at keeping secrets," he tells her with a vibrant grin. "I'm even keeping my training super secret!"

"Okay, good," Kurenai humors him so long as he understands.

"So that means we can keep training as long as no one knows," he asks.

Kurenai can feel the land mines ahead, yet answers, "no. No, we can't. We can't ever do that again. It's not proper for many reasons."

"But I learned so much," Naruto proclaims. "How do you expect me to go back to books and pictures after that?"

"Uzumaki-kun, I don't think I can keep helping you with... with what I've been helping you with. I think we should end this here," she softly voices, but to Naruto, it may as well sounded like a canon. He's stunned until he hears her moving to leave.

"Wait, wait," he rushes after her, getting in front. "You promised! You said you'd help!"

"I can't do that again," Kurenai maintains, walking away.

He follows her desperately. "But- but, it was good, right? You liked it, right? Please, I'll do better! You don't have to leave me," he pleads, wrapping his arms around her waist, trying to keep her from leaving... to keep another connection he's made from abandoning him.

Rather surprised, yet saddened to see, she weakly protests, "Uzumaki..."

"It's fine if no one knows, right? I won't say anything, so- so- so, just stay," he tries with a trembling voice. "Or I'll be a Jōnin too, if that's what you want. Then it'll be fine since we're the same rank! That works perfect, ne?"

"Uzumaki-kun, let me go, please," she somberly asks, and after some hesitation, he slowly lets her go.

She walks around him to the door as he continues to plead his case with pitiful claims. "I already know a B-Rank jutsu and I'm learning an A-rank right now! It won't be long before I make it an S-rank jutsu. It won't take long, I promise it won't... Please, Nai-chan."

Opening the door, she debates reassuring him, threatening him, explaining why it has nothing to do with rank, clarifying what has to happen and why, but instead she leaves, closing the door on him behind her.

NARUTO

'_How can dawn start and end so differently?_'

Naruto sat on the grass Indian-position, well away from his teammates, with a leaf in his left palm, and his right hand covering it. The entire time he waited for his Jōnin-sensei, he pondered about another. The night before had been the most amazing thing he's ever felt; possibly second to his afternoon with Ino-chan. Without allowing himself to recall the events for fear of popping a tent in front a distant Sakura-chan, he wonders how waking up could be that marvelous but less than an hour later, he drove another person away. He was starting to wonder if he was cursed somehow. Sakura-chan doesn't want anything to do with him, Ino-chan is just as distant, and now Kurenai-chan literally closed the door in his face.

Naruto had never been so quiet around his team, but they don't seem to mind. Though he can't help how miserable he feels, he's happy to see Sakura-chan again, healthy and best of all, standing far away from the teme. Sakura-chan might not want to stand by Naruto, or look at him apparently, but at least she's not by Sasuke-teme. He made sure she knew he was glad she was feeling better but again, she refused to look at him and only mumbled something he couldn't understand.

Like himself, she's also working on her talents. He can tell she's looking over a scroll on Iryō-ninjutsu, but he can't tell what specifically it is. Kakashi-sensei had been really surprised when she asked for more reading material on medical ninjutsu, or as surprised as a man with only one visible facial feature can be. It stung Naruto when she didn't give him the credit for her new direction, but their sensei had been supportive and supplied her with several scrolls for her to go over. Naruto would've surely loved it if she gave him the credit for the idea, but at least she's learning. So, instead of pestering and interrupting her, he tries to enhance his focus on his own training. He's still trying to cut the leaf using his chakra while he has three pairs of clones working on the final stage of the Rasengan a decent distance in the forest.

This would've been the first morning in a long time he would've preferred to stay home and wallow, but, he couldn't last more than ten minutes before dark thoughts started to materialize in his brain. Like many times before, he told himself all would be different once he became Hokage, and just like before, he started training. Though his thoughts constantly strayed to Kurenai-chan, he continues to push past the things he couldn't control for a better tomorrow. It's not the only drive sustaining him, but it's the best one he has.

When Kakashi-sensei shows up three and a half hours after the scheduled meeting time, he allows the uncut leaf to fall to the floor and begins dispelling his clones one at a time.

SAKURA

It's more difficult to look at the blond idiot than she had anticipated. Part of her wanted nothing more than to beat the boy's teeth into his brain then rip his dick off with her bare hand and stuff it in his mouth, but sheer will held her at bay.

Team 7 was quieter than normal. All throughout team drill training and the two D-Rank missions they had done, there was little more conversation than what was absolutely necessary. It unnerved her already ragged nerves. Sakura was simply too accustomed to hearing him yell, laugh, loudly slurp his disgusting noodles, ask her out on a date, bother Kakashi-sensei about training, challenge Sasuke-kun, or shout about becoming Hokage. It was actually strange to go without hearing the Baka say anything.

A fearful side of her wondered if he knows, and he's simply being quiet about it. The reckless side of her reasoning wonders if he's just scared that she'll tell someone, so he's staying distant. Maybe both Ino-pig and Naruto-baka were in on it to get between her and Sasuke-kun. Ino-pig would get to be with Sasuke-kun and Sakura would be blackmailed to be with Naruto-baka. '_It had merit_,' her mind told her, but it's not like he was avoiding her. Even if she ignored him, he had told her he was glad she was better, and he didn't really seem nervous or scared, just introspective or focused on that stupid leaf... again.

The rational side of her mind reasoned that his uncommon behavior had nothing to do with her because it just wasn't in Naruto-baka's nature to avoid things. He's too simple to not talk to her about it. He didn't bring up what they had done—what she was forced to do—because he truly didn't know and that, at the very least, told her that Ino-Pig was telling the truth about him being unaware—which only disgusted her more. Sakura still can't understand how Ino-pig could be so jealous of her that she would go so far as to take that idiot's cock in her mouth... it was gag-inducing.

"Sakura-chan," Kakashi softly calls, interrupting her thoughts. "You're looking a little green. Are you sure you're feeling better?" She smiles weakly at her sensei's concern.

"Are you alright Sakura-chan, don't push yourself too hard," Naruto quickly adds. She ignores Naruto-baka.

Sakura eyes the raven-haired avenger in hopes of hearing a comment of concern for her health from him but when none was forthcoming, Sakura reassures her sensei, "I'm better. And thank you for checking on me."

"Ne, Sakura-chan," Naruto nervously starts. "I checked on you too."

She turned away, and his heart broke as Kakashi calls out, "alright my cute little genin, you're dismissed. See you all bright and early tomorrow." He disappears and Sasuke-kun promptly turns toward his family's compound. Sakura felt her body's great urge to follow, going so far as to begin moving along with the beautiful boy, as if pulled by some invisible string, eager to ask if she can accompany him, but she doesn't make it more than two steps before she remembers the photos; the life ruining photos in Ino-pig's possession that she won't hesitate to show Sasuke-kun or her parents if she disobeyed.

Her head was swimming and her stomach felt like upending its content, which hasn't been much lately. Turning around she spots Naruto walking away as well. She urges herself forward, to follow the blond for the sake of her love, but knowing how she now has to spend her time off—and with who—is more than enough incentive to root her to the ground. Sakura can't follow Naruto. '_Doesn't Ino-pig get that he disgusts me_,' her mind yells, further adding, '_and now that I__'ve done what Ino forced me to do, I'm disgusted with myself as well!_'

Her breathing deepens but she's short of breath. Unable to stand, unable to follow one boy, forced to ignore the other, Sakura simply runs. She runs home to the comfort of her room and the safety of her own bed, to the picture of her love on the bedside table, but as she turns into her street, Sakura runs into a smiling Ino-pig.

"I knew you'd crack," Ino chuckles.

"I can't do it!" Sakura pleads the tears already rolling down her cheeks. "I feel like I'm going to die!"

"You couldn't possibly be more pathetic than you are right now," Ino says looking at her with disgust. "Lucky for you, I won't let you cry your way out of this one, so, stop being such a dry cooch, because you're making the rest of us **real** kunoichi look bad."

"Please, Ino-chan- Ino-sama," she begs, using a more affectionate honorific. "Anything but being around him!"

"Ino-chan is fine, and do you think this is some sort of vacation I'm forcing you on? Just a lovely time at the hot springs?" Ino asks looking at the green-eyed girl with disgust. "It's not supposed to be easy! Now, since you've disobeyed a directive, I'll have to punish you."

"No please, don't show him," Sakura begs. "I- I'll do it! Okay? Please, Ino-chan, I'll- I'll be around the baka. Just don't show Sasuke-kun!"

"Come on," is all Ino commands as she steps around the pinkette.

"No, Ino-chan please," Sakura pleads. "Anywhere but there," she begs with her old friend, rival, and current blackmailer.

Ino simply yells behind her, "let's go, now!"

With little option, Sakura reluctantly follows. Though her tears dry during the trek, she only starts feeling a little better when she realizes they're not walking toward the Uchiha district. They travel through some of the less active, much older training grounds, further than she's ever gone. Reaching Training Ground 28, Ino finally finds their target, oddly enough, sitting on the grass, legs crossed, hands on his knees like the perfect picture of meditation. What they couldn't see were the five pairs of clones much deeper in the forest practicing the third stage of the Rasengan on some unfortunate trees.

"Well, there he is," Ino tells the frightened girl. "Go. Now." Resigned to her fate, Sakura drags her feet as Ino continues to say, "you train as long as he does then you go home and work on your Iryō jutsu or the report that's due in two weeks."

"Will you at least tell me," Sakura gravely asks. "If you do ever decide to show that, will you at least warn me?"

"I'll promise you I won't ever show Sasuke-kun or your parents, or anyone, really, unless you give me a reason to. What happens is up to you, Forehead. As punishment for today's infraction, you get a final warning and a picture." Ino takes one of the polaroids out and hands it to Sakura, who quickly takes and hides it. "Don't throw it away," Ino instructs. "It's to remind you when you need it, so always keep it on you. I might randomly ask to see it one day and I'm sure you can guess what'll happen if you don't have it."

NARUTO

'_**… … … Kurenai-sensei?**_' the voice gasps with airy disbelief.

"Yeah," Naruto says with a mixture of giddiness and sadness.

'_**Long black hair, kinda shaggy, red eyes, pretty, very sexy,**_' Naru-nii, lists off still heavily skeptical.

"Yeah," Naruto answers easily.

'_**… … You're shittin' me**_,' Naru-nii continues to gasp.

"Even I wonder sometimes, but it's true," Naruto states, taking a step back from the hurt of the door she closed on his face to realize that he had sex with an absolute stunner of a woman.

'_**… … I never thought she would help like that**_,' Naru-nii gasps. '_**I mean, I**__**'ve heard about infiltration specialists learning a ton about sex and using it for missions… but… Kurenai-sensei? She actually went that far? Are you sure you're my younger self? You look like me right? Blond spiky hair, blue eyes, whiskers on your cheeks?**_'

"Yeup!" Naruto returns, smiling broadly.

'_**That**__**'s insane**_,' Naru-nii huffs. '_**I didn**__**'t think it could get any more insane than Ino-chan!**_'

"So that never happened to you either, then?" Naruto asks.

'_**I already said I hadn't slept with anyone**_,' Naru-nii answers still in awe. '_**I didn't know if anyone liked me like that, you know?**_'

"That's the thing," Naruto ponderously comments. "I thought they liked me, but then they leave afterward totally pissed. Ino-chan threatened me if I didn't stay away and Kurenai-chan even said what we did was a mistake."

Naruto can hear the curiosity in his future-self's voice as he asks, '_**then why would she have sex with you if it was a mistake?**_'

"I don't know!" Naruto calls back. "Women are soo confusing."

Naru-nii then asks, '_**you think you might be able to find out?**_'

"Maybe," Naruto wonders aloud. "Unlike Ino-chan, Kurenai-chan didn't specifically say she'd kill me if I didn't stay away."

'_**Alright**_,' Naru-nii states. '_**Let's save that for later. We should get back to training.**_'

"…I don't think I can," Naruto weakly admits. "I want to train, really, I do, but I can't stop thinking about last night."

'_**Mnn, well, I can see that even if I don**__**'t get it**_,' Naru-nii sympathizes. '_**Don**__**'t worry though. We can always go over some more plans,**_' he suggests.

"What kind of plans?"

'_**Well, I'd love it if we could do summons, but that can't happen until you meet your Godfather,**_' Naru-nii thinks aloud.

Annoyed by the information Naru-nii withholds, Naruto asks, yet again, "_**why can't you just tell me who he is?**_"

'_**He'll be in Konoha soon, don't worry**_,' Naru-nii reassures him. '_**I've already told you he's really strong, and a pervert, but I'll make sure you know more before he gets there. Anyway, he's the one who teaches you to summon.**_'

"Fine," Naruto lets it go for the umpteenth time. "What other plans do you have?"

'_**A bunch of stuff really**_,' Naru-nii states generally. '_**Sage Arts, F**__**ūinjutsu, Fūton-ninjutsu, but those won't be for a while,**_' Naru-nii voices. '_**Right now though there**__**'s one thing you can do that'll help you out a ton.**_'

"Really! Really! What? What is it?" Naruto rushes excited to focus on something that wasn't about last night.

'_**I want you to start talking to Kurama,**_' Naru-nii answers.

"Kurama?" Naruto quizzically repeats. "Didn't you mention him before? You said he's a friend."

'_**Yup, and he's your friend too**_,' Naru-nii asserts.

"Really?"

'_**It'll take some work**__**—well a lot of work—but yeah**_.'

"No problem!" Naruto calls, easily accepting the hard work of it. "If you say he's a good friend and help me get stronger, I'm in! Where is he? Where can I find him?"

'_**He's in your stomach,**_' Naru-nii reveals, to Naruto's "Huh?" Naru-nii continues, '_**he's the Nine-Tails in your seal**_.'

"You want me to be friends with the Kyūbi?"

'_**Yup! Now, I know what you're thinking, **_' Naru-nii starts with a serious voice, prompting Naruto to listen carefully. '_**But it's not like how the others say it is. All that nonsense about him being the epitome of evil and nothing but pure hatred is wrong. I'm going to tell you another secret so keep it to yourself or Ji-chan will be forced to detain you until you explain how you know things you shouldn't.**_'

Nary-nii explains Kurama's background, specifically how he was used like tool by a bad guy as well as the amount of hate he has for everyone who simply treated him like a monster. Throughout the explanation, Naruto understood all too well how it feels to be treated like a vile pest and followed Naru-nii's instructions on how to reach him.

'_**You don't need to try hard, just concentrate on a cold, scary feeling, and follow it. It'll be unsettling at first but you'll get used to it the more times you visit the seal. I gotta go now, but remember, this is just a meet and greet. Unless they absolutely have to, friends don't keep secrets from each other so if you want to tell Kurama about me, go ahead, or if you just want to curse him out, I get that too, but if you try understanding him I think it**__**'ll go better. It took me a while to truly understand his pain so don't worry if you guys aren't friends right away.**_'

'_Got it! If you say he__'s your friend than I feel like he can be my friend too. See ya, Naru-nii,_' Naruto thinks as he focuses on making his way to the seal. He can't tell if he's doing a good job until he feels that cold despair Naru-nii had mentioned. He had no idea how long he followed that feeling; even less when the pitch black of his focus faded into a low-lite dank sewer. Despite the creepy unease, Naruto continues until he enters a huge cavern with just as large dull golden gates on the other end of the grand expanse.

Fat water droplets dripping in shallow waters is the only sound in the room, and for some reason it carries, adding to the gloom of the devouring feeling creeping up his spine. Far too uncomfortable, Naruto can't help but call out, "Hello!" as loud as he can. "Any demons home?!" he adds walking further into the room.

Two large eyes slowly open displaying large feral red irises with the vertical pupils of a predator. "You will regret coming here, boy."

"Huge!" Naruto can't help but say looking at the giant beast behind the gold bars.

Baring white teeth larger than Naruto himself, a low growl slowly reverberates throughout the chamber. It's sinister red eyes glare down at Naruto, who had forgotten to expect it and is wondering why he's even there. Despite the strong creepy killer intent, he held just firm enough not to back away.

After several moments, the Nine-tails growls words. "Come closer boy."

Slowly, Naruto moves toward the large gates with the seal in the middle, calling out with a shaky voice, "h-h-hey! You don't scare me! I know all about you!"

"You know nothing brat!" The large feral monster bellows so loud it shakes the room and rattles Naruto's teeth.

But Naruto doesn't relent, shouting back against the enormous monster ahead as well as the creeping fear within. "I know your name! Not the Kyūbi but your real name! I know you were forced to attack the village! And I know you miss your father!"

The room settles enough where Naruto feels like he can breathe again as the large beast pauses. "..." Before asking in a single long drawn out word, "...how?"

"I was told," Naruto answers honestly, staring unflinchingly into large red eyes. "Listen up you dumb fox! I want to be your friend, so- so, my name is Uzumaki Naruto! Greatest Hokage there'll ever be!"

"Friend?!" Kyūbi laughs. "A detestable human will never be friends with the strongest of the tailed beasts! You will tell me who told you!"

Naruto smiles, confidently, throwing off the fierce intimidation of the demon fox. "I'll tell you... as long as we come to an understanding."

The Kyūbi grumbles for a stretch before finally saying, "…Speak."

"You let me use as much of your chakra as I want, whenever I want, and I'll tell you."

"A deal with a demon… you have the guts of a doomed fool," the Nine-Tailed Beasts declares. "While my teeth may long to make a bloody mess of you, I accept."

Feeling more courageous, Naruto asks, "ne, can you tell me your name?"

"Are you so foolish you would lie to me?" the Nine-Tails challenges. "You claimed to already know it!"

"No, no, I do. I know it," Naruto reassures the grand chakra beast. "I just want you to tell me like friends do. Come on, you can call me Naruto if you want."

"Tell me what I wish to know and I'll consider it," the large fox responds.

Nodding, Naruto tells the large fox everything Naru-nii told him thus far. Naru-nii said it was okay and mentioned how they became partners, and Naruto wanted that as well, so he left nothing out; the group Akatsuki, Tobi, who is an Uchiha working for Madara, taking the other bijū, the Ten-Tails, The God Tree, and Infinite Tsukuyomi. Naruto finished by explaining what Naru-nii did to speak with his past self and by the end, the largest mass of dark chakra was silent... very silent… silent enough that Naruto missed the creepy fear up his spine from earlier. Kurama didn't even purr angrily. He held his silence so long, in fact, Naruto starts to fidget and quickly asks, "ne, are you alright?"

"I need time with this," Kurama conveys. "Return in two days."

When Naruto awoke he smiled to himself. His body resists movement but he gets up and stretches nonetheless. He can't say exactly how long he'd been sitting, but he can feel that it must've been for a few hours. Turning around, he's completely floored by the pink haired girl sitting in the shade against a tree, reading.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto curiously calls. The girl's shoulders deflate but she looks at him. The resigned expression on her face makes him wonder if she's sad, but his excitement begs the question, "what are you doing here?" She had the hardest time looking at him. It would've reminded him of Hinata-chan if it weren't for the constant scowling.

"I... I came to train... with- with you," she begrudgingly explains.

Eyes wide and light as air, he hops over to her with eager happiness. "Really! Really, really! You really want to train together?"

"It's just training okay!" She throws back, allowing her anger to look directly at him without wavering. "Nothing else! We're just teammates training, nothing more, nothing less, got it?!"

"Yeah, sure," Naruto eagerly responds, absolutely thrilled Sakura-chan actually wants to train with him. '_Maybe the day isn't a total bust_,' he thought as he was already making plans to ask Naru-nii for any training tips for Sakura-chan. "What do you want to do first?!"

"I'm the team's medic so I have a lot of reading to do," she states and he seemed to deflate. "But, Kakashi-sensei said if I'm ever in the field, I need to be able to protect myself just as much as I need to heal others, so, I should also work on getting stronger."

Naruto quickly agrees, and they start with the physical training taught by the academy and the regiment Kakashi-sensei had taught them. They had planned to spar for the rest of the afternoon but Sakura was so physically drained that she lost focus easily and would get tagged by the simplest attacks. Laying sprawled on the grass, limbs spread and panting heavily, Sakura-chan can't help but ask, "how… are you... not tired?"

Naruto simply gave her a non-commutable mumble of, "I don't know," whilst shrugging his shoulders. He proceeded to make four clones to fight against while she rested. Eventually, she joined in, raising the odds to five against one.

Like a general, Sakura took demanding control of the clones. With her superior analytical intelligence, Naruto quickly learns her unexpected strategies continuously take him down. The pinkette uses timing to easily make his clones open Naruto's blind-spots for perfectly synchronized attacks, forcing him to really pay attention to his weaksides. From the memories he receives later, Sakura-chan is so enthusiastic about beating him to a pulp, she actually yelled at any clone who utters a word concern for their boss.

By evening, Naruto called the training to a halt, much to her extreme gratitude. Though the clones did most of the work, after every round she only grew more and more tired. If Sakura-chan's exhausted body hadn't practically ran home, he would've felt weird ending such rare quality time with Sakura-chan just so he can see Kurenai-nee. It was an odd feeling, loving one girl who didn't love him and trying to get the attention of another who may like him.

Standing by Hokage tower, he was rubbing his temple to sooth the headache from dispelling his clones. Unfortunately, mastery of Rasengan still evades him. After an hour and a half, he assumes she's not coming, and after another hour, he's certain of it. Rather than letting his disappointment drag him down, he helps himself to several extra large bowls of his favorite dish in the world, then returns to the forest for a late night training session.

The following day was a great surprise. Instead of following Sasuke-teme after being dismissed, Sakura-chan came up to him and asked when he was going to train. Though she was strict and standoffish, he was happy she wanted to train with him.

"How about now," Naruto replies.

"Now?!" she bellows. '_We just finished team duties for the day and he immediately wants to train afterward,_' her inner self yells.

He nods fervently. "Sure, why not? The more training we get in, the stronger we'll get."

Praying to Kami for a small number, Sakura can't help but ask him, "how many hours a day do you train?"

Naruto tilts his head to the side, squinting his eyes to think on a reply. "Mnnn... well, when I'm not eating, sleeping, or with our team, I'm usually training. So, on the weekdays it's more than six, but no more than ten hours. Weekends is pretty much all day."

Choking on her gasp, she eventually asks, "how is that possible? You train all that time with nothing to show for it?"

"Hey, that's not true," he defends himself. "I'm working on a wicked cool move right now!"

"What move?" she asks, not at all believing him.

"I can't say," he defends even if he feels she won't believe him. "It's a secret until I've mastered it."

Pushing him to break and admit his lie, she says, "you might as well tell me since I'm going to be training with you."

"Training with me?" he gasps. "Really? For how long?"

"I," she sighs. "I don't know. A while... I guess. But it's just training!"

"Sweet! Let's get crazy strong Sakura-chan!"

"Ugh, Kami, kill me now," she weakly responds.

* * *

Yay! Kurama! Okay, now that he's in we can get moving on Naruto getting stronger. I've noticed some comments talking about how little training or action there is and I hear ya. This is a drama/adventure that is missing a lot of adventure. It's why I want to get to land of waves so quickly. It's a slow build but I'll get there.

Also, Haku will be a boy even though I totally agree that he looks like a girl. Sorry to all you FemHaku fans. Not an easy decision to weigh story wise. I debated with myself for a solid day before deciding to keep him canon gender.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and have a great one,

-Grae

P.S. I have not abandoned From Ruin. It's just I got Naruto fever and I'm trying to sweat it out :)


	9. 09The Line

Hey guys,

This is definitely one of my bigger chapters but it's not complex. I was just answering questions and writing revelations so it ballooned fairly easily.

Let me know what you think and enjoy!

-Grae

* * *

NARUTO

"The name I was honored with is Kurama," the Kyuubi begrudgingly tells the little blond.

"I know," Naruto smiles his response.

"Yes," Kurama snarls. "It would seem you do," the large jailed beast snarls and grumbles, clearly not enjoying their interaction.

"So... how do we keep all that crap from happening?" Naruto bluntly asks. "I don't want to let that guy control us any more than I want him controlling you."

"No one controls me! I am the greatest of the nine Tailed Beasts," Kurama proudly informs the uncaring boy. "However, that fucking Uchiha with his wretched eyes is not to be underestimated. It is the only reason I will help you. So, remember boy, I hate you and all your kind!"

"Alright!" Naruto yells, ignoring the present jab for the future possibility of friendship. Naru-nii has never lied to him so if he says they become awesome partners than Naruto has faith that they will someday.

"Did you not hear what I said, filthy human?" Kurama exclaims. "I only wish to ensure my own survival. If your future counterpart is trapped within an inescapable seal, than my future self is also trapped and that is unacceptable!"

"I get it," Naruto proclaims jovially. "I get why you don't like us, and I can't say I blame you; always alone, thought of as a monster, or used like a tool. I mean, no one even bothered to learn your name! Naru-nii says your hate is your right, but I don't have to hate you and you're one of my teammates now. Maybe soon we can be real friends, so let's do our best!"

"Companionship with a human?" Kurama laughs. "That will never happen."

"I have it on good authority that it will," Naruto confidently jests with a wicked grin.

"It won't! I won't let it! Now leave!"

Naruto snickers at his ability to get under this powerful creature's skin before straightening his hands up in peace. "Alright alright, don't be mad, okay? I'll be good. How do you want to train?"

"…At the moment," Kurama growls irritably. "This seal allows for you to draw from my chakra however that trickle of strength will not be enough to defeat our enemies. You will have to become mentally more adept to handle my chakra."

"Naru-nii said that it'll always be hard until we both find peace. He said uniting against a common enemy is good, but we should try to understand each other so we can truly be strong and I think that sounds better."

'_Learn what true strength is,_' Kurama recalls his father saying, making the large beast falter. "I… I will always hate your kind."

"That sucks," Naruto pouts. "Well, I don't hate you and I'll definitely make sure all your brothers and sisters are okay!" Naruto extends his fist, just like Naru-nii told him, so Kurama can feel his honesty.

Kurama feels a drop in his malice for a proportionate rise in melancholy, silently contemplating his jailer's extended fist. After several moments, he lays his head on his front paws, clearing his throat before he mundanely replies, "…maybe. For the moment I'll freely give my chakra. The more you use, the better you'll be at handling it both mentally and physically. With your own growth, so too will my power steadily rise to my former glory, so you must continue to train for I will not accept subjugation."

Naruto simply smiles as he drops his fist and responds, "hmm, maybe with more chakra I can make more clones and learn jutsu faster. That's pretty sweet. I'll start today!"

Before Naruto leaves, Kurama starts, "…One other thing," then pauses for a long time. "...you did something some time ago. Something that was far more... _contrary_ than the few moments I've sensed your pain."

Naruto looks at the giant fox confused. When his mind comes up with nothing, Naruto simply states, "...I don't get it."

"Within this seal, I can only grasp extreme sensations; sorrow, agony and the rare moments of gaiety. Sensations of sorrow is the more common one, but recently, what I've sensed may have been what the opposite of pain is. It was, possibly, this peace you speak of. It happened another time as well. Not as recent. Time is unnecessary to a timeless creature such as I, but, I'd say it happened many moons ago. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"No," he flat-out answers him. "Not a clue."

"You're trying my patience, boy," the large demon growls angrily. "Have you not done anything new recently, during the day, or at night, which felt decidedly… _enjoyable_?"

"...Something that felt enjoyable?" he mutters, then the image of Kurenai-sensei and Ino-chan pop in his mind. "Oh! You mean sex! That's what I was doing a few nights ago, and again in the morning. You felt that?"

After an awkward clearing of his throat, the great and somewhat shy Bijū answers, "I sensed it," to which Naruto mumbles, '_perv_.' "I sensed it with my previous wardens as well, but their filthy arrogance would not allow them to speak with me as I do you. You will tell me more."

"Really," Naruto asks, slightly skeptical a divine chakra beast would want to know about sex. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Kurama says leaning forward and resting his large head on his front paws.

Happy to talk to someone about his experiences, Naruto tells Kurama everything he learned and a lot of what Kurenai taught him. The the Bijū simply listens. Despite the topic, Naruto felt a sort of ease to the conversation and wondered if this was the peace Naru-nii was talking about. By the end, Kurama can't help but say, "as the container of the strongest Tailed-Beasts, I order you to amass more mates."

"What?" Naruto gasps. "I don't even know how it happened to begin with!"

"Learn," is all the beast says before falling to slumber.

SAKURA

'_It's ridiculous. He's ridiculous! Who the fuck trains so hard?_'

It only takes Sakura three days to realize Naruto is a training fiend, and somehow, more capable than he lets on. His training regiment was as shocking as when she discovered his personal relationship to Hokage-sama. Suffering under the intensity of his training, she learned Naruto can already walk, run and fight on water just as well as on land. Even with her perfect chakra control, it took her all day to walk comfortably on water, and unlike the blond ball of energy, she can't stay on water for longer than twenty minutes.

Sakura also thought creating corporal clones of himself was impressive enough on its own—after all she recalls how he failed the final exam in the Academy—until he revealed the secret to how Kage Bunshin helps him train. Despite, the fact that it would kill a normal shinobi, regardless of rank, clone-learning came across as the biggest cheat she's ever heard of. It explained why she had to continuously adjust her strategy when she and his clones would attack Naruto, which only annoyed her more.

He still wouldn't tell her why he was playing with a balloon just yet, but after watching the way it pops with a massive swirl of wind, she's fairly sure he's working on some form of chakra manipulation. '_That isn't normal_,' her stunned brain reasons. Ninja don't learn chakra manipulation at all if they can help it, and when they do, it isn't for years and years in the future. '_How is that idiot doing that when we've only JUST graduated!?_'

Sakura learns fast that she can't even keep up with him. Not only does she take more breaks than he does, but his breaks are much shorter. It's little wonder why Sasuke-kun is usually tired by the end of their spars, '_not that Naruto-baka could actually match Sasuke-kun_.' But it's apparent that the blond is able to simply outlast him.

'_This is ridiculous! For that Baka to train like this, how does no one know!_'

It's just so easy to ignore or hate him, Sakura wonders who would believe her if she even told anyone. '_No one_,' her mind answers.

KURENAI

It would appear that Kurenai needs more than a week to forget about her monumental mistake. It would be an easier thing to do if Hinata-chan didn't ask every night to train with '_genjutsu-Naruto_.'

"Did-did I do something wrong?" she asks on the fifth night. "Is that why you don't want to train me with genjutsu?"

For the fifth time this week, Kurenai was tempted to simply create a genjutsu of Naruto, but as close and knowledgeable to the boy as she's become, she didn't truly understand him and didn't want to risk Hinata possibly recognizing a difference, lest the young Hyūga feels betrayed and all their progress comes undone.

"No, of course not," Kurenai softly starts. "Why would you think that?"

Hinata looks Kurenai in the eyes with a great strength she wasn't capable of weeks ago. "You- ...We haven't trained with genjutsu-Naruto-kun at all this week, and all you'll say is that we need to take a break. I just thought I must've-"

"No, you didn't," Kurenai cuts her off. Despite the immoral lengths the raven-haired Jōnin had to go through for her young ward to reach this level of confidence, she's thrilled about the progress the girl's making, however, now that she's finding her voice, perhaps the beautiful princess needs more of an explanation. "Hinata-chan, how long have you been here?"

"Mnn, a little over a month and a half,"

"And wouldn't you agree we've grown comfortable with each other?"

"Yes," she blushes.

"I know the training we've been performing has certainly helped, but it's all been in a controlled environment, hasn't it?" Kurenai gives the indigo-haired girl a moment to try and grasp what she's saying, so hopefully, Kurenai never has to ask Uzumaki-kun for help again… or even see him if she's being honest with herself. "When you're comfortable, like you feel here with the genjutsu version of Uzumaki-kun, it's far too ideal than what you can expect out in public. Which is why I think you need to attempt befriending the real Uzumaki-kun-"

"Eeeep!" Hinata yips. "I-I-I-I-I c-c-c-c-ouldn't," she stutters, completely bumming the beautiful Jōnin to see.

"Hinata-chan, I stopped because I believe in you. I know you can do this," Kurenai conveys with genuine heart. "Start with whatever makes you comfortable; a simple hello, or ask him how he's doing; however you feel most at ease. I did a fairly good job representing him, so I don't think he'll embarrass you in any way."

"Y-y-y-you..." she takes a calming breath. "D-do you really think so?"

"I know so," Kurenai smiles at her young ward and for the first time that day, she's happy. Happy for what her charming pupil is courageous enough to do as well as for the blond genin Kurenai is all too happy to avoid.

Hinata-chan has to return to the Hyūga compound in another hour or so but, she'll be back first thing next week. The beautiful Hyūga is the only true bright spot in her week and while it gets sadder and sadder every time her cherished student leaves, Kurenai is uplifted to know she'll be back. With every passing week, Kurenai finds she wants Hinata-chan to come back with more fondness.

Weighed down by her own reprehensible actions with a boy—the Jinchūriki, of all people—not just for her lapse in judgment but also for how fondly she recalls the memories, it was as if her naturally analytical mind was pushing to study the experience, evaluate every orgasm and even compare it to her past lovers. The fact that the boy even rates close to the top only makes her mind want to evaluate the boy's performance even more. Morbid curiosity and a strong sense of shame have been her constant companion this past week and she makes sure she keeps as busy as humanly possible to avoid thinking about it.

As if personal disgrace wasn't difficult enough to suffer through on a daily basis, Kurenai tries as hard as she can to tune out the constant speculation many villagers and shinobi seem to have about the fate of the Hokage's son. Marriages have always been well received in Konohagakure, and everyone is eagerly looking forward to the good news so they can prepare for a week-long festive celebration in their honor.

Of course, Kurenai's well-known association as a former teammate of Asuma's has many of the younger or ignorant shinobi as well as villagers asking if she knows any romantic details between the princess and the Hokage's son. She's asked with sheer excitement whether she's walking through the village, shopping, or lunches, and they can't help but chat with her about all the places they've seen the happy couple come and go, aggravating Kurenai to the point of constant and ever present nausea.

It wouldn't be so rampant if the princess wasn't returning to the capitol so within the week. Her departure Saturday morning is why Kurenai decided to stay in and read in the quiet of her home rather than join the rest of the village in bidding the princess farewell. On the couch with a scroll in hand, she hadn't expected a knock at her door. She hadn't expected a red-faced and sweaty Hinata-chan behind her door, and she certainly hadn't expected Uzumaki-kun behind her.

"Hinata-chan?" Kurenai oddly calls, observing her treasured student with the biggest mistake of her twenty-four years of life behind her. "…What are you doing here?"

"S-s-s-sensei," a wide-eyed and nervous Hinata stutters. "I-I-I-I-I w-w-w-was ho-hoping, w-w-w-we can h-h-have lunch... h-h-here?"

Kurenai can easily see the deep pleading in the girls eyes and despite never wanting to see the blond again, she instantly wants to help her student, offhandedly voicing, "why don't you come in..." Ignoring the cheers in the distance for the princess and taking a second to look at a very eager Uzumaki-kun, she has little choice but to add, "the both of you."

Settling in the living room, Kurenai is at least happy to see Uzumaki-kun look around as if he's never been in her home. "Nice home, sensei. Smells real nice."

Masking her trepidation, Kurenai fains a polite smile, responding, "thank you, Uzumaki-kun."

Playing along, he asks in a surprised tone, "you know who I am?" It offers her some relief when she thinks, '_at least he's good at this_.'

"You're Kakashi-sensei's student," Kurenai returns. "I know the members of every newly formed genin team." Naruto nods with a hum, and Kurenai turns to Hinata, asking, "Hinata-chan, will you help me with the tea?"

"Ah," Hinata yelps, recalling her manners. "Of course."

"Make yourself at home, Uzumaki-kun," Kurenai states before sensei and student walk into the kitchen. As Kurenai begins to fill the kettle, she turns to Hinata-chan, eying the girl to explain.

"Ano," a very submissive looking Hinata starts and Kurenai didn't like the girl's slumped shoulder, the near tearful look in her eyes, and her nervous twiddling fingers. It makes Kurenai relax a little as Hinata explains, "I was at the farewell mass f-f-for princess Tomoko… and s-so was N-N-Naruto-kun."

Considering that Hinata knows nothing about what she'd done with the young Hyūga's life-long crush, Kurenai asks a gently as possible, "Hinata-chan, why would you ever think to bring him here without my permission?"

Looking wounded, Hinata stutters, "I-I-I-I know, this was a bad idea sensei!" Hinata bows twice before Kurenai can place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Still, Hinata adds, "I'm sorry! I'm s-so sorry! I wasn't thinking."

"Hinata-chan," Kurenai starts, staring intently in the girl's eyes. "Breath. You haven't killed anyone. I'm just curious. Please, explain yourself."

As Kurenai sets the water to boil, Hinata calms herself before stating, "I saw him, and-and I said h-hello, and he-he was exactly like in our training. I was so happy that I hadn't fainted, and I asked if he was hungry, like we'd done in the sessions. I was sooo nervous, Sensei, but he-he said, yes! But there were so many people and I felt like my heart was going to explode, so-so-so I thought we could have lunch here, b-because I thought of what you said sensei, '_do it however I'm most comfortable._' So I thought… here… Please, sensei, please?"

Kurenai felt the double edge of her words cut her as she mumbles, "Hinata-chan..."

"N-no more than lunch, then we'll go," Hinata-chan pleads with her big lavender-white eyes.

Unable to disappoint those beautiful pleading eyes, Kurenai sighs, "fine. But only for lunch. I want you to feel comfortable here but next time ask before you invite someone over, understand," she states the question, giving no room for misinterpretation.

"Yes, yes, oh yes! Thank you sensei," Hinata happily cheers. "Can-can you tell him I have to use the washroom," she nervously asks, wiping off the nervous sweat form her forehead and Kurenai just nods.

Walking into the sitting room, his eyes snap onto her entering form. His face starts turning bright red as he stares, wide-eyed, drinking her in and it's only then Kurenai becomes aware she's in her comfortable, yet form revealing house wear: white summer shorts that showcase a lot of toned thigh and a red, spaghetti string halter top. Her lustrous dark hair was down and she can easily imagine what a sight she is in his hormonal clear blue eyes. He almost didn't notice he was automatically walking toward her until she put her hand up.

Snapping out of it, Naruto at least has the decency to look abashed. "Sorry," he says and his first question to her is obviously, "will you come back, please?"

"Uzumaki-kun," Kurenai cautiously warns. "I hope for your sake you're not using Hinata-chan as a way to get closer to me."

"I don't use friends," he confidently proclaims. "But she invited me, and I wanted to come an say I'm sorry if... if I didn't do it right, or if you're angry with me. So, um, can't you please come by tonight? I haven't told anyone, and I won't, so, so, you'll come by right?"

"You're still thinking of this like it's training when that isn't how it should be," she tells him, keeping a tracking ear on Hinata in the bathroom upstairs. "How can you not see this isn't good for either of us? For our futures? No, I cannot in good conscious encourage this any further."

"Than explain it to me," Naruto asks, desperate for clarity. "Why was it okay that night but not the next morning?"

Hearing signs of Hinata finishing, Kurenai attempts to make a deal with him. "If I explain why it happened and why it can't again, will you stop this?"

"I don't know," Naruto curiously states. "I'd have to hear it first."

"You don't have to hear it first. You can just agree," Kurenai states with mild frustration.

"But what if I hear it and I still don't stop," Naruto genuinely asks. "I don't want to lie and say I will when I won't know for sure until I hear it."

Expelling frustrated air from her tight chest, Kurenai simply agrees, "...Fine." '_Anything to end this_,' she thinks. "But I'm not going to your apartment. Just come back here after you walk Hinata-chan home."

He happily nods before Hinata-chan returns and they have a light lunch, though Naruto is just as hungry after they finish their small bowl of salad. Kurenai and Naruto kept most of the conversation going but Hinata-chan smiled often and spoke twice. It almost seemed worth it just to see the girl be so brave against her reinforced and chronic insecurities.

For herself though, being around him, smelling him, catching him lusting over her, Kurenai couldn't help the warmth continuing to grow in her center. He even had to nerve to brush by her close enough to take in her scent. Her traitorous body easily recalls how this boy manhandled her and physically responds with rising sensitivity, radiating heat, and pooling moistness. Aroused, her body yearned for attention, though luckily for her, it didn't have to be with him.

Excusing himself to use the restroom before they leave, Kurenai wonders how much to tell the boy when he comes back. As the two genin exit her home and clear her white fence, she wonders if he would understand the yielding combination of being deeply hurt, being reckless and inebriated… How much she just wanted to forget her upsetting troubles… how much he helped her forget. '_Could he accept that as the reason she degraded herself enough to have so much sex with him?_'

Even if he sprints, an aroused Kurenai doesn't expect him back for another thirty minutes, and rather than a shower to cool herself down, she walks upstairs to her room and pulls out her vibrator. On her bed with a pillow under her waist for elevation, she closes her eyes and opens her legs. Spread and comfortable as she was, Kurenai works her electric phallus in and out of her wet snatch with practiced ease. The loud buzzing in the air is ignored and her mind takes her back to her most recent sexual encounter. She lets her naturally analytical mind replay each moment, each position, each orgasm, easily soaking her pleasure-aid in her sleek juices as she feels the pleasure coil of her body grow more and more tense, threatening to snap in pure euphoria should she continue.

"_Mnnn… ahnn… uh, uh_," she mewls, coating the length of the vibrator as she fucks herself to that starving release. Kurenai can feel it won't be the best climax, but it'll more than take the edge off before he returns. Stuffing herself repeatedly she somehow recalls his smell more clearly, helping her transport sensations back to the time she was on her back and a thick, blond-bushed cock was fucking her like a wild animal. Feeling herself right on the edge, she stuffs the vibrator in deep when her walls clamp down, sending shocks of pleasure up her spine and brain.

"_Oouuuuuughghhghgh_," she moans loudly, releasing her toy to massage her stiff nipples and breasts and revel in the waves of pleasant sensation… that is until Kurenai bolts upright at the foreign feel of a rough tongue lap up her expelling juices from her quaking cunny. Quickly understanding who the blond head of hair between her legs belongs to, and the pleasure from his enthusiastic licking and sucking, she can only gasp, "wait!" before another wave of pleasure has her strong grip ripping at the sheets of her bed. "_MMMMMMnnnnnnn, Oh, oh, oh, oh uhnnn_," she moans as his clumsy tongue slowly allows her decent orgasm to subside. Though Kurenai is reeling in gratifying pleasure, she has enough sense to try and force away Uzumaki-kun's eager tongue.

"U-Uzumaki," she calls but as she tries to force him away, he's far too impassioned and pushes forward, either intentionally or accidentally, plunging his long muscular organ inside her sodden center. "_Mnnnfff_," Kurenai cries as the blond's mouth eagerly covers nearly all of her snatch, licking within and sucking without in tandem, making her arms weak and forcing another spiral of pleasure to build and coil in the base of her ecstasy.

"_MMMNNNNN_!" she feels the boy's voice vibrate her already sensitive petals, ripping out a deep moan of her own. "_mmmmmnnnnn!_"

As she grips his hair, she vaguely wonders why she hasn't stopped him, but the way her quim dilates with expanding bliss only just manages to delay any need for an immediate answer. She'll figure it out later. "Just," she gasps, as her mind says the rest, '_finish!_'

With '_finishing_' being her body's sole concern now, Kurenai plays with her left breast, pinching and pulling her pert pink nipple as her right-hand circles and rubs her clit exactly as she likes it. '_His tongue is weird_,' her mind yells lovingly, and she focuses on his unique pleasure inducing organ. With his constant rough-tongue lapping at her quivering sensitive wall, and his mouth sucking and drinking everything she expels, it doesn't take her long to reach the edge of another immense drop.

"I'm almost... _MMNN_... I'm almost, _cumminnnn_-" Kurenai snaps her head back, her spine arching tight with blissful rapture, sending waves of pleasure throughout every humming cell in her hot and sweating body. Her thighs twitching is delightful as her pelvis gyrates uncontrollably against the boy's face. Her second orgasm is larger and more intense than the first, and she sees white for several moments as her body quivers and trembles deliciously, soaking in the velvety delight of oblivion.

Barely coming down from exotic devastation, she realizes Uzumaki is still lapping and sucking at her opening, desperate for more and keeping her in a constant state of euphoria. Still, with more clarity now, she pushes his head away with as much force as her twitching muscles can, which she hates to admit isn't much. Pushing Uzumaki's head away, she rolls from him and off the side of the bed onto very shaky legs. She actually has to brace herself on the dresser by the window.

"Nai-chan," she hears him call as she calms her breathing, quickly collecting her higher reasoning while looking to the blue sky out the window.

When she hears him step closer—without looking at him—she points and calls out, "wait!" He stops but only for a second, then actually hears his pants shuffling down. "Just stop Uzumaki," she calls one more time.

"Please, sensei," he weakly implores, voice thick with hunger. "Please, I need you so much. I just-" he stops and she hears more rubbing.

"No," she cuts him off, and yet again he takes another step forward. It's like he's incapable of thinking, so she calls louder, "stop-"

"Please! One more time," Naruto states, taking his painfully hard cock in his hand and jerking it for any stimulation. He quickly realizes it's not good enough. Only she can sate his hunger. His lust filled eyes are pained as he expresses a great need. "Just need to be inside one more time-"

"Uzumaki," she calls, turning around to look at him. His eyes are still dilated, almost black with desire. His cheeks and neck are inflamed and he isn't even looking at her face as he pleads. He only has eyes for her feminine treasures. Clenching her fist, she's ready to punch him to his senses when she hears loud popping behind her outside. Turning to the window, she can see streamers, balloons, confetti floating up in the distance. The loud popping of fireworks from that location in the sky informs her it's Main Street and happy Konoha villagers are bidding farewell to one of their country's beautiful princesses; no doubt hoping for an optimistic announcement in the near future.

An announcement that in many ways eradicates promises at the heart of Kurenai; her body's womanly yearning, her dearest male friend and possible life-partner, and her devotion to the future she felt on a daily basis. Until that moment, she expected the beautiful future would've eventually happened—some way, somehow, her and Asuma would get there. Despite her ardor, she trusted in a benevolent future only to learn it was a child's fairytale. The festive party in the distance for their country's beautiful princess and the Sarutobi heir is bluntly telling her she's wrong.

Without her verbal tell off, Uzumaki's face dives into the wet hot pocket of her nether region between her round cheeks and taut thighs. His hands grip her hips and pull hard, mashing his mouth and tongue against her delicate folds, covering as much moist honey-hole with his cheeks and mouth as possible.

"_Mnnnfff_," Kurenai moans at his energetic push. "Uzumaki..." she tries, but her eyes won't let go of the view outside her window. Kurenai suddenly feels trapped by the vision before her, hurting her by denying her simple wants, and the pleasures between her legs born of indecent desire.

"Uzumaki, if you don't stop... _mmmnn,_" she gasps as he sucks and laps her delicate nether lips. '_Why stop? The princess is finally leaving but that isn't what matters_.' She knew the truth the moment he completely ignored her—the moment he walked around her—it's how Asuma is. The gruff man had told her without uttering a word, and that thick, heavy pain resting in her chest sentenced her emotional convictions to death. The wishes of her village outside had become all too real in her heart, and it broke her.

The warmth of a rough tongue is removed from her sensitive quim for cool air, a curiosity that is quickly met with a stiff answer. "_Uuggghhnnnn_,_ haaah_," she moans when he stuffs his bulbous crown into her sodden snatch. Her knees shake with the sudden spread of her wet walls, lowering her even more despite her grip on her dresser.

Her voice is silent as she ponders the escape being offered by the blond… the simple way to deflect the core crushing hurt from her broken love. Spying on the festivities through the window for the last time, she slowly closes the curtain, closing that little bit of pain along with it. If she couldn't be happy in her heart, than shouldn't she, at the very least, be allowed the joys of the body. Uzumaki-kun isn't ideal, but it's just one more time and no one has to know. For the moment, she'll forget about her staggering loss and lose herself in pleasure.

The only real issue is Hinata-chan's crush on the boy. Even if Hinata were made to be a branch member, her family would never agree to such a union, much less marriage. In the long run, Uzumaki-kun and Hinata-chan can never be together and that ought to matter the most if only by a little. Kurenai can steer her beautiful ward in a direction with a higher chance of actual happiness... not unlike herself.

'_Yes_,' she manages to think and feel as he spreads her deeper. '_Better I should guide Hinata-chan to find love elsewhere._' Her mild cognitive ability is interrupted by a pang of bliss from a strong dick nearly striking her g-spot, sending a strong jolt up her spine. Pumping away eagerly for more of her rich honey, she strives to guide him. "_Ahn... ahn, ahn, MMNN,_ a little- little to the- _ahhn_, the left- _ahn,_ to the left, ye- yes_ss... mnn,_ yes, there, right there," she moans loudly squeezing her moist hot walls that much harder as he enthusiastically hits home with every thrust.

Meeting his heavy thrust, she notes it's not his technique that's making her so aroused, it's the staying power of his intense pounding. His determination is like a feral animal, with enough muscle and excessive stamina to plow her sensitive walls and sexual discipline asunder.

She can tell the lust-filled blond is relishing in her reactionary squeezing and it only spurns him further, harder, faster, spreading her good and hard, over and over while their crotch and thighs are drenched in their frothy fuck. "_AAHNN, ahhn, aha, haaah,_ m-make me forget! That's- _yes! Mnn, Mnn, Mnn!_ Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck-_Mmnn!_"

The loud constant wet smacking of sweaty flesh, the smell of his sexual musk mixing in her nose with her own, his desperate grip on her hip muscles… His absolute youthful vigor is enough to push her further and further to that inevitable explosion of mind-numbing pleasure. She moans gutturally with his every thrust, over and over, feeling his insatiable need to break his peak inside her hot center. His raw vigor more than makes up for his lack of technique, and Kurenai is happy with that... for now.

"Nai-chan! Nai-chan!" he whimpers, as his thrusts speed up. Kurenai can hardly believe how depraved her saliva mixed moans are as he pounds into her with powerful strokes.

"_MMMnnn! MMM! AAHHN! YYESSS!_ KAMI! KAMI! DEEP! YOU'RE SO-_MMN!_" she cries as the strong beautiful kunoichi's mind starts to melt.

She's right on the edge of shattering when without warning, he slams in as deep as he can go, and blasts his thick man milk into her boiling cunnie. Not unlike before, it's a tremendous amount and possibly even hotter than she remembered, easily pushing her over the edge and detonating a third powerful orgasm. His sweltering body hugs her tightly as her jittery walls clamp down on his thick erupting member, sucking and pulling him in as deep as she can while he floods her vaginal canal with his baby batter. Her mind dumbs as her body shakes and tumbles with his. All her thoughts and awareness cease to exist, leaving only waves upon waves of boundless pleasure while he fills her with a copious amount of his seed.

Eventually they slump haphazardly to the floor like two boneless sacks of hot water; one blissfully spent, the other, waiting a moment before his second wind kicks in. It wasn't a long wait. He has eyes after all. Pressed against him, soft and slick with body-cooling moisture, is one of the fittest and most beautiful women he'd ever seen, panting and trembling happily with his dick still snug inside her. The irregular jittering and shaking of her slush walls easily keep him from softening and the thought that he had flooded her insides with his thick cum is more than enough motivation for Naruto to forget all about his body's exhaustion. Naruto wraps an arm around her waist, elevating her some, happy to gut her again.

"_MMnn_," she moans, as she's unexpectedly lifted, causing her already sensitive sex to grip him that much harder. Witless with dizzying pleasure, Kurenai can only muster enough coherence to tell the eager blond, "_Ughh_, w-wait, Uzu- Uzumaki-"

"Call me Naruto," he interrupts, as he slides out of her with a loud slurp, causing her to groan at the sudden loss. She turns over with his assistance, holding the dresser for much-needed support.

"I'm still sensitv_vVV- Ahhn_," she's mush on her knees with her face against the dresser as he thrusts into her again, taking a moment to appreciate the hot snug muscle, before sliding back out, enjoying the friction of his head deliciously dragging the ribs of her sensitive, cum-covered sex. He thrusts in again with just as much want, with even more depth, reaching the furthest part of her soaping cunt. Kurenai moans through the absolutely blissful pounding of her hungry insides, until they cum together and to her surprise, feeling his knot expand and lock them together as he stretches her uterus with pudgy spunk.

Eventually, they end up naked on her large comfortable bed. It's the first time he has a clear view of her entire nude figure and he's easily transfixed. Kurenai, with her long, matted dark lock, full red lips and matching eyes, and her athletic hour-glass curves, was a kunoichi of the sexiest caliber and Naruto couldn't help but feel like an utter failure at his paltry attempts of his sexy jutsu. No one could possibly be sexier than her. It takes him several moments to get over his enthralled shock, and only after she called his name, before instantly becoming glutinous for her womanly perfection.

The exciting view spurs on a whole new marathon of energy and he's stuffing his steel cock inside the beautiful kunoichi with all he has. In the superheated bedroom, his eyes take in the sensual curve and sublime arch of her glistening spine, the way her drenched raven locks stick to her flush skin, as if she only just stepped out of a hot shower. Of course the almost pained expressions of her flushed face, from the wide O of her lushes cherry lips to the near-catatonic look when she has an eye-crossing, toe-curling orgasm. Her moans during her rise to great peaks, her panting pleas for a respite, and the way she pleads his name to go harder, faster; it all adds the indescribable bliss he feels being connected to her, inside and out. Everything about her turns him on, mindlessly.

He's heard of drugs and their effects on people, but until this moment, Naruto never fully grasped what it really meant to be addicted to something. Whether slamming into her slick, buttery-hot goodness, sucking and fondling her large breasts, or simply drinking everything that comes out of her, he absorbs it all habitually, as if her luscious body is a warm basket of perpetual sunshine and happiness. Naruto's only hope of coping with the incredible surge of aroused energy is by putting it all inside of her; using it all on her. He doesn't know how he reaches that conclusion. Whether it's to honor her, to thank her, to conquer her, he couldn't say, but he knows giving her everything is the only way to feel peace.

In the moist musk and heat of Kurenai's bedroom, they stay together in one form or another for hours, whether directly plugged into one another or his mouth and hands licking, sucking, kneading, or massaging her; all to her extreme disbelief. She knows this is a whole new experience for him and boys tend to be much more energetic than adults but Uzumaki doesn't seem to fit the mold. He isn't quick—energetic, certainly—but he stays active for as long as she does and they often find themselves gushing together.

He busted his sack no less than nine times, knotting her four times, and though she would've preferred if he finished outside, most of his thick spunk finds it's home in her fertile walls. No matter how many times she warns him to cum on her rather than in her, he'll be too lost in his own pleasure to acquiesce to her pleas, hugging her tightly as he unleashes endless rivulets of semen. Unable to muster more than mild protest, toward the end, she simply makes a mental note to talk to him about it later. Fortunately, all active kunoichi are on the pill for one simple yet horrible reason. After hours of vigorous copulating between resting, they naturally fall asleep on her ravaged and cum stained sheets. Despite the radiating heat, Naruto holds her tight and with some embarrassing honesty, she admits to herself it's not terrible.

Kurenai is the first of the pair to wake, aware that the delicious ache sparkling throughout her satisfied body is because of the blond ball of energy laying on top of her. Snug between her strong legs, he holds her tightly with his head resting comfortably between the mounds of her breasts. Aside the wonderful, floating ache, Kurenai appraises the gently slumbering boy atop of her. Once again, it's difficult for the red-eyed Jōnin to come to terms with what she's done…again. Not impossible, but difficult. She doesn't love the boy—that much is certain—but she can honestly say he more than meets her physical needs; though she can't help but wonder if it's simply him, his knotting uniqueness, or if her dry spell has just been _that_ long.

'_Absence makes the heart grow fonder,_' she thinks, before correcting herself. '_Or in this case, the lust._' An unrelated thought of how nice he smells despite the reek of sex and sweat in the room, makes her mumble, "I'll need to air out the room soon."

Even if Kurenai knows it's morally wrong, at least it wasn't illegal, and truthfully, no one needs to know. It was simply training him, as payment for helping her with Hinata-chan... which sounds absolutely horrible to her. '_…Fuck!_' Her mind curses. '_This is wrong,_' she knows, '_but, it can be okay so long as no one feels unfairly treated._'

As the adult, Kurenai understands she's the one most responsible here, for both the good and bad. She knows the young genin only needs to allude to abuse, and she'll easily go down for it. So, in the unlikely event this '_arrangement_' ever comes out, as long as he doesn't testify to being taken advantage of, then in the eyes of the shinobi council, it'll simply be two consenting adults engaging in legal private affairs. Though she's certain that's not how the civilian council will see it, she also knows they have no real sway over her career. Barring any extreme demands from him, if she can keep him content, then she shouldn't have much to worry about.

His stomach growls loudly, surprising her out of her thoughts. She can't help but giggle at his pained expression as he snuggles even closer against her humming body, giving her a pleasant sensation from their warm skin-to-skin contact; sticky and grimy though they are, it only seems to add a thrill to the pleasant glow she feels everywhere.

The low lighting of the room informs Kurenai it's early evening, and after hearing Uzumaki's growling stomach, she's much more aware of her own hunger. Hoping she doesn't wake him, she attempts to extricate herself from him but as she moves, he only holds on tighter, easily making her feel like some sort of security blanket. Recalling reports of his living conditions does explains why he's so attention-starved and pulls pranks. Living alone for so long can make anyone crave physical contact like hugs, pats on the head or shoulders, or even the tussling of hair.

"Well, he has to wake up at some point," she mumbles to herself before running her fingers through his silky blond scalp, calling, "Uzumaki-kun? Uzumaki-kun?" Slowly, a smile spreads his cheeks and he mushes his chubby cheeks into her soft valley, tickling a giggle out of her as he exhales on her stiffening nipple. '_Kami, giggling this much, I must be swimming in oxytocin and endorphins._' Looking at his pleased face makes her aware of her own smile. Content to favor him, she runs her fingers through the silky spikes of his golden-blond hair; that is until her stomach interrupts her with a very audible grumble.

"Uzumaki-kun!" she calls louder, grabbing the sides of his head and lifting him up. "It's time to get up."

"Hahn?" he sounds through a slack jaw, one eye closed the other half open. "Nai-chan?"

'_That name..._' she mentally chides. A slow deep inhale is calming, but for that pen name, she needs two deep breaths before she continues. "Uzumaki-kun, I need you to let go." Instinct makes him tighten a bit before softening his grip as she adds, "I need a shower. We both do. I also have to prepare dinner."

"Oh," he calls happily at the mention of food. He moves a bit away from her, enough to see her nude form under him, and Kurenai can actually see his eyes glaze over, as if falling under some slave genjutsu simply by the sight of her.

Though it's thrilling to her warm fuzzy center to witness, she quickly moves away from him before he loses any more mental control. Nabbing a pillow to cover herself, Kurenai easily advises him, "calm down. Take a breath. I think we've had enough of that for one day." Looking at his semi-hard penis she points to the bathroom, commanding him, "actually, go take a shower now. A cold one."

Red in the face with embarrassment, he starts moving when he's struck with a thought he voices, "since this is your house, shouldn't you use the bathroom first?"

"It's the other way around. As your host, I offer you first turn," she tells him, to which he nods in acceptance. "Please take a shower and get dressed." She didn't want to tell him it was going to take her some time to get his insane amount of cum out of her. Now that she's standing, she can already feel it oozing out of her and drag down the inside of her toned thighs. Even if she ran to Hinata-chan's bathroom down the hall, she was certain she wouldn't get there fast enough to avoid leaving a trail of white globs on the wood floor.

'_He put soo much in me,_' she mentally marvels, feeling it leak out with a jovial thrill. It's fortunate that her own juices thinned the concentration of his semen, but it's still a large quantity he seems to enjoy sowing as deep within her as he can. Since a vagina is the second most natural place for semen to be, she isn't worried about getting it all out, as her body will do that on its own, but with this much, she'll have to take most of it out herself.

Once showered, dried and dressed in unflattering flannel pants and red camisole top, she makes her way to the kitchen. Setting her hair up and in a towel to dry, she finds Uzumaki sitting on a stool spinning on it's swiveling cushion. With her entrance, his smile broadens drastically, his clear blue eyes drinking her in with the thirst of a man dying of dehydration—the length of her fine neck, the exposed cleavage of her larger than average bust, and the flannel that cannot hide her perfect posterior. His clear desire for her after everything they've done throughout the afternoon is the only reason for her blush—to think he's eager for more is, to her mounting disbelief, flattering.

Kurenai simply isn't used to such raw, lavish attention from someone she's been sexually active with. There are plenty of shinobi or villagers that undress her with their want-filled eyes, but unlike the baby blue eyes gazing hungrily at her now, they haven't seen her naked—they haven't fucked her to a mindless stupor—so there's always a buffer between her and them. Uzumaki-kun has seen, tasted and fucked all of her. When he gazes at her hungrily, it's more profound. Immoral or not, to Kurenai, his eyes will forever be different.

Aware of the 'cuddle hormone' still coursing her system, Kurenai isn't so alarmed when she feels a giddy heat in her stomach, a little hop in her step, her straighter posture, driving out her enticing C-cups that much more forward; even her scalp tingles affectionately, making her lush dark locks feel more vibrant. '_Post coital bliss_,' she mentally identifies the affectionate playfulness as she walks over to the pantry. Overlooking her blushing feelings, she can't help but comment, "I thought you'd be halfway to your beloved ramen stand by now."

Half looking away and blushing madly, he shyly questions more than says, "I thought... I was hoping, maybe, we could eat together?"

'_Is he trying to be cute, or are the elevated hormones just making me more amiable to his mannerism?_' She mentally asks bringing out some red potatoes. Kurenai isn't sure he should stay, but, she's certain nothing more will happen. Add to that they need to talk about this unexpected development, and she says, "I suppose that's fine."

"Sweet!" he exclaims. "Ne, Nai-chan-"

"Please don't call me that," she quickly cuts him off. "Kurenai-sensei, sensei, or even Yūhi-san is fine."

"But you keep calling me Uzumaki instead of Naruto," he counters.

"I prefer to keep our association professional at all times," she responds. Ever since her father, she's always felt more comfortable keeping that distance with everyone. "Which is why neither of us needs to address each other so personally."

"But we're alone," he points out before asking, "why keep it professional now?"

"We have to be careful with how we act around one another, more specifically in public," she explains as she opens her fridge. Absolutely certain he's unaware of how hungrily he's eying her, she squats down to gather the ingredients for her salad rather than bend over and give him an enticing view. "If you call me cutesy personal names in private, there's a higher chance you might accidentally give that information away in public. I know we don't have much cause to interact in public but you can never be too careful. It's not unlike your field prep class at the academy for away-missions."

"I, uh think I might've missed that one," Naruto nervously says.

"That's not possible," Kurenai returns. "That course is a requirement for graduation. You can't become a genin without passing all required courses."

"Uh, well, I missed a bunch of stuff because, um, I'd always get sent home," he returns with a bit of a chuckle. "It wasn't until Iruka-sensei got there that I actually got to stay and learn as much as I could."

Kurenai looks at him oddly, somewhat curious as to how he managed to become genin if he missed many school days. Leaving it to ponder another day, she continues in an educational tone. "Part of field preparation for a mission involves leaving behind any unessential personal items, so no rings, pictures, or anything of sentimental value. The reason being, if you're captured by an enemy, they won't be able to use the things or people you hold dear to break you."

"Huh, that makes sense," Naruto nods, before thinking a step further and wondering aloud, "I don't get what that has to do with us."

'_Us?_' she thinks. '_Really?_' With a sigh, she answers, "while the village is not our enemy, you and I now... _share_ something personal that neither of us want anyone to learn of. If anyone found out, they could try to use it for their own advantage, or could simply tell Hokage-sama to get us in trouble. So, no more '_Nai-chan_,' Uzumaki-kun. Kurenai-sensei, sensei, or Yūhi-san are acceptable."

"Ku-sensei?" he tries.

Letting out a breath of disbelief she whirls around to the sunny blond, telling him with authority, "no. Not that either."

"Nai-nee?" He asks, eyebrows raised.

"No," she says a little louder.

"Kurenai-nee?" he counters.

"I'm starting to lose my patience," Kurenai warns him. He gulps and chuckles nervously as he responds, "Kurenai-sensei, what are you making for dinner?"

"Dark greens and spinach salad with a side of asparagus, sliced almonds, and red potatoes, with a vinaigrette…" she answers before pausing. His queasy, disenchanted face makes her roll her eyes.

"Ne," he starts. "Is there any possibility of eating meat with it? ...or just eating meat?"

"I only eat meat when I have no other option," she informs him rather offbeat.

"Um, do you mind if I go get some and come right back? I just... salads are just... they don't fill me up at all!" he bellows. "I've been suuuuper hungry since lunch."

Evaluating how needy he is for a more hearty meal, she huffs and moves to the freezer. "I have some steaks I can make." She hears him whoop as she fondly looks over the large packaged steaks; sorely recalling the gruff Jōnin she had bought them for. "They're thick cuts. Some of Akimichi's best," she warns him. "Will you be able to eat that much?"

He gives her the most confident chuckle before answering, "not a problem."

Nodding, she fixates on preparing dinner all while he fixates on her. It's silent between them as the sizzling of the steak crisps and crackles and the room is filled with its tasty scent but it's not uncomfortable. Nearly done, Kurenai catches Naruto rubbing his temple instead of gazing at her, as if trying to ease the pain of a headache.

"Dinner's nearly ready," Kurenai says, unable to grasp how such a domestic scene is taking place in her home with Uzumaki Naruto, of all people. "Set the table," she adds trying to temper her fear-inducing wonder.

He does as instructed but as she's setting their meal down, he still looks to be in a bit of pain. Preferring to wait until they've eaten and are comfortable before having the '_big talk_' on how they move forward, Kurenai breaks the silence. As he's already mentioned a number of bizarre remarks, it's easy to engage in light conversation. The most pressing query she needs him to clarify for her, however, is, "how did you manage to escort Hinata-chan home and return so quickly? You were in my room less than seven minutes after I let you out, and I know for a fact she lives nearly an hour away. Please tell me you did not blow her off so you could come back here."

"I didn't, I wouldn't," he quickly reacts. "I- well, I made a clone when I went to the bathroom and my clone walked her home. It dispelled right afterward so I know she made it back okay."

"Your clone?" Kurenai quirks her brow confused, thinking of a number of rebuttals.

"Kage Bunshin," he easily adds, eagerly cutting up his seasoned steak.

Curiosity drives her to ask, "how? Kage Bunshin is Jōnin level jutsu, and I recall you failed the final's Bunshin no Jutsu three times."

After swallowing a good chunk of delicious meat he can't help but say, "this is soo gooood! Hmm, I was told that I have large chakra reserves and ten- tekn- ...large chakra holes."

"Tenketsus," she corrects. "The nodes on your body by which chakra is released."

"Yeah, that," he happily agrees. "So, it makes it harder for me to use jutsu that only need a little bit of chakra, like Bunshin no Jutsu. It's why I've been working super hard on my chakra control all this time."

"I had no idea Kakashi-sensei was so dutiful with his team," Kurenai surprisingly muses, having heard from Asuma of the silver-haired Jōnin's burdens. Maybe it really was a good idea they all went behind Kakashi's back to have the Hokage order the strong shinobi to become a sensei. It's not that shinobi don't understand his loss and grief, but it was becoming clear to his friends that Kakashi wasn't moving on from the deaths of Obito and Rin, years after the fact. "When I heard he'd been privately instructing Uchiha-kun, I was worried Kakashi-sensei was being unfair but I'm glad-"

"WHAT-" Naruto starts but immediately chokes on a nice chunk of beef. After beating on his chest a few times, the chunk of half-chewed meat is dislodged from throat to plate. Though repulsed, Kurenai can't help but wonder about the strong reaction as a teary-eyed Naruto yells, "he's been teaching Sasuke-teme on the side?! How come? For how long? What about me and Sakura-chan?"

His wide eyes of disbelief and angered brows easily tells Kurenai he had no idea his sensei was providing extra training to one of them and tries to clarify, "didn't you just say… wasn't Kakashi-sensei the one who told about your chakra reserves and your tenketsus?"

"No!" Naruto bellows. "I had to find that out on my own! What the hell? I ask him all the time to train me outside of team stuff, and he never does. It's always like, '_if I have time,_' but he never has time. I never knew he was training Sasuke-teme. This sucks!"

Rather surprised by the unexpected outburst, Kurenai searches for the best words to ease the irate genin. Knowing Kakashi's bloody history, Kurenai understands the senior Jōnin is likely experiencing some form of shame-birthed debt toward the last Uchiha. Deep regret over his fallen teammate, Obito, which Kakashi likely feels he can only atone for through personally training and guiding Uchiha-kun. While there may be an understandable reason, Kurenai can't help but feel for Naruto. In the boy's eyes, it just looks like favoritism toward his class's Rookie of the Year.

"Well, Naruto," she starts, deliberately using his name to calm him a bit. "It seems to me like you're going in the right direction. Mastering chakra control is absolutely key to becoming a great shinobi. There isn't a great warrior alive who has terrible chakra control." She adds an easy smile but it barely phases the upset blond, so she continues, "also, I bet Uchiha-kun can't use Kage Bunshin. It's a difficult technique to learn, not to mention very dangerous."

"Huh?" Naruto abruptly questions coaxing him a little out of agitation. "Dangerous how?"

Kurenai pauses again, wondering if this blond oddity is actually using a technique without knowledge of its harmful disadvantages. "The physical ramifications of dispelling your clones." At his blank stare she continues to further explain, "after the amount of information or experiences is transferred back to the original, it affects you physically in harmful or potentially lethal ways. It can easily be too much for the mind to handle. Many shinobi have gone insane, destroyed their chakra circulation system, or become brain dead from overuse. Some have even died. It's why Kage Bunshin is a forbidden jutsu and any shinobi that can use it are warned to never keep it active for longer than ten to fifteen minutes."

"Huh, I didn't know that," he comments noncommittally.

"How could you not know the side effects of such a dangerous jutsu? Didn't Kakashi-sensei warn you how overuse could kill you?"

"Mnn, now that I think about it, I don't remember him ever telling me about that," Naruto ponderously feeds back. "But then again, I keep my clones out for way longer than fifteen minutes, so I never bothered to ask him."

Setting aside Kakashi's potentially fatal negligence, she focuses on his declaration of, '_way longer than fifteen minutes._' "...How much longer?" she asks, growing more and more vexed by this conversation. It's either an extreme lack of guidance and responsibility on Kakashi's part, or this blue-eyed blond is a baffling fool.

"It varies really," he starts, garishly chewing on his steak with a happy hum. "But generally for several hours, like five or six, I guess," he easily answers.

"That's not possible," Kurenai staggers to say, eyes wide with healthy skepticism. "You've would've long been brain dead, if not dead-dead after half an hour!"

"Uh, I don't know about all that but I always have clones training," Naruto tells her. "Even before we... _you know_, I sent out twenty clones to train and only dispelled them a couple minutes ago."

Kurenai had long since put her utensils down, in awe at the tremendous discovery she stumbled upon, but now she has to get up and pace, only stopping to make absolutely certain. "You're sure?"

"Sure about what?"

Frustrated, she answers, "that you can keep your clones activated for more than five hours!"

"Oh. Yup," he answers.

She paces again but remembering her hunger she picks up her plate of salad for the ride and eats as she paces. "Do you still have a headache?"

"Nope," he answers after swallowing his cut of steak. "Gone already."

"Amazing," she gasps, ignoring his happy chuckles. His body must be highly abnormal to be able to deal with such drastic side effects. The only theory she can think of thtat might provide an answer is the power of the Kyūbi, but she doesn't know nearly enough about that to make any educated conclusions. "This means that any experience or knowledge your clone... Kami," she gasp in awe. "With enough clones you could learn techniques that normally require years of training in a matter of weeks."

"Yup," Naruto calmly answers, focusing more on his steak than Kurenai's amazement.

Recalling their chase from his apartment, she asks for confirmation's sake, "have you learned Tree-walking?"

"Yeah," he answers between chewing.

"Water-walking?" she quickly asks.

"I fight against my clones on water all the time," he responds with a smile. "It's better than hitting the ground but man, am I tired afterward."

"Amazing," she answers letting out a huff of air. "So, what are you working on now?" It's the first time Kurenai has ever felt excited talking to Naruto. She just couldn't deny the ambitious sensei within was enthusiastic to hear his response.

A look of hesitant nervousness blooms across his face. "Sorry, Nai-ch- er, Kurenai-chan," she rolls her eyes at his slip as he continues to say, "it's sort of a secret right now, but, I can tell you it's really awesome!"

"I don't think you realize how amazing this is Uzumaki-"

"Naruto!" he interrupts. "Everyone calls me Naruto."

"…Naruto," she easily concedes, interested only in advancing the conversation. "With proper guidance, you could be one of the strongest shinobi in the nation." As a sensei and strong inheritor of the Will of Fire, it's not hard, by any stretch of the word, to marvel at his potential and envision his future.

"That's the plan," he exclaims with glee. "Watch, I'm going to be the greatest Hokage ever!"

'…_Holy shit!_' her mind explodes. It's been soo easy to ignore his thoughtless boasting as delusional wish-fulfillment, but at the moment, there's a real possibility he may, in fact, be able to achieve his dream '…_with training, of course. How can that idiot Kakashi ignore this?_' To ignore or not see something this massive, Kurenai has to wonder if the silver-haired elite even cares about their village at all. She's big enough to admit she never cared for the boy, but it's not like he's been shy or hiding his desire to learn. It only took her a few questions to see his potential. '_And Kakashi's had so much more time and opportunity to ask!_'

Kurenai is already making plans to talk with the copy-ninja when her earlier intent to make sure Uzumaki-kun stays content pops to the forefront of her mind. The blond would obviously feel more grateful, possibly even indebted to her if she helped train him where his own sensei has failed. Though there is a well practiced, yet unwritten rule that states, unless the primary sensei asks for the assistance, then another sensei approaching the student is widely considered unacceptable. It wouldn't be a good situation for Kurenai if her training Naruto ever came to light, but it's not any worse than what they've already done in the dark. As long as everything remains secret, there shouldn't be any issues.

As she paces the room, automatically eating her salad, she's struck with the ultimate deciding factor. If Uzumaki-kun does ever make it to Hokage level, that may be the ultimate service she can provide the village. Her Will of Fire has always been about guiding the future shinobi of the village—it's why she's trying so hard for Hinata-chan. Helping Uzumaki-kun is such an obvious extension of that drive, it only makes sense to guide him; unwritten rule be damned.

Turning to the boy as he finishes the last ounce of the once-large-steak with a satisfied smile on his face and sauce on the corners of his mouth, she's momentarily stunned. She hasn't even finished her salad yet. "Someone was hungry," she comments, before moving on. "Uzu- Naruto-kun, if- …would you like it if I helped you?"

"You're already helping me," he inquisitively tilts his head, then his cheeks redden as he quietly adds, "and I probably like it more than ramen! …probably."

A light blush coats her cheeks at the memory of their activities but she moves forward. "I meant with your training. You said you'd like to keep your current training a secret for the moment, but if I promise you I wouldn't reveal it to anyone, would you like me to help you?" He's stunned speechless, almost laughably so. His eyes widen, his jaw slacks just enough for his mouth to open and his shoulders slump as he drops his fork. "Come now," she says with a small smile. "It's not so shocking that a sensei would like to help a genin become stronger."

He tries to laugh, but it's a pitiful sound as he shuts his eye-lids, squeezing out a small bit of moisture as he says with a croaky voice, "yeah, you're right." He tries to hide how he wipes his eyes with the cloth napkin that wipes his mouth, but she easily spots it, making her wonder just how alone the blond bundle of energy has been. "Um, let me think about it and I'll get back to you."

She nods and grabs her dish and glass to take to the sink as she asks him over her shoulder, "if you're done, can you bring me your plate and cup?" "_Mnn_," she hears him hum as he grabs his dirty tableware.

Walking up behind her, Naruto can't help but admire the gorgeous ebony-haired beauty who's taking such an interest in him. To Naruto, who has so few precious people whom care about him, it was furthermore unbelievable simply because it was a woman. Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji, Iruka-sensei were all males he could completely be himself around. With the exception of Ayame-nee-chan, Kurenai was the only female who doesn't seem to mind being with him. He was beginning to believe that he's actually gained another precious person; someone beautiful, strong, clean, who talks smarter than almost everyone he knows.

Further focusing his gaze to the lithe gesture of her spine as it travels down to her round rump that no thin pajamas could ever hide, Naruto's gaze locks on the perfect roundness of her rear cheeks, making his pants feel much tighter as he quickly stiffens. He sets his plate and cutlery on the counter as she starts washing, and then hugs her from behind, quickly taking in the alluring scent of her long moist hair, and sexy softness of her body. As the top of his head only reaches her nose, his arms easily belt around the underside of her breasts, lifting them so they rest lusciously on his forearms.

"Uzumaki-kun," she gasps, bracing herself on the counter as she easily feels his rigid hardness grind just under her bubble bottom.

"I won't let you down Kurenai-chan," he confidently pronounces.

Taking a moment to absorb the weight of his confident claim, she simply responds, "let's both do our best." When she feels his grinding become more impassioned, his hands cup her breasts and gentle lips on the skin of her back, she has to pull away, but he holds on. The moisture rising between her legs forces her to half turn in his embrace. She puts a hand on his shoulder, telling him, "wait." He doesn't let go but he stops grinding his thick erection against her, looking straight up at her, pupils dilated and unmistakable hungry for her.

"We got a little sidetracked," she tells him, not pushing him away but ensuring he doesn't progress anymore. "But, we still have to talk about how things between us are going to go moving forward."

"You... you're still going to train me right?" Naruto nervously asks, obviously dreading a horrible response.

'_Does he always wear his emotions on his sleeve?_' she thinks as she feels him tighten his grip a little. '_Oh well, there are worst things,_' she mentally sighs with reason before responding, "short answer... … … …yes. I... Oh, Kami, I can't believe I'm saying this," and struggles to add, "I'm... _willing…_ to continue… what we're doing."

His face lights up with the biggest smile she's ever seen from him, and just as he's about to cheer, hug her, or possibly, fuck her to death, she loudly adds, "However, I want to be clear here. If we move ahead with this... arrangement, there will be no confusion about where the lines are drawn. We have to have boundaries or it's just shameful depravity. The only way I'm willing to continue is if we establish rules, so, take a seat and we'll discuss them after I finish cleaning."

He looks like he doesn't want to let go but eventually does, crosses the index and middle fingers of each hand and speaks, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Three exact clones of himself pop into existence from a cloud of white smoke. Naruto takes her hand and heads into the sitting room as he tells his copies, "clean up in here and dispel after. Thanks!"

"You got it, boss," she hears one call out as she allows Uzumaki-kun to lead her away, but only until she realizes his destination is upstairs, after which she halts his pull. Stopping before reaching a single step, she pulls him back and brings him to the couch in the sitting room instead. Due to the open curtains, it's less private than her room which means he'll have to behave.

He looks disappointed but since he might be a sex fiend for her, she isn't worried. "The rules," she starts. "At its essence, you asked me to teach you how to be a good or better lover, so that's what this will continue to be; a course of study with practical experience. That means I'm your sensei, and you are my student. I'll lay out how each session will go and what you'll be learning. So, first rule is always do as your sensei tells you. If I tell you to stop, you stop. Will that be a problem for you?"

"Um, I don't think so," he comments as he tries to think ahead. "Will you still feel good, and will you tell me if I'm making you feel good? I really like..." Kurenai notes how easy it is for him to get aroused as he swallows and continues saying, "how you look and feel when- when you c-cum."

A blush grows hot on her own cheeks and the not-so-gentle reminders of all her orgasms this afternoon begins to dampen the panties between her tense legs. He catches her legs tighten together before she crosses them. Even though she's in her pajamas, he's seen her nubile body and she can easily see her clothes hide nothing from his eager eyes. Palming his hot cheek to raise his eyes to look directly into hers, she answers his question. "I don't think you have to worry about whether I'll feel good or not. I don't, um, foresee a problem there. And yes, I will be more... informative about the whys and hows of what you do and how it might make a girl feel."

"Oh, sweet," he says with a grin. "What else?"

"Second rule and this is very important," she states and he nods in rapt attention. "You will stop climaxing inside of me. Unless I specifically say otherwise, we will be using condoms from here on."

"Um," he bemoans as he tries to counter. "But, it feels really really good this way."

"I don't care," she easily tells him. "I may be on the pill but there's always a one percent chance I could get pregnant, and with the sheer quantity of your ejaculation, I'd rather not take that risk. As for the feeling, I'm sure it'll feel just as good. This is a deal breaker for me so without a condom, nothing happens, got it?"

He huffs, somewhat defeated and simply nods.

"Third rule. This very intimate and physical thing we're doing, is not, I repeat, **not** about love," she declares. "At least not romantic love. We can respect one another, protect one another, maybe in the future become good friends, but we will never be a romantic couple. Even though we have sex or kiss, or do many other intimate things, that does not mean we'll go on dates, get married, or anything like that. I'm teaching you the art of pleasure so you can use these skills either for the good of the village, such as on missions or for the special girl you one day decide to marry. Does all of that make sense to you? I don't want to break your heart because you were hoping we might become romantic one day."

He looks dejected throughout her explanation, but also thoughtful, as if he's truly trying to puzzle out what she needs him to understand. After several moments of deep thought, he asks her, "will you be okay?"

"What do you mean," she asks genuinely confused, hoping he's not cocky enough to suggest she'd fall in love with him.

"I uh, have a girl I really really like, who would make me the happiest guy in the world if she liked me back… but she doesn't. If we weren't teammates I think she might actually hate me, so, I'm definitely happy that I have this with you. But, what about your love? I don't want you to miss out on the love of your life any more than I'd want to miss out on mine… if she was actually interested I mean."

'_He doesn't know,_' she thinks as her stomach becomes a little weak. '_How could he know,_' she questions as her chest constricts and her throat goes dry. '_The cheers of the world outside was so easy to ignore until this moment,_' and she wants to cry again, though not simply because of her recently fractured and sore heart, but because in addition to that, this boy isn't so possessive as to deny her love for someone else solely to stay with him. Kurenai can't be absolutely sure he means it but all her psychological training is telling her that he doesn't seem like the type to hide or be deceptive; hell, even when he can't tell her something, he doesn't lie to cover it up. He simply tells her he can't say.

Compartmentalizing is easy for Kurenai's mind and she keeps it together as she tells the blue-eyed blond, "that's sweet of you to say-"

"I mean it Kurenai-chan," he tells her firmly, balling his fists. "You're a precious person to me now, so I want you to be happy too." He stands on his feet to boldly announce, "I know I asked for this, but if you ever find someone you can love, than you absolutely have to be with him."

Kurenai almost snorts and holds back a sad pitiful laugh. '_How can this boy, with all the seriousness he can muster tell me that with a straight face?_' she mentally ponders. '_Because he doesn't know_,' her mind then easily answers. '_And it's not like he actually positioned himself between Asuma and I. A princess accepted that position happily._' Kurenai realizes her constant heartache for Asuma shouldn't be placed on Naruto's doorstep. '_Heartbreaking hopes with Asuma, too much alcohol and bad decisions led me here. Even now, this boy has little to do with my heart, but at the very least, he's opened my eyes to even more I can do in service to my village_.'

She can almost feel great honor in turning the Dead Last of the latest graduates into one of the strongest shinobi's the village has ever produced, and while this isn't how she would've ever decided to accomplish that, Kurenai knows her father would say, '_it is what it is but more importantly, what we make of it._' It'll take Kurenai time for her heart to mend, but at least with Hinata-chan, Team Eight and now Naruto-kun, she won't have much time to obsess over her gnawing pain.

"Naruto, thank you," she says with a mild but very real smile. "I believe you, and if I ever feel I might find happiness with someone, I'll let you know." He was being sweet and her smile was genuine until she realized he hasn't sat back down because of the cleavage she was showing. His eyes look dark and she can practically see his brain function slipping away for his clear desire of her.

"Naruto, calm down," she tells him with little success. "As your sensei, you promised to do as I say, so calm down," she commands.

Naruto's eyes lighten and clear of its lustful fog, but he looks wounded, and he's still erect. "I... sorry. I just- I really _really_ want to be inside you again. It's hard just looking at you."

"I... thank you," she blushes at how blunt with his desires he is. "I know it feels good but, we had a lot of sex this afternoon, and a grand majority of woman tend to be sore, or tender down there after such long and repeated sessions. They need time to heal." That seemed to do the trick as he takes a step back worried, asking, "I didn't hurt you, did I? I'm so sorry, Nai-chan. I didn't know!"

"No, no, you didn't hurt me, but I am quite sore," she eases him while omitting the pleasant humming of it. "It's not a bad soreness but we shouldn't do any more today."

"Oh," he sighs, adjusting his pants. "I understand," he sadly says.

For the briefest moment, she thought of comforting him with her mouth, but quickly shoved that thought aside. It isn't necessary to his education at the moment, and more than that, he needs to learn self-control. Still, something is better than nothing, and she gives him a little hope by telling him, "however, I'll feel better tomorrow and I can teach you more then."

"Really?!" he yells catching her off guard. "Really, really?"

"Yes," she answers him with a smile, but stipulates, "we'll meet at your place an hour before midnight. Less chance of being seen that way."

He hugs her for a long time, eventually taking in the scent of her hair and rubbing her back. "Clearly you have a lot of energy to burn," she notes, interrupting his rising arousal by standing and moving towards the front door. "So I'll make you a bet. You go train, and if you make any significant progress in your secret training, I'll give you a treat I'm sure you'll really like."

His eye bulge like saucers and he's out the door in seconds, much to her amusement.

NARUTO

Naruto mastered Rasengan that night.

* * *

So if you haven't guessed, Kurenai is in. I've mapped out some of the trajectory of this fic and I feel like the first leg of this thing will be Kurenai and Ino while I slowly work in the other girls and their perspectives. Sakura and Temari would get the focus after Kurenai and Ino, followed by Tenten and one other. Hinata won't be until I've made her more confident and strong. I think adding to the harem two girls at a time will just make it easier for me to fly right through the writing.

That reminds me, a couple of you asked how I write so much in a short amount of time. The answer is a note book I always carry around with me, kind of like Bee when he thinks of a rhyme for his rapping. That's basically the first draft which is a horrid mess. Re-writing it in the computer cleans it up a bit but not much as I add more. That's draft two. Draft three trims the fat and finesses the flow of reading-sometimes I say things over and over. Then I shelve it while I write out the following chapter before I go back to it, edit it again for grammar and misspellings then i post. Simple.

Next chapter is THE MISSION TO WAVE! So I thought I'd mention a change that I lightly touched on in this chapter. To make my job easier, I'm just going to say Naruto is the Jinchūriki of a steadily powering to the max Kurama. I know Minato had to use the Reaper Death Seal and that requires two souls—The caster's and the caster's target's soul—which means half of Kurama and all of Minato, but for this fic I don't think that part of canon will be necessary. That's not to say I don't like the idea of Minato coming back but honestly that's such a long way away I just don't see myself going there. As I don't think I'll be writing myself into a corner, I'm just going to cut that out. If some of you wanted to see two Kurama's, sorry.

Thanks again and let me know what you think. Have a great one,

-Grae


	10. 10Time May Tell

I AM SO SORRY, FRIENDS! I know I said the next chapter would be the Escort Mission to Wave, but some things I initially thought didn't need much explaining, quickly ballooned to a hefty size and I had to add other things as well and before you know it, I have an unexpected chapter all its own.

But do not worry, dear readers, because I also wrote the first part of the Escort mission that I will post tomorrow, so, not a long wait.

Since Game of Thrones is FINALLY coming back, I decided to post these chaps early so I can properly geek out this Sunday. I even requested out of work which is completely unprofessional of an AGM, but EFF it! It's Game of Freakin Thrones! Sorry. Rant over.

Enjoy!

* * *

NARUTO

"Naru-nii!" Naruto yells excitedly. '_**Ow,**_' Naru-nii yelps as Naruto continues to say, "that's gotta be the best technique EVER!"

'_**Wait... you mastered it?**_' Naru-nii asks with disbelief. '_**You really mastered Rasengan?**_'

"Damn right I did," he excitedly claims. "I couldn't sleep—just had way too much energy, so with Kurama's chakra I made a ton of clones and we trained all night. I've been blowing holes in trees all morning! If I ever peg someone with this, they're history!"

'_**Great job! Hell, man, I think you learned it a lot faster than I did**_,' Naru-nii happily remarks. '_**Though, I didn't know about the way my clones could help me train until years after I**__**'d already learned it... which really bums me out, actually.**_'

"Yeah! I thought Kakashi-sensei might've told me all about Kage Bunshin, but it was Kurenai-chan that told me about the side effects. Actually, I need to talk to you about her." Naruto tells Naru-nii about the day before about how much more involved she'll be in his life as well as her offer to help him train.

'_**…I've always been told I was lucky, but I never believed it till now,**_' Naru-nii mumbles, and Naruto even hears a slight sniff.

"Naru-nii?" Naruto calls worrisomely.

'_**Right, you lucky fox,**_' Naru-nii states after clearing his throat and focusing on business. '_**Mnn, from what I remember, Kurenai-sensei was always wicked smart,**_' Naru-nii recalls aloud. '_**She's a genjutsu master, which is really hard to do. Team Eight have always been pretty strong, so I know she's a good sensei.**_'

"_Pfft_," Naruto's tongue out spits. "Who isn't a good sensei compared to Kakashi?"

'_**Trust me, I know how much it sucks that he's training Sasuke-**_'

"Damn right it does," Naruto protests. "AND he never told me about Kage Bunshin training!" Naruto interjects.

'_**Yes, yes, AND his not telling you about Kage Bunshin training,**_' Naru-nii humors his younger self. '_**But even still, you're doing crazy good too, way better than me at that age. I know you want them to acknowledge your strength, but the most important reason for that strength is to protect your friends, your precious people and most importantly, the love of your life... Kurenai-sensei-**_'

"Traitor!" Naruto calls as he hears Naru-nii laughing his ass off. "You know Sakura-chan is always in my heart!"

'_**I know, I know, I'm only teasing**_,' he jests with a laugh. '_**It's just... man, I can't believe it! Kurenai-sensei!**_'

"I'll forgive you this time," Naruto admonishes humorously. "And only because I completely get it. I love Sakura-chan, but Kurenai-chan… that's a woman!"

'_**That, and someone willing to help you get stronger,**_' Naru-nii states easing off the playful banter. '_**She's someone we need to protect, so I'm going to make sure you're strong enough to protect everyone.**_'

"Yeah," Naruto agrees, his tone turning more serious. "It's the promise of a lifetime!"

'_**Damn right it is!**_' Naru-nii calls with just as much enthusiasm.

Naruto then asks, "so, what do you think about Kurenai-chan helping us? I really, _reaaallly_ think she should… you know cuz she's smart and all."

Naru-nii laughs heartily. '_**Yeah, I bet you do. Um, I don't think it's a bad idea, but I still think we should be careful. If she starts wondering how you know things you shouldn't, it might turn out bad for everyone and get in the way of training. You won**__**'t be able to help anyone if you're locked in an interrogation cell.**_'

"Meh, I bet it'll be fine," Naruto responds confidently. "So, what do I tell her when she asks how I learned Rasengan?"

Naru-nii is silent. '_**… Damn**_,' the future-Naruto curses. '_**Uhh, I'm not sure if you can. It's not written down in any scrolls and the only two people alive that know it are Ero-sannin and Kakashi-sensei.**_'

"So then what do I say when I use it?" Naruto wonders aloud, recalling his many daydreams of using his new jutsu to save princesses from evil warlords. "When I use it in front of Kakashi-sensei or if Ji-chan finds out, wouldn't they ask me how I learned it?"

'_**...that's a good question,**_' Naru-nii slowly admits, seemingly lost in thought. '_**I can't believe I hadn't thought of that. I was just super focused on training you, I hadn't thought what others might say, you know?**_'

"Soo…" Naruto sounds, leaving it open-ending for Naru-nii to fill.

'_**Hey, why am I doing all the thinking here,**_' Naru-nii retorts. '_**You help too. We**__**'re both pranksters, dattebayo.**_'

Rolling his eyes, Naruto asks, "mnn, can't someone have told us?"

'_**Hmm, if we said somebody taught us- well, taught you, than we'd have to say who they are. And we definitely can't say either Ero-sannin or Kakashi taught us cause I'm sure they**__**'ll deny it if Ji-chan asked them. If we say we learned it from a scroll, I'm sure you'll have to, if not hand it over, than at least show them proof.**_'

"Mnn, mmn," Naruto hums in agreement before asking, "can't I just say I taught myself?"

'_**Well, you could,**_' Naru-nii skeptically assuages, adding, '_**I doubt they'd believe you, especially when you consider who the jutsu belongs to...**_'

"-The fourth Hokage," Naruto finishes.

'_**Exactly,**_' Naru-nii confirms before an idea forms in his time-distant head. '_**Now that I think about it, there might actually be a way to kind of explain this, or at least make it impossible to prove otherwise.**_'

SAKURA

Naruto had left her thirty minutes ago after Sakura begged for a two hour break. They'd been training since she found him in Training Ground 28 at nine in the morning. Even with her perfect chakra control fueling her attacks in the most efficient way possible, her endurance is so pitiful, she can never outlast him. She spent the last thirty minutes on the grass, sore, sweaty, panting, and hungry.

Despite how difficult training with Naruto is, Sakura can't say she hates it. She's noticed the differences from day to day, and she can proudly say she's getting better. Every day she can do just a little bit more, and after a week of constant training with the idiot, she's not dreading it as she had in the beginning. She still hates Naruto, but the training, at the very least, is a clear benefit.

Still, she needs to get up, head home, take a shower, and finish the first report for Ino on 'Obsessive Love.' Staying away from Sasuke-kun was an ever-present gnawing pain eating away at her intestines. While training with Naruto was a constant feeling of failure—not simply as a woman, but as a kunoichi—the most difficult rule for Sakura to follow is composing the report Ino expects. With a comprehensive analytical mind, Sakura can't help but pick up on patterns and cues, assign memory markers, and compare discrepancies between her personal experiences and the text she's reading. For some odd reason, they were claiming the expression of her love for Sasuke-kun was unhealthy.

It was ridiculous to her. Clearly, they didn't understand, which made writing the report all the more difficult. As the Kunoichi of the Year, Sakura has written many reports, all of which received perfect grades. It was easy with her memory and now that perfect recall has been tarnished with this poisonous psycho-babble. However, despite her denial, the research Ino is making her write stayed in her mind, taunting the purity of her emotions. There's actually a disorder called Obsessive Love Disorder and Sakura remembers it all:

'_Obsessive Love has addictive qualities, such as speaking extensively about the object of their love, making repeated advancement toward the object of their love, alienating friends and family for the sake of the object of their love, self-destructive/self-sacrifice for the object of their love, a tendency to feel extremely good or extremely bad depending on the attitude of the object of their love, an inability to focus on one__'s social, educational, or familial responsibilities outside the object of their love._'

Sakura was forced to read, memorize, and even use her own life as examples for each warning sign, effortlessly forcing her sharp mind to recall exact examples. Sakura remembers talking to everyone about Sasuke-kun. Her parents, in particular, would never hear the end of everything she'd seen Sasuke-kun do in the academy that day. She'd always ask Sasuke-kun if he wanted to go shopping, for a walk, to breakfast, to lunch, to dinner, training, anything she could think he might say yes to. Likewise, anyone who also loved Sasuke-kun was naturally her enemy. In addition, anyone who didn't support her love for Sasuke-kun became impediments she couldn't allow; this included practically every personal relationship she had—not that she had many. Sakura recalls ignoring her father when he cautioned her to concentrate less on a boy and more on her studies.

'_Ino became your rival overnight_,' a voice adds.

Naturally, Sakura would sacrifice her life for Sasuke-kun, but can that really be called obsessive? The Hokage loves the village and everyone knows he would gladly lay down his life for theirs. How is Sakura any different? If Sasuke-kun hated something, she hated it too. Sakura heard he liked long hair and she let hers grow out. Naruto, in particular, felt her fists more times than she can count for his every slight against Sasuke-kun.

Sakura felt miserable—her insides dead and decaying. Day in and day out, she hurt at the direction her life is being forced to take all because of Ino. Sakura had devised a few plans to steal the blackmail material, but of course, she couldn't be sure if she got them all or if Ino made copies, which meant the risk Sasuke-kun would learn of her shame. She thought of personally speaking with the Hokage, pleading that he discreetly demand the embarrassing photos from the Yamanaka. But of course, Ino can lie and say she doesn't know what they're talking about, which would become a she-said-she-said, or Ino could spread the photos before they're retaken. There were just too many variables that would end with each plan breaking her heart.

And that would destroy her ultimate goal; Making sure her love for Sasuke-kun survived. If Sakura has to spend some time with the blond ball of energy and not ask Sasuke-kun out, then she'll do it. As long as there's a slim chance she can beat this blackmail, her love remains viable in the long run. For now, Sakura puts all her anxiety and frustrations into training. It's the best and only method for coping with this waking nightmare.

As much as she hates to admit it, she is getting something out of this indentured servitude. And for some reason, she's actually learning from Naruto. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have learned her elemental affinity was Earth with a minor in Water. Having explained his leaf training, she was actually fascinated. How the Dead Last of their class is training in nature manipulation years—possibly decades—before it's feasible is beyond her. Sakura was sure she wasn't ready for that kind of training and even pondered if Sasuke-kun is. She simply didn't have the reserves or endurance for that kind of intense conditioning, which actually warmed Sakura to the possibility that Naruto isn't quite the hopeless idiot she always assumed he was.

Though she felt like asking him questions, Sakura just couldn't allow herself to engage with the blond to that extent. There's no telling how he'll take it and the last thing she wants is for him to constantly hit on her again.

'_Like how you had with Sasuke-kun,_' a stupid voice in her head patiently asks. Squeezing her eyes shut, Sakura grips her un-conditioned and dirty hair and screeches to the open skies above. '_I__'m dying_,' she thinks, hating her thoughts, hating her memories, and hating Ino most of all. '_This is death!_'

INO

Ino slumps pacified into her mattress, burying her head into her pillow to stifle her screams of pleasure as her second orgasm rocks her quivering sensitivity. '_OOhhhhhh, that wassss,_' she mentally groans as her fluid thoughts melt into the sugary hum of the tail-end of her orgasm. Returning to her senses, she unclasps the photo bent out of shape in her tight grip, adding yet more folds to the image of her-as-Sakura sucking Naruto's dick.

Ino's grown accustomed to this daily ritual, dutifully performed at the bare minimum, three times a day—before and after sleep, and at some point in the middle of the day. Initially the dreams and memory were more than abundant stimulation to reach her gushing peaks, however, with every passing day, she could feel the potent effect dwindle little by little. It wasn't until her manipulation of Sakura, when that excitement shot up near the level of the first week after her deflowering.

She should absolutely hate what she had done with Naruto, and to an extent, she does, however, it was and wasn't of her own volition, strange as that sounds. Ino knows she wouldn't have ever done that with Naruto, but she did, and only because she felt out of control with her arousal. So despite knowing she should hate it, her conditioned mind can never get around the painfully honest fact that she really _really_ wanted it to happen. Not necessarily with him, but she certainly loved the feeling to rip through her again; shredding her pleasure centers to white oblivion. Ino couldn't help wanting to pass out, squeezing a solid dick so hard it feels like she's trying to swallow him.

'_Calm down, Ino,_' her mind huffs, already feeling her excitement build at the thought of Naruto's dick filling her unprotected womb with his baby-batter. To this day she can't figure out why that overwhelming feeling of ecstasy struck her, but it had and she forced Naruto to satisfy her carnal cravings. It's this very fact that keeps her from truly hating him, or what happened. It's why she now pleasures herself every day.

Ino worries she might be a sexual deviant, a pervert; the very thing all women instinctively hate about men. This internal revelation disturbed her like nothing else has, forcing her to constantly wonder, '_can girls be perverts too?_' Ino knows women gossip and play, sure but that is not an image for the general public. Unlike men, women respect themselves too much to catcall, peep, stalk, or steal underwear. And while she doesn't feel the need to catcall, peep or stalk Naruto, she knows that somehow he had changed her, possibly opened up a part of her she never knew existed, or may not have learned existed until much later in her years.

She was a girl before—a ninja as well, extensively trained in the elementary stages of the art of killing… or catching stupid cats—but now she was a woman; awakened with needs she didn't know how to completely deal with. She felt much better than the first week after being with Naruto, but her mind was holding on to those images, those sounds, and those intense feelings she experienced with him. Her mind was replaying them every night and her body reacted to them every time. Setting down the bent photo, Ino is starting to wonder what else might help her explore her salacious curiosity… what more there is to learn about her body… and how much she may end up liking it…

KURENAI

"I mean it, Anko," Kurenai adamantly reminds her best friend as they walk the streets of Konoha's bar block. Kurenai is wearing her sexy berry-red cocktail mini-dress with bustier-style cups and narrow shoulder straps. "One drink, and only if Asuma isn't there."

"Come on, where's the trust," Anko—wearing a shoulder cutoff leather-up bodycon dress, showing plenty of cleavage and fishnet stalkings—playfully asks with a sly grin. "Can't two sexy ass friends just hang out at the bar and make every guy drooling over us tend to our every alcoholic need?" At Anko's insistence, they were certainly dressed to kill sobriety and end marriages.

Kurenai can't help but smile broadly at her friend. The red-eyed beauty always felt they had an odd dynamic. Anko's certainly not someone she ever thought she would be close friends with, but Kurenai is happy they absolutely are. "I've had my fill of alcohol as of late," Kurenai says, pondering the liquid-cause of, and solution to, all her lingering woes. From the heartache of Asuma to the ecstasy of Naruto, Kurenai asserts, "I think I need to take it easy for a bit."

"I don't care if it's one drink or ten; water or sake," Anko tells her friend confidently. "I just want to hang with my number one babe. I hadn't seen that perfect ass of yours in weeks and I'm going through withdrawals." Anko pinches Kurenai's round cheek as a group of civilian men, already drunk on their blundering feet try to holler for a grab themselves. Anko easily ignores them as she whips out a kunai, spins it in the air like a propeller before effortlessly grabbing the handle and easily sliding it back in the lacy holster of her inner thigh. The civilian drunks sober up fast and moved away from the trained killers with purpose.

"I've missed you too," Kurenai says with a smile, bumping a smirking Anko's shoulder.

Kurenai notices the pause of conversation as Anko studies her, before curiously starting, "you know," in a serious, yet light tone. "I was expecting a lot worse."

Kurenai is certain she means Asuma, though still asks, "in what way?"

"Are you kidding," Anko snorts incredulously. "I know you were head-over-heels for him. To a room full of nosy Jōnin, that was never a secret and with this whole escort thing between him and that bitch-princess, I was expecting an emotional wreck to open the door… if you opened the door at all! Instead, your house is clean, not a single fucking snot-tissue anywhere, and if I'm being honest," Anko continues undeniably checking Kurenai's assets out. "You're looking kinda sexy."

"Anko," Kurenai calls mildly scandalized as she slaps her friend's shoulder to stop her from admiring her body. It's the afterglow she still feels from the tip of her ebony locks to her dainty toes. Kurenai hadn't realized how relaxed she was walking, possibly even sexy, until Anko said so.

Anko chuckles and grins hungrily at the raven-haired beauty. "Relax, I'm not hitting on you... unless you want me to-"

"Anko," Kurenai admonishes. Vividly recalling a couple of nights Kurenai experimented with Anko. Though fun to be sure, they both ultimately know their preferences.

"Alright, alright," Anko concedes, throwing her palms up in surrender. "Anyway, I was scared you might be depending on the training, you know? Using a mask, putting on a brave face while you bottle it all up. We both know how bad that can end up, but I'm not getting that vibe from you at all."

"I don't know what to tell you," Kurenai answers honestly. It's not as if she can confess how incredibly good her body feels after hours of sex with a genin. She still has trouble accepting it herself. It's not that Kurenai is free of her agonizing heartache, or able to stop the thoughts of Asuma from entering her mind every ten seconds, but she knows it won't conquer her. It's not unlike drowning for forty seconds and breathing for twenty. Terribly agonizing though it may be, it won't kill her. "I do hurt, Anko. I _am_ hurting… but I also feel like it won't last forever, you know what I mean?"

"Of course," Anko answers. "It means there's a shelf life on that self-imposed agony and that's a relief in and of itself."

"I have hope it won't last forever," Kurenai admits, woefully, wondering what that says about her love. She's lost herself in the pleasures of the flesh to forget about the suffering ache of her broken heart. Does tossing aside the pain for pleasure mean she also tossed her ability to love again? Kurenai feels that's an answer she won't learn without time and opportunity. Her emotions are still a wreck but her body is tingling and that's all it is for now. "Without that silver lining, I'd… well, I guess I would be an emotional wreck with a mountain of snot-tissues all over the place."

"I'm sorry this happened to you babe," Anko sympathetically asserts, wrapping her arm around Kurenai's slim waist. "But I'm glad you're not off the rails bat-shit crazy. Bitches like that annoy the fuck out of me. Like they can't survive without their man! Fucking bullshit."

Kurenai laughs at her friends irks. "Obviously I'm not content with how things are going with Asuma, but he was clear from the beginning. I just... I overextended I guess."

"Well," the busty kunoichi starts, hugging her friend by the hip. "Lucky for you Anko-nee-sama doesn't buy her friends boxes of tissues... she gets them boxes of condoms," she proclaims, snaking her hand from Kurenai's hip up to her soft breast for a hefty grip. "Anko!" Kurenai laughs, trying to hit her evading friend as Anko continues to say with cheer, "so, let's forget all about that miserable shit and get laid!"

"How about I try to forget, and you handle the rest," Kurenai counters with a smile, to which the shorter beauty groans in playful disappointment. "I'm sorry, Anko, but as I've already said, I still have training plans to do."

"Kami, they're fucking genin!" Anko states in great disbelief. "You don't need to put so much effort into their training. They got so much basic shit to learn, their entire first year is just an idiots guide to, how not to die from Tree-Walking. Just toss 'em a few scrolls and wish em the best of fucking luck."

With a humored huff, Kurenai shaking her head in playful disbelief, asserting, "how they ever overlooked your exemplary skills in educating future shinobi of the Leaf, I will never understand."

Anko nods with viral meaning, stating as fact, "it's like they can't see how easily scorn and torture build character. My brats would make Hokage for sure."

The mention of Hokage reminds her of Naruto. It's an odd feeling to know beforehand, to actually plan on going over to a genin's home for the purpose of guiding sexual exploration. Kurenai is neither excited nor disgusted by her physical arrangement with Naruto. It just is. She can't deny it's immoral or loveless, but she can't deny having already enjoyed sex with him on multiple occasions for several hours. She can't deny how mortified she would be if anyone found out, but she can't deny how thoroughly she enjoyed losing herself on his thick shaft. She may have misgivings about the whole affair, but she's still going to meet him, and it's more than likely she'll experience many orgasms because of it.

The arrangement she has with the young blond, though unofficial, isn't so different from the seduction training of elite reconnaissance and undercover work. She's aware Konoha employs such tactics of information gathering, though not as much as many other villages. She, herself was offered to serve the village in that capacity. Kurenai turned it down, though she knows Anko did it for a number of years. It's how the curvaceous kunoichi found her love and talent for torture.

In the end, Kurenai knows it's not a matter of the heartfelt intimacy, but of guilty cravings of the flesh. Intellectually, it may be better to go without such carnal hunger, but she's not hurting anyone, there is a clear benefit to the village, and more importantly, she can forget about Asuma and her hurt, if only momentarily.

Since Anko knocked on her door earlier, Kurenai's been wondering if she should tell her voluptuous friend. They keep secrets from each other; there's no way they can't with their profession. This, however, isn't a secret for the security of the village. This is personal. It's personal and many would say immoral. It has the potential to change their relationship forever and Kurenai's not sure she's ready for that.

The two beauties enjoy their night out—the men lusting around them, more so. As promised, Anko took them to one of the larger bars that cohabitate shinobi and civilian alike. They dance and though they drink, Kurenai has no more than two, no matter how many times Anko or hopeful bachelors try to persuade her otherwise. It's not long before their friends join them, and much too soon than she's ready for, Asuma walks through the door to the cheers and adulation of many of her peers in the bar—minus Anko, Yūgao, Kakashi, and Genma.

Kurenai is easily savvy to his awareness of her, but as the nauseous tightness of her stomach dreads the thought of actually speaking with him, she informs Anko, "I should get going."

Anko breaks away from a muscular hunk, protesting after Kurenai, "Aww come on. Just stay for a little while longer. You're going to have to be around each other eventually."

"Maybe," Kurenai agrees. "But not now."

Approaching between the sexy kunoichi, Genma asserts, "I'll walk you," moving to join Kurenai without her consent.

"I'll be fine," Kurenai conveys simply. "But thank you-"

"I insist," he counters amiably, stepping to the side to invite her to go first.

Aside from his assertiveness, she has no reason to doubt Genma. They've all known each other since they graduated from the Academy. While he's always been a bit aloof about his goals, he's always had her back. Kurenai simply nods, and as they leave the rowdy bar, she can feel '_his_' eyes on her back, like a concentrated ray of magnified sunlight. She ignores him as much as the clenching in her chest, not unlike how he disregarded her as Genma escorts her from the bar.

They walk to her home because she can't exactly tell him she's going to a genin's apartment to have copious amounts of sex. It's on the way back, on calmer streets, that he finally says, "he's being an idiot."

Asuma, Genma, Gai, Kakashi, Hayate, Yūgao, Anko and herself are not only peers but also friends which means that just because Asuma isn't there, doesn't mean his agent isn't and the raven-haired beauty truly doesn't want to deal with this right now. '_Genma is supposed to be my friend too,_' Kurenai thinks with growing irritation, asking with a little heat, "are you here to speak for him?"

"I won't deny there are a few things he wants you to know," Genma simply states. "And as one of his more sociable friends, I suppose I fill that role."

"I don't..." she starts but only sighs the end of her comment. Rethinking her reactive need to be defensive, she rather says, "It's unnecessary, Genma. You shouldn't have to."

"I want you to know," he returns.

"If it's all the same to you," she says with more heat in her tone. "I'd rather enjoy my night."

"I want you to know because... Because," he huffs a bit of laughter. "I guess I'm selfish in the end." She looks at him confused. He sets his eyes and takes her hand, ending their walk. As delicately as their calloused hands can, he holds her fingers rather than her whole hand before revealing, "he isn't going to marry the princess."

She's shocked, suddenly feeling the cold of the night as goosebumps spread throughout her irresistible body but he continues to say, "he told me himself."

"Genma… I…" '_don__'t know,_' she thinks as her emotions destabilize feeling more than she can process as he continues.

"But I don't think you should be with him," Genma tells her straightforwardly. "I want what's best for you, Kurenai, and though I care for you both, your happiness means more to me. I know him and I can say with confidence, he'll be fine if the two of you aren't an item. That's just the way he is. _You_ are one of a kind, beautiful in every way. I know this is sudden, but you amaze me. We lead dangerous, often short, lives and a future with him may not be worth it. All I ask is you consider the possibility someone else can love and cherish you the way you deserve."

He raises her hands to his warm lips and imparts a deep kiss on the back of each hand. As one of his long-time friends, Kurenai doesn't want to say anything she'd regret later, and so says nothing. As a kunoichi, she doesn't recoil from the non-threatening, flattering gesture but as a woman with an aching heart to protect, she's stunned by his affection. With all her intelligence, Kurenai can honestly say she wasn't expecting a confession from Genma. Even when he raises his warm hand to her cool left cheek. She says and does nothing as he turns and leaves.

Kurenai's sharp mind replays his words as her feet continue walking. Learning about Asuma's non-marriage was shocking enough but in the same minute, Genma pronounces his romantic interest in her. It consumes her mind as she automatically walks home, and is surprised to find Anko leaning against the front door.

Walking up to her friend, she can tell she's inebriated by the blush in her cheeks and her unfocused eyes. "Anko? What are you doing here?"

"I juss wanted to make ssure my best babe was okay," she says with a slur.

Before Kurenai can say more, Hinata-chan walks out with a glass of water and extends it to Anko. Having lied to her own father about training, the indigo-haired kunoichi arrived a day early, much to her welcome surprise. "Sensei, welcome back."

"Thank you Hinata-chan," Kurenai tells her student. "Go get ready for bed. I won't be back till late." With a short bow, Hinata-chan leaves and Kurenai nods to Anko to go.

"Thanks, kid," Anko says and slowly follows Kurenai. "So?" Anko asks as they slowly walk to Anko's apartment.

"I can't think about this right now," Kurenai states, having been attempting to make sense of the ways this is either right or wrong, exhausting or empowering, inconsequential or significant. Kurenai's emotions simply feel too raw, inflamed with aggravation, and her propensity to use her mind even on matters of the heart is failing her massively. It's just too overwhelming, and it's unlikely she can make the right decision like that, so Kurenai just breathes and walks.

"What'd he say," Anko asks with a bit of a snicker, adding, "not that I can't guess. No matter how cool he thinks he is, it's soo obvious to these chocolate eyes."

In a detached tone, Kurenai replays Genma's words verbatim as if she were reading a report rather than recounting a personal experience. "I recall having heard he had a crush on me when we were fourteen but nothing came of it. I suppose I can't say I'm entirely surprised by his affection," Kurenai figures aloud. "But his timing leaves a lot to be desired."

"Like an STD," Anko groans. "Cropping up at the worst time. But, you know, early bird _does_ get the worm, and he's been wanting to feed off yours for years now."

"Kami, Anko," Kurenai huffs with mild humor. "Do you have to paint such a vivid picture?"

"I'm nothing if not creative," Anko chuckles happily, Kurenai laughing with her. "And yet, he's not wrong about the job. Any mission could be our last."

"He also said Asuma isn't marrying the princess," Kurenai states. "Though I have no reason to doubt him, I just find it hard to believe."

"What a shitty asshole," Anko bellows incredulous. "What's his fucking deal, chucking all that shit on you? Just say the word babe, and I'll forsake all men with you... for a solid month. Sorry, but going without dick for any more than that and I'll likely rape someone."

Kurenai smiles despite her preoccupied mind. "Don't ever change Anko."

"Not a chance, babe," Anko states as they near Anko's rough accommodations. Anko could find a better home but her past is not easily forgotten among the village. While not neighbors, Naruto doesn't live far from Anko, making Kurenai ponder if she's just a sucker for the shunned. "You want to come in?" Anko asks. "I'm pretty sure I still got a bottle of the good stuff."

"Thanks, but I should be off," Kurenai relays.

"Come on, you told the kid, you'd be back late and everything," Anko protests, taking her friend's hand.

"I'm just going to train a bit," Kurenai assuages, squeezing Anko's hand as she discerns how different their definition of '_training_' is. "Take my mind off of things for a while."

Anko gives Kurenai a quick peck on the lips, "alrighty. Night babe."

Stepping in front of a disgusting red door, Kurenai wonders why Naruto lives here when it's leagues worse than Anko's place and he should be able to afford something better. Barely tapping twice, the door swings open. The golden-haired resident gives her the widest grin before he rushes forward and wraps her in a strong hug, planting his face between her lovely neck and shoulder. Her body shudders to feel his radiating warmth and toned muscles of his shinobi-body. Her sexy dress doing nothing to dampen the impregnating feel of him as she tells him, "wait, wait. Inside, inside, Naruto."

Rather than letting her free, he easily picks her up—to her humored surprise—and carries her in. "I'm so happy you came," he expresses jovially into her neck and ebony locks, forgetting the door as he walks into his apartment.

She closes the door with her free hand as she tells him, "I can see that. While there's nothing wrong with enthusiasm, this is still inappropriate."

Chuckling, he lowers her to solid footing but he doesn't let her go. He's beaming with a great smile as he immediately wants to know, "so, what's my treat? You said if I did good in my training, you'd give me a treat. What is it?"

The warmth of being so adoringly held doesn't outweigh how improper it is, so she reaches around her and unfastens his hands to pull away from his hug. Still, holding his hand, she leads him into the much cleaner apartment towards his old ratty couch—wondering what his personal attachment to the overly worn furniture might be before asking him, "does that mean you'd like me to help you train?"

"Sure! But you should probably know..." Naruto trails off after she plops him on the couch while she sits on the coffee table in front of him. Still wearing her berry-red, cocktail mini dress from her night out, the hem of the lace fabric rides up, nearly reaching the apex of her gorgeously crossed legs, showcasing a tremendous amount of toned thigh. Naruto's eyes grow incredibly dark, dilated pupils brazenly declaring his base want as he gazes at her beautifully crossed legs. Momentarily lost in need, they're close enough for Naruto to reach over, eager to touch her.

Kurenai grabs his hand as she sighs. '_This boy_,' she mentally utters. "Naruto, remember to control yourself."

He shakes his head but it does little to regain his control. "I... You just look so beautiful and sexy... it's hard. This is three hundred times worse than waiting for Ramen." Gazing at her with pleading eyes, he craves to know, "can- can we start now?"

Fixing her lustrous pitch-black mane behind her ear, Kurenai can't deny how flattering being wanted to this degree is, though she doesn't appreciate how disruptive it can be when they need to talk. Letting out another sigh, Kurenai stands—sashaying the hem of her skirt to cover as much thigh as she can—she answers, "we can't start just yet, but thank you for the compliment." Kurenai then takes him by the shoulders and rotates him in his seat, positioning him to face away from her before she sits on the couch behind him. "For now, let's talk like this. You were saying?"

Thrown off by how odd it is to be looking at his blank wall all the while talking to her, Naruto asks, "what?"

"You were saying I should know something? About your training?"

"Mnn, oh yeah," he exclaims. "Lately Sakura-chan's been training with me, so I don't know if that'll be a problem or not. We're still keeping this secret, right?" He asks the wall.

"Yes. Yes, we very much are, yes," she tells the back of the blond's head. "In fact, unless I say otherwise, don't ever reveal or even admit to what we're doing to anyone. If you do come across anyone who suspects, deny it and tell me right away, understand?"

"Got it," he answers. "…It's kinda weird talking to you like this."

"Whose fault is that," Kurenai returns. "Haruno-chan was the Kunoichi of the Year... how often does she train with you?"

"Hmm, before this week, we only ever trained during team meetings, but now we train together every day."

Thinking about the possibilities of the girl's change of attitude towards Naruto, Kurenai asks, "do you think she might be using training to spend more time with you?" Kurenai already knows Haruno-chan is of the same beliefs as most of the village when it comes to the Jinchūriki. It's possible the pink-haired girl isn't aware of a growing attraction.

"I don't think so," Naruto answers. "She tells me every day it's only about getting stronger and how much she loves Sasuke-teme," he says with a gag. Kurenai wonders about Naruto's love. From Kiba-kun, Kurenai knows about the Uchiha's popularity among kunoichi, and having seen his photo, she can understand the attraction. The future of Naruto's love seems destined for heartache. "I think she just wants to get stronger," he sullenly concludes.

"I don't feel that'll be much of a problem, then," Kurenai asserts. "Does she know about your secret training?"

She can hear his smile when he answers, "for the most part. She knows about my clone training and I told her I was working on shape manipulation, but she doesn't know what jutsu it is."

'_Chakra shape manipulation?_' Kurenai focuses on before curiously asking, "what jutsu is it?"

Forgetting why his back was to her, he abruptly turns around in sheer excitement, and eagerly exclaims, "it's the coolest jutsu ever! It's so awesome!" His fists are clenched from bubbling energy when his blue eyes are stunned by her sitting form. She's very seductively sat with her legs crossed, facing him with her elbow propped on the top of the couch and her head resting on the palm. With her other hand flat on the cushion between them, her breasts are more pronounced and he can't tear his eyes away. Her beautiful midnight black hair frames her gorgeous face and he swallows a large lump stuck in his throat. "It's- it's so awesome, it- it might be worth two- er, _three_ treats," he nervously tells her as his eyes feed on her alluring figure.

Kurenai rolls her eyes at having to deal with his arousal again but allows him to remain facing her. She snaps her fingers and gestures for him to look her in the eyes, repeating the interesting bit of his explanation. "Chakra _shape_ manipulation? As in changing the form and movement of chakra?" Still aroused he nods before she continues. "Though I hadn't expected you to be learning that quite so soon, I think one reward will more than cover any progress you may have made last night-"

"I mastered it," he quickly tells her, then clarifies, "well, I mean I can do the jutsu, it's just not quite battle ready yet- Ah! But that's more because I've never been in battle. But yeah, I mastered it! And it's really _really_ good! You'll be so amazed, I'm sure of it," says Naruto as he shuffles a little closer to her. "So, um, can we do... you know, something extra?"

It's painfully obvious what Naruto wants; to the point she's half amused and half annoyed. Kurenai takes a brave metaphorical step toward amused, and inquires, "does the jutsu have a name?" He nods vehemently. "Do you know it's rank? Because if it's anything less than a B, you can forget this whole-"

"It's an A-Rank, but honestly, it should be S-Rank," he interrupts inching closer to her. Feeling his radiating heat in tandem with his growing arousal, she again wonders about his body. '_No one should feel so warm_,' she thinks as she allows his eyes to trail up and down her tightly clad body.

Rather than move away from his growing lust, she instead looks at him suspiciously, curious about the details behind this A-rank jutsu he's mastered, especially since she very much doubts Kakashi had anything to do with it. It's possible that someone else is teaching Kakashi's student but even that seems unlikely. After she considers his reward proposal, she responds, "if—and that's a _**big**_ if—if this jutsu is something spectacular, I'll consider a more appropriate reward. Now, what did you master?"

"Promise?"

"I'm your sensei," she responds, ignoring the nature of the study. "Sensei's don't lie to their pupils."

With a huge grin on his face, Naruto hops away from her and around the coffee table. Looking around his clean apartment, he explains, "I'm not going to use it on anything in here, but believe me, it's crazy destructive."

"That's fine," she answers with an amused huff, as if she needed to actually see property damage as validity. "I know nearly all of Konoha's and even some enemy A-Rank jutsu."

With a nod, Naruto calls, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Lost as to the need for a clone, Kurenai watches on as, without any further hand seals, Naruto, with as serious an expression she's seen on any ninja mastering their skill, extends his palm forward. The clone seems like he's scratching the air above it, when—to her great surprise—blue wisps of visible chakra quickly grows into a solid sphere of spinning spirit energy. She can feel the extreme refinement of the dense chakra ball as he wills it into a perfect ball of energy. It nearly makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up when he calls, "Rasengan!"

Her bewilderment at the miracle in front of her couldn't last long enough. No matter how long she stared, it wasn't until Naruto allowed it to fizzle out did she snap out of her face-stricken awe. She hadn't even realized she was standing so close to him until he canceled the highest form of shape transformation there is. Though she's never seen the incredible jutsu developed by the Yellow Flash himself, it's fame is nearly as widespread as his Hiraishin no Jutsu. She'd even heard of Rasengan from Genma when he was part of the Fourth's guard platoon along with Raidō, and Iwashi.

"How?!" is all she can think to gasp.

The toothy blond chuckles good-naturedly as he steps in to wrap his arms around her yielding waist, "pretty sweet huh?"

She rips his arms from around her waist and drags him to the couch, making him sit as she kneels down in front of him. It's easily an arousing sight for Naruto as she's effectively between his legs and he can easily picture her mouth wrapped around his member like in some of the pictures she showed him to satisfy his semi-hard erection. But her face is nearly in panic and he can't understand why she's so frantic, which has the effect of keeping him calm enough.

"You don't understand," she frantically starts. "Do you have any idea who created that jutsu?"

"Uh, the fourth Hokage?"

"Exactly!" she calls looking him directly in his unenthusiastic eyes. "And it took him three years to master it! That's not a jutsu anyone can just do, much less a genin fresh out of the Academy. Hokage-sama might be the only one in the entire village who can possibly do it. Naruto, this is a big deal. You have to tell me how you learned that technique."

Naruto didn't expect such a reaction but, fortunately, Naru-nii came up with something he can make work. "...well, I'm not sure I can say."

"Try!"

"No, it's... jeez, um, I mean it could be forbidden," he tries and she tilts her head and sharpens her eyes confused. Naruto slowly pats his stomach, looking away from her and tentatively asks, "you know about _it_, don't you?" When she looks down at where he pats, she understands. "That it's illegal to talk about it? I just don't want you to get in trouble."

"I understand," Kurenai claims, grasping what Naruto means. "For argument sake, what does _that_ have to do with the technique?"

Naruto hums a second before answering, "sometimes, I'm in my head or, I guess it's the seal, and uh, I don't know... it's really hard to describe, but, it's like a maze in there, and I met someone-"

Her stomach tightens at the flash of her father's smiling memory as she asks, "you met... it?"

"No," he lies, though he hates himself for it. "I met someone else, well, it was more like a voice than an actual person I could see. Anyway, it warned me about the seal and taught me Rasengan." Kurenai is speechless and without thinking, she rests her extended forearms flat on his thighs. Naruto feels the perfect softness of her large breasts graze against his knees, but rather than be swayed by her incredible allure, Naruto has to ask, "ne, was I not supposed to do this? Did I do something wrong?"

Kurenai looks up to him and can easily read how worried he is, or to be more precise, how worried she's making him. She reaches forward with her right hand and lightly pats him square in the chest. With a smile, she reassures him, "hey, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm only surprised. Have you told anyone else? Kakashi-sensei?"

"_Pfft_," is his reply. "I would've if he gave a damn. Even though you attacked me, you're still a way better sensei than him."

Her face winces a bit as she recalls her shameful assault on him. "Well, I can understand your point of view but always remember he's one of the strongest shinobi in the village, and he's gone through a lot." Naruto says nothing more on that, and when she notices his eyes travel down to her cleavage, she's quickly aware of her position; on her knees, between his own, leaning over so even her breasts slightly grazes his thighs. She spots his thick erection bulging against the restraints of his pants and easily recalls their deal.

'_Kami, he learned __**thee**__ Rasengan,_' she mentally calls out in disbelief. '_What does a reward for that look like?_'

"Nai-chan," he moans, becoming more aroused by the second.

'_I suppose I'm already on my knees_,' she points out, grabbing the waist of his flannel pants and boxers. She shimmies them down slowly all the while watching his pained face. Popping free of his cotton restraint, she's almost concerned by how hard and throbbing his veiny member is. Actually seeing him up close, her first impression is quite simply, '_yes_.' Her second is, '_fuck me._' Like the potential she can see in his future, she can feel to the point of humming the potential for many orgasm-filled nights.

The purple crown of his cock is perfectly carved to slurp her insides with every thrust and drag. The shaft is thick and his base is faintly ringed with what she can only assume is the knotting muscle. Taking in fleshy musk of the upward curve phallus, her mouths waters. It pulses desperately for attention and Naruto cries again, "Nai-chan, please."

Taking his hot base firmly in her right hand, she gives him a sympathetic smile before leaning down and assuredly licking the head of his angry crown, coating it in her flowing saliva. He groans happily when she sucks at his bulbous head, unconsciously shirking his hips forward. Kurenai leans her weight on his thighs to keep him still, pressing more of her soft breasts against him as her mouth laps and sucks him off. With her lips sealed around his thick cock keeping the pressure taunt as she slurps up and down his meat, she isn't surprised when his hands dive into her raven-mane gripping her head as she bobs up and down his.

Though not exactly enthusiastic about giving him a blowjob, Kurenai does enjoy the sexual act as she takes his sizable balls in her free hand and massaging them. Naruto, in particular, is enjoyable to tease. She enjoys hearing his pained gasps, the way he scrunches his eyes shut, his legs spasms and how he grits his teeth as she starts taking as much of him in her small mouth as she can.

Taking the cock out of her mouth, Kurenai, informs him, "cum whenever you want Naruto. Just let me know," she adds before dragging her tongue along the double-ridged underside of his thick shaft when she feels two hands grip her raised bubble bottom. She whips around to see another Naruto. His clone from earlier smiles at her before focusing all his fascinated efforts on kneading and massaging her firm posterior.

Kurenai isn't sure how she feels about this, sandwiched between two Narutos… but the possibilities it conjures up… Kurenai grows sodden.

The tight material of her cocktail dress is peeled over the rest of her ass giving the clone a most beautiful view of her thonged ass. He can see the sheen of liquid coating the inside of her thighs and without much delay, he moves the thin silk out of the way and dives in face first.

"_Mnnn,_" Kurenai moans around his saliva-coated cock. Feeling Naruto's hands all but force her on his shaft, she returns her attention to the meat pole in her grasp.

As the clone enjoys his meal, Kurenai devours hers to the throat, bobbing up and down his thick meat all the while sucking and swirling her tongue around him. When she feels two fingers explore her moist cavern, and his mouth sucks on the protruding bundle of nerves, she moans gutterly around Naruto's rod as she squeezes till he yowls.

"Nai- Nai-chan, I'm almos..." she hears but she's having some difficulty understanding since she's starting to get close herself. Doing the hard thing, she pulls away from both Naruto's. Though still jerking the original, she turns to the clone and asks for, "tissues. Or a towel."

The clone quickly returns with a towel and Kurenai is amazed by the amount Naruto cums all over it. The pungent tang probes her nostrils, arousing other centers of her impure brain, alerting her body to grow hotter and wetter and ready for more. She gives the towel to a disgusted clone before sitting on the edge of the couch. His warm hand is immediately pressing against her lower back, clawing at her mini-dress attempting to remove it. Though Kurenai still feels her frustration beg for release, she prefers finishing their conversation and so grips his eager hands and moves away.

"Naruto, we still need to talk," she says, though his eyes are so dilated she can barely see any blue left as her drinks her near nubile form in. The lust on his face unequivocally says he's overwhelmed with need and she sternly states, "you need to listen to your sensei. Calm down and regain control."

He doesn't. At least not initially. Still fully erect, he grips himself as he pleads with her, "I don't like this. Can't we just- I really want to just-"

"I know, but you have to control your urges," Kurenai explains as she readjusts herself in her mini dress. "Impulse control will help you be even better as a shinobi and a lover." Kurenai watches him calm down mentally—looking utterly heartbroken in the process—but physically, still fully erect. Sighing sympathetically, Kurenai walks over to him, takes him by the hand and leads him to his bedroom. Without the light on, closing the door behind them renders the room pitch-black.

"I can't see," Naruto states.

"I know," Kurenai acknowledges, leading him to the bed. Once naked in the darkroom, she settles them in the creaky old bed—Naruto on his side with Kurenai behind him. "Just relax against me," she tells him. "Focus on my voice, okay?" Holding him felt like sitting too close to a fire as she states, "right now, I want to talk about what we'll be going over. I've already explained in our lessons a bit of the practical side of things, what goes in where, why it feels good, varying positions, but most of that is simply technique. There's more to making a woman feel good than technique."

"How do you mean," he cautiously voices.

"Woman are sensual creatures," Kurenai explains. "We want to feel an emotional connection to the person we're physical with."

"I get that," Naruto admits, constantly looking for anyone that can acknowledge him. If he didn't have Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji, Ayame-nee-chan, and Iruka-sensei, he knows he'd go insane. Not wanting to travel down that gloom, Naruto asks, "you don't…" Naruto turns around, enjoying the slide and settle of her fluffy soft breasts against his chest, and only barely managing to make out her eyes. "You don't love me, right?"

Allowing the change of position to stand, despite the stiff hot rod pressing heat against her pelvis, Kurenai answers, "I've already explained that we won't be romantic-"

"But that's my point," Naruto interjects, leaning in flush against her, his head in the crook of her neck, pelvis-to-pelvis, chest-to-chest and both growing warmer. "I know you don't think about me like how I think about Sakura-chan, but I still feel really _really_ good when I'm with you. That might not be the same but you're super important to me."

"It's better with the person you love," Kurenai upholds, talking to the naked blond in his bed while thinking of a coal-haired Jōnin escorting a princess.

"The person I love doesn't love me back," Naruto answers flatly, angling his aching erection so its hard, curved length can hook up the moist apex of her legs in closer. "Doesn't that mean if I can't have that connection, all I can hope for is techniques to… you know, help me make sure no one ever regrets being with me?"

"I'm sure no one will regret being with you," Kurenai alleges, feeling him pepper her chest with kisses, often sucking hard enough to pull the skin, sending a delectable sensation throughout her body that makes her tighten her legs around his throbbing member.

"You did," he absentmindedly points out as he takes her hardening nipple in his mouth and starts sucking. His suction moves her supple flesh in his mouth delighting in the soft feel and her gentle whimpers.

"Tha- _ahn,_ Naruto…" Kurenai tries, feeling his eager hips press forward enough to spread her leaking lips against it. "That was_ss mnn_, different."

"Why," he asks between massaging and sucking on her delicate teets.

'_Why indeed_,' Kurenai muddles to think before stating, "well, I didn't, _AHHNN!_ Naruto," she calls feeling his head push in the drowning entrance of her cunny. Despite the slurping pressure, Naruto only slides in halfway. "_UUHHG_," Kurenai groans at the engulfing intrusion. Narutos shifts them over, putting his weight on his knees between her widening legs before he thrusts fully to capacity.

"Nai-chan, Nai-chan," Naruto groans in rapt pleasure. "You feel so…"

The bed is creaking loudly in tandem with the wet smacking noise of the growing hot room. Desperate flesh hunting for euphoric release rut against each other, Kurenai moaning in bliss from his unrelenting dick-digging, splitting her sodden center repeatedly in force for the steadily approaching point of no return.

As her mind slowly ascends to bliss, Kurenai feels as much as thinks that knowledge is half the battle and as he pumps furiously at her fluttering walls in a hungry rhythm, she concludes that there's more to Naruto than meets the eye. Putting the conflict and ache in her heart and mind to the side for the moment, Kurenai squeezes Naruto's pounding pleasure pole, forcing his head to snap back as he groans loudly. His hips don't relent doubling the intensity of their pleasure. The sweaty ebony haired moaned louder just as she's about to reach her peak when Naruto buries himself balls deep, tonguing her cervix and groaning as his own release fills her sodden quim to the brim.

At the pressured rush of steaming man-milk bulging her uterus, her entire sex spasms and clamps around him as her entire body erupts in volley after volley of mind-numbing, toe-curling orgasms. Her cunt sucks him in as she holds on to his flush body for dear life, barely withstanding the reverberating bliss of miniature aftershocks.

Though calming down leads to its own surprise when Naruto slides up against her to bring needy lips to hers. Though she felt his inexperience, she also felt his passion, his appreciation, his happiness and rather than reject his emotions outright she returns as much as assists, holding firm his head and tilting for optimum effect. They kissed until her lips felt swollen and in no time at all, his battering-ram was eager for more.

They rutted together in various positions to mindless orgasms for the rest of the night and the tree times his cock knotted her up, were the three times she collapsed from the extreme euphoria. Kurenai didn't leave until the early hours of the morning and though her entire body felt sore and ached, she hummed deliciously, like half her body was an erogenous zone. With the practical way he learns, he just needed to see her reaction and he would eventually exploit that sexual weak spot until she was gushing and begging him for rest.

Slowly walking back in her little red dress, Kurenai couldn't help the smile on her face. Not simply because her body was aglow with lively delight, but because she felt content in her decision to give her heart time to mend, to feel, to grow again. Asuma hurt her and though she hadn't counted on the blond bundle of energy to provide such a distraction, she can't simply forget that so soon. If Genma is right, than Asuma will truly be fine and if not, she'll eventually discover so. For now, Kurenai will take care of her students, her village, and let the loud blond genin to take care of her from time to time.

* * *

The stuff that I didn't think I was going to write about was Sakura and Ino's perspectives, Kurenai learning about Asuma, Genma's interest, and Kurenai and Naruto wasn't supposed to be so long, which is why I thought I would be in Land of Wave in this chap, but imagine my surprise when I did add all that and the chap was like nearly 10K. Like I said, after I go over Chap 11 one more time, I'll post tomorrow.

Somebody asked me how Naruto was going to explain learning the Rasengan without a teacher. I hope my answer was satisfactory.

That stuff about Obsessive love is actually real. Like I looked it up and it's no joke.

I want to say that I've always liked Anko, but I'm still not sold on her yet. I know she and Naruto have a lot of parallels, but there's something about how easy it would be that's off putting. I know I want to make it easy for myself but it feels different somehow. I can't explain it 100% as of yet, but I'll go with my gut for now.

After writing some of Wave, I want to say I think I have an idea for both Samui and Mei, but just remember, they aren't going to be for a while. I still want to dive deeper into Sakura and I haven't even brought in Tenten yet. So for the moment, I'll be operating like I have my nine, though, if I think of something better, I will change it. Sorry. I know that's indecisive, but whatevs.

As always, please let me know your thoughts, and have a great one,

-Grae

PS Game of Thrones!


	11. 11Tools of The Trade

Sorry, friends. I know this update was supposed to be out yesterday. All I can say is life and work said no.

I've seen a huge uptick in support for Anko, so I'm feeling like I don't want to leave her hanging. There is more to Anko and I've always liked her, so I'll try to figure something else out. Maybe she can be his bodyguard or something. Who knows! The fanfic world is only limited by imagination and bad grammar. Personal thank you to Fuyuriku for catching my mistakes.

It's about 10.6 K so please enjoy

* * *

KURENAI

Observational Log: Week:01 Day:01. 01 Days out of(/) undetermined(?)

SUBJECT: Summer Fox*¹

AGE: Undetermined*²

GENDER: Male.

HEIGHT: Confidential*³

WEIGHT: Confidential*⁴

PENIS SIZE: Beyond Average.

Reference:

According to the latest reproductive organ study published in the Journal of Medicine, the average length of an adult's genitalia is 5.6 inches(14.2cm) long with a circumference of 4.8 inches(12.2cm) when erect. The margin of physical variation does not exceed .7 inches(1.7cm). Fifteen percent of the male population is over 7 inches(17.78cm) and only three percent are over 8 inches(20.32cm).

According to the Journal of Urology, the average size of an adult testicle is measured at 4x3x2 cm and the average measure of semen per ejaculation is one teaspoon. It's noted that younger males ejaculate two or three more times than older males, however, it's only a generalization.

Observation:

Subject: Summer Fox—from here on will be referred to as SF—has been measured at 7.4 inches(18.8cm) in length when erect. Circumference measurements from tip to base when erect are as follows: Crown; 5.5 inches (13.97cm), Neck; 5.2 inches(13.02cm), Shaft; 5.6 inches(14.22cm), and Bulbous Gland(his knot); 5.1 inches(12.95cm).

The spherical erectile tissue at the base of his penis is not larger than the crown or even the widest part of his shaft nor is it always triggered. Further study is required at this point, however, the sensation it creates is so singular, it effectively aids physical sensation upon climax.

Testicle size is slightly above average, measuring at 5.2x4.1x3 cm.

Average quantity of semen per ejaculation is measured at three tablespoons.

SF has irregularly high levels of stamina and staying power. Personality and living conditions play a significant role in framing his style of intercourse; typically observed as long in duration and unyielding in intensity.

Evaluation:

The vagina SF regularly engages in sexual intercourse is measured at 3.4 inches—average for a woman of my height and weight. However, as the vagina is made for birthing babies, it's exceedingly elastic and can expand up to 200% when aroused, correcting the vaginal length of SF's partner when sexually aroused to 6.8 inches(17.2cm). Given the angle of entry, SF regularly fills to maximum capacity.

SF's crown is pronounced and the thickness of his shaft works in tandem with the crown to induce—with every stroke—a highly pleasurable dragging against the soft barbs of the vaginal wall. Considering the stage or round of intercourse, effects can range from delicious friction to mind-numbing pleasure and possible catatonia.

SF sexual appetite is ravenous and his lust is on a hair trigger, however, he always asks for some form of consent, whether it be vocal or physical. SF will need extensive training in self-restraint. Once SF is in the throes of passion, all lucidity and technique are discarded for the sake of reaching climax. While naturally-endowed advantages ensures partner's satisfaction, SF will require prolonged instructive discipline to expand his sexual ability to that of masterful.

To begin with, areas of training will include massage training, nipple and breast play, and kissing. Future education will feature oral sex and—at SF's repeated request—anal sex*⁵.

Personal Notes:

I may be starting this observational journal now, however, the bargain struck between Summer Fox and I—which has progressed to consensual sexual congress—began nearly two months ago. I will not be going over the events that's lead a woman of my standing to this unexpected point in my life. Truthfully, I still have notable reservations about the entire affair, however, I've come to realize that this ever-present concern stems more from the condemnation of society as well as reaping the disappointment of my friends and colleagues, than it does with SF himself. He's a singularity, and if this relation wasn't with him, I'm certain it would NOT have happened with anyone of his standing.

I now look to the future; as I always have. In that respect, SF has boundless potential; both in and out of the bedroom. Due to behavioral constraints imposed by our governing organization, I am hampered by how much I can influence his training as a shinobi. Taking into account that he can be in multiple places at once, I've decided to use this ability to expand his knowledge base. It's unlikely either of us would be punished if I recommended a scroll for him to read. However, without even handing him the first scroll, I know this will be a challenge for the hyperactive male. Fortunately, this is the purpose by which I live my life happily.

*¹For the purposes of anonymity, SF's Full Name will not be documented.

*²SF's age is unspecified. Public Records may have been compromised.

*³For the purposes of anonymity, SF's Height will not be documented.

*⁴For the purposes of anonymity, SF's Weight will not be documented.

*⁵I am not looking forward to anal sex. Not with his size. Toys and preparation may be needed.

Observational Log: W:01 D:03 03/?…

…Personal Notes:

SF has the kind of penis most woman wish were on taller, hotter men. Even calling it a penis feels insufficient. It truly is a cock. No other way around it. And Kami does it do the job**.** While Summer Fox is certainly not perfect or highly skilled, and tends to forget when he's too excited, I can't fault him too much without noting my own shortcomings. I sort of lose my own head; not as much as he does in the beginning of our session, but after round four or five, I'm mindless. It's so bad sometimes I don't even notice we've started another round without a condom… kami, the creampies…

I have a theory. It's been brought to my attention through the comments of my colleagues and though I hadn't anticipated it, it does explain the buoyant joy of it all. While the term Honeymoon Phase is generally reserved for newly formed romantic pairings due to the feelings of perfection in discovering each other, at its essence, the phrase is simply a union that shares a wildly acceptable biological experience throughout the initial stages of their coupling. While SF and I are not a pairing in any conventional way of the word—that is to say romantic in nature—we do share a bond, a connection, that's deeply gratifying and dare I say, addictive. As an emotional relationship, the honeymoon phase wouldn't apply to us, but as an honest physical union, it most certainly does.

As the most responsible of the two, I should begin to move us past this bubble of bliss. The bargain struck between SF and I centers around guidance, sexual enlightenment, and self-improvement, not numerous cream-pies, mindless orgasms, and nestled slumber*¹.

As for his knowledge base, I decided to start him with various scrolls on different Taijutsu styles. With my own team to manage and develop, I can't dedicate as much time on SF's training as I would like but it's my hope I can slowly slip in Genjutsu or Fūinjutsu theory and begin to round him out as a shinobi.

*¹Every time I wake up in his horrible bed—either before or after a round of coitus—SF is always holding me. Always! While it feels comforting and nice more often than not, I'm beginning to ponder the depth of this behavior. How alone was he?

Observational Log: W:01 D:05 05/?…

…Personal Notes:

After a week of vigorous lessons at his residence, I've had it!

While I would never use jutsu on undeserving civilians, I'm still an infiltration specialist. Henge'd as an obscure Konoha Housing Rights Division officer, I easily met with SF's landlord; a fat, balding, inbred and shoved in his unshaved face the Article Code expressly ensuring all tenants have a right to clean, habitable housing, and landlords are required to maintain livable units—ones in which doors and windows are not broken; the roof and walls keep out water; plumbing works, there are no vermin running free in the building or unit, and dispenses HOT and cold water. Hot Water!

If I have to wash off the copious amount of dried up evidence in his freezing cold shower again, I'm going to burn that building to the ground!

Lastly, the Honeymoon phase seems to still be in effect. Having learned SF is the only occupied apartment on his floor, I've become noticeably more vocal in my more mindless moments of bliss. I've instituted a day-on, day-off rule. Hopefully meeting every other day will ease the cravings.

Observational Notes: W:02 D:01 08/?

Reference:

According to the latest orthodontic study in the Journal of Medicine, the average length of an adult tongue for a male is measured at 3.3 inches(8.5cm).

Observation:

In addition to the canine trait on his sexual organ(his knot) SF also has a long tongue with observable nodules that produce above average friction when licking. SF tongue is measured above average at 4 inches(10.16 cm) in length.

Evaluation:

SF is enthusiastic with regard to licking and sucking my vagina. The exterior of his tongue provides a wonderful amount of friction. However, SF lacks awareness when picking up his partner's cues. As a result, SF has little sense of how to build toward an intense climax. Instruction should focus on pacing, the inclusion of simultaneous stimulation—nipple play, hair pull, or muscle massage—and combinations.

As his instructor, I've also explained the complexities of kissing properly: Compromising with your partner, of leading and following, of biting and sucking, of erogenous zones like the neck, earlobe, collar bone, of bringing the whole body in closer, whether it be hands on the face, neck, lower back, or my personal favorite, in my hair.

Despite obvious inexperience and repeated instruction, SF was enthusiastic throughout and eventually found a rhythm that worked well with me. Further practical experience and guidance are required.

Personal Notes:

He's noticed kissing is another one of my weak spots. There's just something about two, hot, saliva coated tongues squirming inside my mouth, against the roof or teeth, at the same time my pussy is writhing as he drills me... Without thought, my body just clamps down on his thick length and I orgasm that much harder because of it.

As such, we've spent a fair amount of time on the subject of kissing. I've revealed three personal thrills during kissing that make my knees tremble; gripping and tugging my hair, allowing me to suck his tongue as he drills me, and tasting my own juices on his tongue and lips. Unsurprisingly, our make-out sessions end with my cunt squeezing the cum out of his cock.

This was before he left.

It's unfortunate I've only spent a week with him before his team was assigned an escort mission. It was shocking to learn how they had received said mission. While I begrudge low-rank missions as much as every shinobi in the village, I would never raise my voice and demand better missions from our Hokage. I was sure SF would be reprimanded in some way shape or form, however, I've learned—after the fact—that SF seems to have a working relationship with Hokage-sama. It makes sense considering certain details.*¹

Of course, I refused to engage in our usual activity the night before his mission. As a general rule, shinobi tend to not engage in rigorous sexual activity before missions. However, I utilized the time to go over strategy and his gear, and was upset upon discovering everything he owned was worn and or old. He explained that it's all he could afford which didn't make sense. As I had plenty to spare, I gifted him a standard shinobi field pack, complete with Kunai, Shuriken, Makibishi spikes, Exploding Notes, Cable Wire, a couple Flash and Smoke Bombs, Emergency Food Pills, and an empty Sealing Scroll.

SF was through the moon, to say the least. He used the day and many clones to present me with a gift of his own, an unusual flower; dirty because of all the earth still attached, but pretty and thoughtful nonetheless*². Though he was worried about how things might change when he returned, I reassured him that I would still be here when he got back and I had no intention of breaking our arrangement.

*¹For the purposes of anonymity many details of SF's relations will be restricted.

*²Our bargain shouldn't have room for gifts, however, I allowed it given his insistence it was special, though he didn't know how. Will check with a specialist.

INO

It took Ino half a day before she simply decided to do it. Due to her age and her clan's prominence in the village, buying one made her nervous. It would certainly get around if people found out the heiress to the Yamanaka Clan, Yamanaka Ino bought a vibrator to pleasure herself at sixteen. Ino listens to enough gossip and bathhouse rumors to know that would definitely be talked about at length. Her clan would also be looked down upon. But according to her body, her fingers weren't enough to reproduce the high of pleasure she achieved with Naruto.

As a ninja, Ino found out she had nothing to worry about. She was in her bed that evening with a vibrating dildo the length and girth that most reminded her of Naruto. While acquiring the sex toy was all too easy, using it seemed to be a problem. For some reason, it didn't fit, and Ino isn't sure why. She was plenty wet. After sucking Naruto off as Sakura, she has a fairly accurate idea of his size, and yet something wasn't quite the same. Ino tried putting it in until it hurt and had to stop.

To ease her frustrations, Ino's been making do with the vibration against her clit and training harder with her team, but it's been the most confusing issue of her week. Not the only confusing occurrence. Recalling her conversation with Sakura when she dropped off her report before Team 7's mission, Ino is growing more and more confused about Naruto. Sitting at the register of her families empty flower shop gives Ino plenty of time to try and make sense of Sakura's evaluation.

_"How's your training coming," Ino had asked an annoyed looking Sakura. The Yamanaka was absolutely thrilled by how disheveled the pink-haired kunoichi looks. Un-moisturized, unconditioned, un-beautified, Sakura looks like she went through an obstacle course in the densest part of the forest. Ino smiled with obvious satisfaction, clearly angering the pinkette as she adds, "I don't want either of you two slowing Sasuke-kun down."_

_ "…I hate you," Sakura plainly spits. Though the vitriol was plain as day, Ino shrugs it off. "Do you have any idea how much that baka trains?! It's practically attempted murder!"_

_ "It can't be that hard," Ino chuckles with amusement._

_ Narrowing hateful eyes on the long-haired platinum-blond, Sakura simply growls, "have you water-walked yet?"_

_ Unsure of what Sakura is implying but unwilling to appear unaware, Ino shrugs with her response, "we'll be starting tree-walking this week actually. I'm sure we'll be water-walking in no time. Why? Have you?"_

_ Smugness is the only other emotion the pink-haired girl showed that day as she told her, "well when you start tree-walking, you're going to feel proud when you can hold it for thirty minutes, and you should. As a student of Iryō-ninjutsu, I can tell you that's above average for ninja our age. Do you want to know how __**he**__ trains… What lunacy you forced me to be apart of? That idiot fights Kage Bunshin of himself on water for hours! Everything he does is jacked up to insanity and it's killing me! It's a personal best if I only pass out once."_

Ino didn't believe it. Not that Naruto. Not the Dead Last of their class. How could she? He was the most hopeless case the Academy had ever seen. If he wasn't an orphan, Ino was sure his parents would've taken him out after failing the second time. Ino even asked Asuma-sensei what's the average length of time one can hold tree or water walking. His response of, "hours," also came with a caveat.

"Just because a thing is unlikely, doesn't mean it's impossible," the gruff Jōnin-sensei told them. "This world is filled with odd and unexpected shinobi. The Nara technique of Shadow Binding is as unique as the Yamanaka techniques mind-walkers and the Akimichi techniques of body weight and size manipulation. Then there are Kekkei Genkai which is a different league of weird. You never know what you may face out there which is why teams are the most effective way to fight—to cover each other's back."

It suddenly didn't seem so impossible, though that doesn't explain why Naruto was so horrible in school. Clowning around is fine and all, but when it came time to actually doing the work, Naruto was always a failure. The blond loud-mouth was a paradox Ino couldn't ignore because she knew her mind simply wanted to think about the biggest event in her young life since graduating from the Academy. The event that turned her from a girl to a woman now made Ino hyper-aware of Naruto, despite how pathetic he is… '_or appears?_' she wonders.

It almost made Ino happy when Asuma informed them he wouldn't be marrying Princess Tomoko. Not because she hadn't liked the princess when she got to meet her—Tomoko-hime even said she looked like a family member. Like many in the village, Ino was impressed by the grandeur of the royal daughter and was looking forward to the announcement of a wedding; partly because it would be such a momentous event the entire village would celebrate and also because she would get to buy a new dress.

No, Ino was happy because the news of it was more distracting than thinking about her urges. More so when she learned that Asuma apparently has a sweetheart within the village. He had come into the shop after the princess left to buy roses. Red roses. As a student of botany and flower arranging, Ino knows what red roses mean. They're the unmistakable expression of deep emotion, whether it be love, respect, admiration, devotion, heartfelt regret, and sorrow. And any florist worth their petal knows twelve roses mean '_be mine_,' or '_I love you_.'

Considering the princess was gone, it wasn't hard for Ino to deduce Asuma-sensei had a special someone in Konoha. Initially, it made her wonder about honor and duty to one's village. She never thought Asuma-sensei would prefer not to marry the princess until she saw his face as he purchased the roses; which could only mean he'd do it out of duty. Simply put, it was expected of him. He clearly loved whoever this woman was far more than his face expressed for Princess Tomoko. It was a salacious thrill that thankfully had nothing to do with Naruto. This distraction made Ino feel like she could breathe, and the Yamanaka heiress was desperate to know who this woman was.

Ino doesn't recall anything from the bathhouse talk or from some of the older girls working for her Clan. She had even asked Shikamaru. The pineapple-head was too bored to care but when Ino promised to wake him up every time he tried to go to sleep, he deduced Asuma's sweetheart was either a Jōnin-sensei or a Special Jōnin. When Ino asked her mother, she mentioned how reserved Asuma is about his private life, primarily due to being the son of the Hokage and that meant most of the woman seen with him never lasted.

Despite her curiosity to know the identity of this kunoichi, what was more interesting was the fact that he came back three days later and then four days after that to buy a dozen red roses, which told her he either had multiple women, or he was really _really_ sorry to one who wasn't having it. She wished him luck the latest time he came in to purchase a dozen long stem roses.

Sitting alone in the shop waiting for any customer to come in and distract her from her medical scroll on '_Basics of Water Release_,' and her unsuccessful exploration of her sexual awakening. Ino plans to try her vibrator again once her mother returns when the bell above the door finally rings, automatically making her sit up, close the scroll, and speak with practiced cheer, "welcome to Yamanaka's Flower Shop."

Ino's happy to see her mother return, though she's talking about orders with a woman she's never met—likely a potential client—which means she'll have to wait a little longer before she can run to her bed and relieve some pent up stress.

"I'll only be a few minutes sweetie," her mother calls as the pair head into the hallway leading toward the greenhouse. Assuming the potential client simply wants to see their wears, Ino guesses her mother will be five minutes tops as she starts removing her apron. As it often happens when Ino is ready to leave, the chime above the door rings again, automatically prompting Ino to cheer, "welcome to Yamanaka's Flower Shop," while at the same time hoping this won't take long.

Tying her apron back in place, Ino immediately recalls the beautiful kunoichi as Team Eight's sensei. Ino's only seen the ebony-haired sensei in passing around Hokage tower and remembers thinking, '_with her long dark locks, large red eyes, and shapely athletic body, that's a woman who stands out._' Women like her make Ino, along with other girls, wish she can grow up faster to have a body like that. "Ah, Yūhi-sensei, how can I…" Ino greets with a smile that quickly sours.

"Afternoon, Yamanaka-chan," Kurenai smiles her greeting. Before Kurenai even makes it to the register, she notices how frightened the young blond is, frozen in panic at the sight of the exotic flower in her hand. So terrified was the girl, that Kurenai began to wonder if the potted flower was a poisonous plant she was unaware of. "Ino-chan?" Kurenai calls, dispensing with the honorifics.

Ino's head snaps up to the beautiful sensei. The question of why she has a Fire Slipper Orchid, one of the rarest flowers in the world, in her possession is on the tip of her tongue when she hears her mother call out from the back. "I'm nearly done, sweetie."

Instantly Ino thinks about the deal she made with her parents; keep the profit of the rare orchid's sale or allow the Clan to try and cultivate more; which of course will take no less than fifteen years. Ino had decided not to ask Naruto if there were more orchids. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to feel urges. She didn't want to lose control… at least not with the Dead Last. For the thousandth time, Ino thinks how much easier this would all be if her deflowering happened with Sasuke-kun rather than Naruto. Clearly, there were more Fire Slipper Orchids, and for some unholy reason, Kurenai-sensei had one.

"Where did you get that… sensei?" Ino nearly snaps, only barely recalling Kurenai-sensei is her superior and respect is due. Hearing her mother return with the potential client, Ino knows she doesn't want her mother to see the orchid. It would raise questions of who discovered this '_golden_' garden that Ino didn't want to be answered. She didn't want anyone to know Naruto gave her the orchid all those weeks ago. And now, to her dread, Kurenai-sensei may answer those questions for her.

"Pl- Please, sensei," Ino begs, moving around the counter and extending her hand. "Please, please, please, can you come with me? I- we- can't…" Kurenai-sensei is clearly confused but trusts her and takes her hand. Exiting the shop with haste, Ino is shouting behind her shoulder, "mom, I'm heading out! I'll be back soon!"

Despite her panic as they rush through the market's street, Ino happens to note the ebony-haired sensei's calloused palm and couldn't help but be envious. Ino wonders how much training it would take to create so many callouses when the young sensei stops her cold.

"I feel this is far enough, Yamanaka-chan," Kurenai states, stopping between buildings at the edge of the street. "Can you tell me why we had to rush out of there in such a hurry?"

Ino looks around nervously a moment before responding, "I can… but, can you please tell me where you got that orchid?"

Kurenai eyes the girl skeptically. Clearly, there's a story here and the young Yamanaka is agitated. Still, she answers, "it was a gift, though I'm unaware of this particular orchid. Now, would you care to answer my question?"

Ino isn't sure what kind of cover-story she can come up with that would be convincing when she hears a squeal. Ino and Kurenai both turn to Ino's elated mother. She'd found them and the way Ino's stomach tightened up felt like she was kicked in the gut. "Ka-san-"

"Another one!" The normally calm brunette Yamanaka exclaims. Moving closer to the rare orchid, the Yamanaka matriarch looks from Ino to Kurenai and back before stating, "I'm fairly certain the Fire Slipper Orchid my daughter had received was from a boy. Why my daughter didn't think I would find her rushing off strange, I do not know, but I'm curious, Kurenai-sensei, are you perhaps delivering this orchid on his behalf? Would that mean you know his identity? I know my Ino-chan has reservations about the boy-"

"Ka-san!" Ino hisses.

"Ino, recall your manners," her mother warns, returning to her normally calm and collected demeanor. Ino calms down as her mother continues. "As I was saying, I realize this can feel embarrassing for all involved, however, as a mother and florist, I can't ignore such extravagant gifts."

Kurenai smiles politely before stating, "I'm unaware of the details surrounding this plant-"

"I'll explain it to you," Ino interjects. "If we can go to lunch?" One look at her mother and Ino adds, "alone please."

"Really now, Ino, for this boy to go so far…"

"Please," Ino begs her mother with both hands clasped together.

"…Fine," Ino's mother replies, before turning to Kurenai. "However you must tell me who this boy is- Not as a mother, but as a florist. Clearly, he's discovered a gold mine."

"I take it this is a valuable flower," Kurenai hazards an easy guess.

"One of the most," Ino's mother simply states.

"Well, Yamanaka-san," Kurenai begins. "If anything, I can assure you this boy does not know it's value. He simply thought it was pretty. With your permission, I'd like to take Ino-chan to lunch."

Using her mask to perfection, Ino's mother nods her acceptance, however, Ino knows she wants answers and it seems like she won't let it go. Turning to her daughter, she extends her hand, sternly asking her curious daughter, "the key to the register? You left with it." Sure enough, wrapped around Ino's elbow is the key to the cash register and the realization that she had to suffer all this because of a small bit of metal annoys Ino to no end.

KURENAI

Once the pair have settled in a nearby tea shop with the apparently valuable Orchid on the table between the kunoichi, Kurenai states, "I feel I've been patient enough, Ino-chan. How about you start with the orchid."

With a huff, Ino slowly answers, "it's one of the rarest orchids in the five nations. Taking fifteen years to bloom, the market value is as high as seven-hundred and fifty thousand ryo per stem."

Kurenai could not keep the shock from her face. '_Seven-hundred and fifty thousand ryo per stem!_' Kurenai wonders if she'll ever stop being surprised by the boy. First, his chakra reserves, then Rasengan, to then learn of his nature manipulation training and of course the sex. To Kurenai, the surprise isn't simply the orchid with such an astounding value but also because Ino seems to be the girl Naruto wanted the lessons for to begin with. He'd always mention his teammate Sakura, but never once did he bring up the heiress to the Yamanaka clan.

For some reason, the obviously beautiful platinum-blond sitting before her seems to want to keep Naruto a secret from her family. If nothing happened why would such a secret need to be kept? Unless the girl doesn't want to acknowledge unexpected feelings for Naruto. It's understandable. Kunoichi of late seem ravenous over the Uchiha or the Hyūga boys. Most boys seem to dislike Uchiha-kun primarily because he has the tragedy, the wealth, a face, and natural ability that receives all the female attention. Kiba-kun, in particular, will go off on such a tirade if the Uchiha is brought up.

The two are silent long enough for the tea to arrive. In that time, Kurenai wonders what Ino and Naruto's relationship is, and so asks, "why don't you want your parents to learn about Naruto?"

Ino gags in response, which seems like an exaggeration in Kurenai's opinion, but then again, Kurenai is aware and often reminded of how effortless Naruto brings out negative reactions out of people. Kurenai is really starting to wonder what kind of life the blue-eyed boy has led. The sensei has heard and seen too much extreme behavior not to satisfy some of her growing curiosity. "You know, if you have feelings for Naru-"

"I don't have feelings for him," Ino cuts her off, adding, "who would? He's the worst in just about every way you can think of!"

'_That's definitely not true,_' Kurenai thinks with a tingling tightness of her legs before imagining Ino yelling that very rebuttal to Naruto. It would certainly explain why he'd want to gain more experience with girls… though, the sex doesn't make sense. He would've asked, '_how to date_,' not, '_how to make girls feel good_.' Unless the pair have done some physically romantic activity which Ino is extremely embarrassed and ashamed about. '_Possibly a moment of weakness?_' Kurenai wonders, before asking, "how would he know to bring you this orchid?"

Again, the girl seemed dejected to answer, "a couple of months ago, he was coming back from his training in the forest and I noticed a petal of the orchid stuck on that disgusting jacket of his."

'_Yes, that jacket is absolutely horrendous_,' Kurenai can't help but agree.

"I never told him how valuable it was but you can probably guess how much I wanted to know every detail," Ino finishes.

'_That must've been when they first started being aware of one another in a setting that wasn't the Academy_,' Kurenai thought. Understanding the lengths Naruto goes to for his dreams, Kurenai wonders if Ino is apart of that future he sees so clearly. '_Maybe he's using Ino to get over Sakura,_' Kurenai wonders, though quickly coming to the conclusion that isn't the type of impression Naruto reflects. "And you haven't seen him since," Kurenai wonders aloud.

"Kami, no," Ino answers with such ire, it mildly annoys Kurenai. "You're not going to tell my parents are you?"

"I'm not certain," Kurenai answers honestly. "How difficult is it to tend to this orchid?"

"Very," Ino simply puts.

"Which means it would likely die under my care," Kurenai reasons. "I need a specialist to avoid killing it. Would you prefer I deal with another florist? As a shinobi, I don't feel your parents would appreciate my taking such a rare prize to their civilian competitor."

"You can sell it," Ino suggests.

"Again, I would need a florist for their connections," Kurenai responds. "Unless you'd like me to stand in the market place trying to convince someone to spend seven-hundred and fifty thousand ryo on an orchid. Do you know what you can buy with that amount?"

"Then…" Ino grasps for ideas a couple of seconds before suggesting, "then give it to me and I'll sell it for you. Just please don't tell my parents about that baka."

Again, Kurenai is irked by the casual way Naruto is disregarded, and so assuages the blond. "I will not tell your parents, however, I will not lie to them either."

"Thank you Kurenai-sensei," Ino states with clear relief.

"I also have two conditions you must adhere to," Kurenai adds surprising the girl. With her silent nod, Kurenai declares, "one, you will take and tend to the orchid until I decide whether to sell it or not. I will, of course, pay you for the work." Though it was a gift from him, Kurenai should talk to Naruto about it. It's a very expensive gift after all and he might have different ideas for it if he knew the price. "For my second condition, you will join me for a little reconnaissance work."

She hesitates to ask, "uh, what kind of reconnaissance?"

"Intelligence gathering," Kurenai answers. "On one, Uzumaki Naruto."

"What?" she gasps. "Why?"

"I have questions that need answering," Kurenai simply states, taking a sip of her tea.

"About that idiot?" Ino asks. "What's there to know that you haven't already heard? There are all sorts of rumors about him, like, stealing, rape, and murder, but, I'm not so stupid to believe that kind of fear mongering. I only believe what I see, which is the stupid pranks he does, he's talentless, which is only worse because he's so loud and annoying about becoming Hokage."

Having heard all of that and more, Kurenai expresses her dissatisfaction. "Well, I wonder about all of that."

"Why?" Ino can't help but ask the beautiful kunoichi. "How do you even know Naruto, if you don't mind my asking? You're Team 8's sensei, so why would you care about that idiot more than Kakashi-sensei?"

"You shouldn't speculate on Kakashi-sensei's diligence toward his students," Kurenai quickly asserts before adding, "Uzumaki-kun has been assisting me for several weeks now. Interacting with him has led me to wonder about a number of things I would like clarification on."

"Like what?" Ino follows up, not at all expecting the idiot to be helpful to such a beautiful woman, but then wondering about what Sakura said of him. Ino's mind is curious and her body is pushing to delve deeper into his world.

"Like everything," Kurenai answers easily.

As Ino mentally repeats, '_it has nothing to do with him and everything to do with the deal_,' Ino states in a huff, "okay."

NARUTO

'_**Ah, the Escort Mission to Wave,**_' Naru-nii recalls with melancholy.

'_I'm just happy it's not another stinkin' D-Rank mission,_' Naruto thinks as he walks with his team in formation around Tazuna-jiji. '_Besides, I have way too much energy,_' Naruto adds.

'_**Yeesh, maybe it was a good thing I never had sex…,**_' Naru-nii comments more to himself before really thinking about it.

The way Naru-nii trails off, Naruto adds, '_how amped up I'm feeling, I'd say you were right, if you weren't so wrong Nii-san._'

Naru-nii laughs before offering, '_**relax. You've got clones training right now. Dispel them when you want to feel tired.**_'

'_That helps, but it's more physical energy than chakra energy. Nai-chan wouldn't even budge the night before I left. Like, that's so mean! And now we're walking suuuper slow when I feel like I can run all day!_'

'_**Well, putting the smoking hot sex aside, I get having too much energy. Which is good because you're going to need it for this mission. Actually, there was something that I wanted to talk to you about.**_'

'_What's up?_'

'_**You remember how I said we have to be careful with some stuff? Like, if we change too much, I won't know how things play out before they happen to you?**_'

'_Yeah…_'

'_**This is one mission I want to change no matter what.**_'

'_What about the future?_' Naruto's concern asks, trying to calm down his energetic muscles.'_You said it could be dangerous to change stuff._'

'_**I can still help in other ways; like with training and info on shinobi to watch out for,**_' Naru-nii assures him. '_**Besides, I think we can both agree you're already doing stuff I've never done.**_'

'_Okay,_' Naruto agrees with a shrug. '_So what do you want to change?_'

'_**There's a person I want you to try and save,**_' Naru-nii expresses. '_**His name is Haku. You'll know it's him because he looks like a girl and he's got long dark hair. He also pretends to be a hunter-nin.**_'

'_Why's Haku so important?_'

'_**Haku is one of those shinobi who's had it as bad or worse than us. He lost his parents too and he was alone until he met Zabuza.**_'

'_Zabuza?_'

'_**Kiri Jōnin. Crazy strong. You'll have to be extra careful around him. He thinks he's a monster, and to some extent he is. He knows a lot about the dark side of the shinobi world but he's wrong about the things that matter.**_'

'_What's that?_'

'_**Friends aren't tools. Ninja's have feelings. And we're not just fighting machines for the highest bidder.**_'

'_Why would Haku be with someone who thinks like that?_'

'_**Because to Haku, Zabuza is like Iruka-sensei or Ji-chan. Zabuza was the first person to care for Haku and Haku will die to protect him.**_'

Naruto nods in understanding, making Sasuke look at him oddly. '_So how can I help him? I can't imagine anyone would ever make me change my mind about Ji-chan or Iruka-sensei._'

'_**You have to convince Haku that his existence DOES matter, and you have to convince Zabuza that shinobi CAN be more than tools or killing machines.**_'

'_Yeah but how?_'

'_**You'll figure it out,**_' Naru-nii simply states. '_**You're me after all. I have faith in you.**_'

'_Hmm,_' Naruto's mind wiggles with suspicion at the puddle ahead.

'_**What?**_' Naru-nii asks.

'_There's something weird about that puddle…_'

With a lot of mirth in his voice, a humored Naru-nii asks, '_**what's weird about it?**_'

'_I don't know,_' Naruto responds. '_I guess it's just weird to see a puddle all of a sudden._'

Hearing Naru-nii chuckle a bit, he then advises, '_**well since you're on mission, you should definitely keep your eyes open, just in case.**_'

With too much energy to just wait and see, Naruto simply takes out a shuriken and tosses it with deft accuracy at the puddle. To Naruto's great surprise, a clawed hand shoots out of the dematerializing water, '_clanging_' against Naruto's blocked shuriken.

'_…Huh_,' Naruto thought to which Naru-nii laughs and says, '_**have fun using up that energy!**_'

Naruto didn't know what to expect from his first battle, but he's full of energy and he'd been sparring against multiple clones with Sakura's accurate tactics for weeks, making him rather calm. Despite the power aching to be released as a pair of ninja sprint toward them with deadly intent, Naruto thinks, '_thank Kami._' Without even acknowledging his team or sensei, Naruto crosses the middle and index of each hand and shouts, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Ten clones appear surrounded by thick smoke. In the distraction of the extra bodies and smoke, the sharp claws of the gauntlets cut in from the left and the right. Two clones are popped instantly, one by each attacker, yet Naruto only needed the physical extension of their weaponized hands for a couple of well-timed clones to grab each gauntlet, holding them inert for simultaneous strikes from the remaining Narutos to the body and face of both attackers. Naruto, himself felt such gratification driving the knuckles of his energized fist into the temple of one of the assassins, he wanted to do it again.

After Naruto had absorbed Sakura's pinpoint timing of attack from the clones she always commands, Naru-nii helped Naruto to quickly pick up on the trick to fighting multiple attackers at once: focus on his own openings while using his ears more than your eyes to read an attack. Shinobi ears can hear the shifting of dirt, splitting of air, metallic humming and even note the distance and timing by how fast sound reaches the ear. It's how Naruto fights all his clones two or three at a time. With Naru-nii's experienced guidance, Naruto eventually recognized a few of his own openings and learned to expect attacks and focus there.

These shinobi don't seem accustomed to such all-around continuous attack.

Like a Naruto-barrage, the second they turn one direction, a clone is striking at their blind spot. The assassins take out another two clones before two more clones throw kunai at the killer's heads, and as expected, the fast ninjas dodge, allowing Naruto and a clone to catch the thrown weapon in a sprint toward the killer's backs and stab them between the tenth and eleventh rib, directly into the liver.

Having experienced multiple times how a liver shot can incapacitate, the would-be assassins are shocked to stillness long enough for more cloned kunai to be brought up to their necks, threatening them with execution via severing the jugular.

With pressure firmly kept on the kunai in their liver, the assassins aren't in any immediate danger of bleeding out or a quick death as Kakashi calmly walks up to them, impassively congratulating his genin student. "Well done, Naruto," Kakashi says as he walks around the black-haired assassins. "Gōzu and Meizu, the Demon Brothers. Chūnin from Kirigakure."

'_What did you guys do with the Demon Brothers?_' Naruto asks, Naru-nii.

'_**Ya took care of them already,**_' Naru-nii asks more out of surprise. '_**Man, I wish I could figure out how to see with this thing.**_'

'_Yeah me too_,' Naruto wistfully agrees.

'_**We just tied them to a tree,**_' Naru-nii recalls. '_**I assume they were arrested since we never saw them again. Still, you should ask them who they're working for.**_'

In the deepest voice he could muster, Naruto asks, "who are you working for," while Kakashi and an irate Sasuke-teme are disarming and securing them.

"What makes you think they're working for anyone," Tazuna stiffly asks.

"Because they would've let us by if we weren't a target," Kakashi answers. "I think it's time you were open with us, Tazuna-san."

Tazuna, of course, explains the real circumstances of the mission. Team Seven were told of the destitute living conditions the people of Land of Wave is suffering due to the greed of a shipping magnate named Gatō and how he uses Gatō Company as a front for illegal dealings. "Gatō's effectively bankrupted our country with his company's monopoly on shipping and the only way to revitalize our economy is to build a bridge to the mainland."

"Naturally he wouldn't want this bridge to be built," Kakashi easily interprets. "Ma, ma, what to do… this is easily an A-Rank mission… It's likely to only get harder from here on out…"

"Please, we can't go back," Tazuna proclaims. "I have to continue! Everyone is depending on me to finish this bridge!"

After all the help Naru-nii's given Naruto, helping Haku has been the only request he's ever made, and truthfully, after hearing a bit about the supposedly girl-looking boy, Naruto would've helped him regardless of Naru-nii's request. So, Naruto shoulders his pack and easily chimes in, "we're wasting time, Kakashi-sensei. The faster we get there the faster we can help these people!"

INO

Ino was upset. No, she was angry. Outraged even. Kurenai-sensei and Ino had just left the second most popular grocery in the market—the same grocery she shops in, her clan shops in, most villagers shop in at least once or twice. While the number one grocer in the market has more product, they can be overpriced, which is why the number two spot will always have business. The number two grocer, Mitsuwa's, is also run by a retired shinobi which means active military receive discounts.

Kurenai explained the reconnaissance was a twofold plan, though she would only share the first, which was walking in the blond idiot's shoes. Ino didn't see the point, however, Kurenai mentioned Naruto—despite only earning genin rank pay—doesn't have the type of expenses that would keep him perpetually poor. So, Kurenai had entered the most popular of the grocer separately to observe, while Ino, henge'd as Naruto, shops for basics. Before Ino can get one thing in the basket, she's chased out with a broomstick… '_a broomstick, of all things!_'

In the second grocer, Mr. Mitsuwa took over the tender from one of their cashiers and proceeded to charge Ino-in-Naruto's guise, four hundred and eighty ryo for a single candy bar when the price tag clearly says ten ryo. At the first word of outrage, Ino got Naruto banned from the grocery store for life.

Both Kurenai and Ino were shocked and regretful for getting Naruto banned. "Let's try not to ban him from the weapons shops," Kurenai says as they walk the crowded markets.

"Well, that asshole overcharged me by over four thousand percent for a stupid candy bar!" Ino yells, feeling an absolute need to defend herself. She hadn't even done anything wrong. More than that, Ino had done so much to avoid the blond blue-eyed boy, and now she's literally disguised as him. Ino was stressed enough. "I could buy premium steak for that amount!"

They walk the market toward their next destination. No longer disguised as Naruto, Kurenai explains to Ino as they walk, "it's critical shinobi fuel their body for maximum performance. I had wondered why instant ramen—a meal lacking many essential vitamins and minerals—seemed to be the only thing he eats. Now we know."

"I still don't see why this matters," Ino shamelessly admits. Sure she wasn't expecting to be treated like that but Naruto must've deserved it somehow. "For all we know, he probably pulled a prank on Mr. Mitsuwa," Ino reasons.

"That's a possibility," Kurenai agrees. "We're investigating because I want to know how much Uzumaki-kun is accountable for. Imagine what happened to you at Mitsuwa's happening to him all the time for no reason."

"That doesn't make any sense," Ino comments. "No one can be that mean for no reason. I'm certain Naruto's done something."

"Well let's see what we learn," Kurenai states.

Kurenai enters the familiar shinobi weapons shop, '_Ten Out of Ten,_' a few minutes before Ino, henge'd as Naruto, strolls in as she imagines he does. Kurenai is greeted warmly by the man in Chinese garb. The shop's owner, Dānyī-san, is enthusiastically helping Kurenai, while Ino waits. Like Ino in her clan's flower shop, Dānyī-san's daughter also works in the weapons shop but the bun-haired girl refuses to help Ino-Naruto. Ino even calls to the girl, who only replies she's busy stocking.

Dānyī-san excuses himself from Kurenai, saying, "I'll only be but a moment, Yūhi-dono. I must deal with such a rude customer." The older man didn't have to walk far to tell Ino-Naruto, "I have nothing for you this month, so leave, boy!"

Unsure what the arrangement might be, Ino keeps it moving for Kurenai's reconnaissance, replying, "but I need to buy a field pack."

"Boy," the old Chinese man warns, heightening himself to tower over Ino-Naruto. "You should consider yourself lucky I'm even letting you buy our secondhand inventory. Without me, you'd be fishing through the recycling center for the broken and useless."

"B-But I'm a shinobi," Ino-Naruto returns. She's never heard of a shinobi weapons dealer refusing to sell to a shinobi. "I have ryo, I can buy your best!"

"These weapons are for _true_ shinobi, not some demon Dead Last!" the man profanes. "Now get out of here before I ban you like all the other shops!"

Sure enough, every other weapons shop had violently reminded Ino-Naruto that he was banned. Throughout the day, they learned that it was not just the weapons shops but the wears, accessory, and armory shops as well. Restaurants were worse and even furniture stores were hostile. Ino couldn't believe it, yelling out in sheer frustration, "what the hell!" As they walk into Naruto's building, Ino also has to yell, "And why are we here?"

Kurenai was deep in thought, compiling a report of the day in her head as she passively answers, "the only other person he could ask to take care of Tori-chan is in the hospital, so he asked if I would feed her."

"Tori-chan?"

"A beautiful royal purple Sterling," Kurenai answers, thinking of the best feature inside his apartment, excluding the boy himself. As they ascend to the top floor, they both wonder why the hallway lights aren't on. Entering Naruto's apartment, they quickly learn the electricity is out, then eventually discover the water and power to the entire building is gone.

Even in the dark room, the Sterling wouldn't leave as Ino irately comments, "you know, it wouldn't surprise me if the landlord's charging him as much as a clan home to live in this dump."

"I'll figure out what's going on later," Kurenai conveys, hoping it's not what her brain is suggesting it is. "In the meantime, I think we gathered enough intel to move onto the second leg of the mission."

"Gathered enough aggravation you mean," Ino totes. "Kami, I was ready to kill someone! How could anyone who has the honor of selling clothes ever treat another human being like that? Fashion is beautiful and that idiot needs it more than anyone!"

"At least we're more aware of why he has so many jumpers," Kurenai adds. "The only place that would sell him an outfit has boxes of unsaleable merchandise."

"That orange garbage shouldn't exist in this world and he's selling it one at a time for as much as premium shinobi linen! How does Naruto not murder someone? And did everyone get together and just agree to call him a demon? '_Demon this_,' and, '_Demon that…_' It's… _urgh_!"

"Keep in mind this is more difficult for you because you're accustomed to a significantly different mode of address," Kurenai reminds the platinum-blond. "You're the heiress of the Yamanaka Clan and he's just an orphan no one likes. Obviously, they would treat you with more respect. Remember, he's accustomed to this… even if he shouldn't be."

"…I guess, but still," Ino argues. "That doesn't explain everything."

"Well, hopefully Iruka-sensei can help fill in some of the gaps," Kurenai tells the girl as they begin to leave.

"Iruka-sensei," Ino repeats. "Why him?"

"Aside from this '_Ji-chan_' of his, Iruka-sensei is the only other person that seems to know him," Kurenai affirms. "I'll meet you at the hospital next Sunday, visiting hours."

Ino remains silent, taking it all in, and simply nods.

NARUTO

'_**Are you in Land of Wave yet?**_' Naru-nii wonders. '_**I'm almost gone here.**_'

'_Not yet_,' Naruto thinks. '_Still in the fog._'

'_**How are you and Kurama getting on?**_'

'_Not bad,_' Naruto hesitantly answers. '_He can be pretty stingy but he had a pretty good idea I wanted to run by you._'

'_**What's up?**_'

'_He wanted me to use up all my chakra on a bunch of clones to do whatever I want throughout the day, then he'll let me use his chakra instead._'

'_**Are you nervous about that?**_'

'_Yeah, I guess I am,_' Naruto admits. '_I mean I don't want to lose it or anything._'

'_**I get that, but remember, he's angry because everyone thought of him as some mindless monster only capable of hate,**_' Naru-nii explains. '_**But I can tell you he's not terrible and his chakra's not terrible. It's up to you, though. He's your partner after all.**_'

'_Yeah,_' Naruto affirms as their group slowly advances in their little boat under the cloak of thick fog. '_I guess I just wanted to talk about it. I feel better now, thanks._'

'_**Anytime,**_' Naru-nii voices. '_**I won't be there when you meet Zabuza and Haku. Remember, just because I told you what happened to me, doesn't mean it'll happen the same to you, so keep your eyes and ears open. Haku will be the one in a mask pretending to be a Hunter-nin. If you see any white rabbits, be ready.**_'

"There!" Sasuke calls as he throws a shuriken into the bushes, startling a few birds to take off in the air.

After checking the shrubbery, Naruto yells, "Ah! You killed a rabbit!" With big balls of tears in his saddened eyes, he quickly cradles the motionless rabbit in his arms. He looks from Sasuke to the bleeding rabbit, continuing to yell, "how could you be so cruel!"

"I- I sensed something-" Sasuke defends.

"Oh! Thank Kami," Naruto interrupts. "Usagi-chan's still alive!" Rushing over to Sakura, Naruto presents the injured furry animal, asking, "could you?"

"What am I, your vet," Sakura asks though taking the bleeding animal and working her best to heal its injury, after which, Kakashi yells, "get down!"

They all get down just before a giant sword spins lethally overhead like a tossed shuriken, filling their ears with a deafening metallic hum until it lodges itself halfway through a tree ahead. Feet land on the long handle of the large sword and the Demon Jōnin they belong too amplifies his awesome killing intent.

Despite the suffocating killing intent, Naruto moves into place with as much stealth as possible. It wasn't until Kakashi-sensei cleared the mist and told his team he would never allow his comrades to die that Naruto recalls the summit Naru-nii has him climbing toward, of the training he's killing himself over every day, and then he remembers who has worse Killing Intent than Zabuza… Kurama. Staring down the Demon Jōnin after staring down the Demon Fox suddenly didn't feel so challenging.

"Ne, you should give up now," Naruto calls out to the unmistakably strong Jōnin. "Because you're looking at the greatest Hokage there'll ever be!"

"You're acting big, wearing that headband like you're a ninja," Zabuza slowly, evilly, chuckles. "But a real ninja is someone who hovers between life and death numerous times. Only those in my Bingo book deserve to be called Ninja. Guys like you, can't-"

"So, all I have to do is beat you to deserve being called a ninja?" Naruto interrupts.

"Naruto-" Kakashi warns as Zabuza chuckles evilly.

"You should have been a comedian brat," Zabuza spits. "You would've lived longer."

"How about this," Naruto irately yells back. "How about I let you have the old man behind me," he bargains as he points to the old builder, "if you beat me. But if I beat you, I get your sword!"

"Naruto, enough!" Kakashi admonishes even as his stern red and black eyes remain fixed on Zabuza. Though Naruto feels it in his body to listen to his sensei, he also knows—through no fault on sensei's part—that Kakashi doesn't know everything.

Again, Zabuza laughs before bringing up his index and middle, activating jutsu. "A clone is more than enough for you," Zabuza states as a water clone emerges. "Kakashi, if you interfere, I'll kill the brats and the old man behind you."

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura warily calls but isn't sure what she wants to ask. Whether it's about Naruto, them, or the mission, this is all dangerous territory and it's looking closer and closer like one of them wasn't going to survive it. While her duty kept her by Tazuna-san, she worried more about Sasuke-kun and her team.

Naruto moves away from the safety of his battle-ready Jōnin-sensei—who's stuck between the mission behind him and the assassin in front—to the clearing beside them, all the while the water-clone is eying him. Naruto takes out prepped kunai for each hand, spinning them in the air before gripping them in a fighting pose. The water-clone rushes to the blond, and as a taller faster adult, he was on Naruto in a second, bringing down the clone of his large sword with scary speed. Naruto smiles as the sword slices down for the kill before speaking, "boom."

Both Naruto and Zabuza's water clone explode, surprising some longer than others. Kakashi and Zabuza were able to sense the kunai being thrown from the bushes at the original Demon of Hidden Mist, and when Zabuza blocks it, Kakashi and his Sharingan are on him. Though Zabuza stops Kakashi's kunai to the neck with his bare hand, a couple of shurikens thrown low and from Zabuza's blind spot are embedded in his leg.

"It's over," Kakashi harshly states as he locks Zabuza's injured arm in an arm grapple before expertly breaking it at the elbow then immediately follows up with a strike to the rogue Kiri-nin's nose. Despite a broken nose, the Kiri-nin rolls back with the force, attempting to gain some distance, but Kakashi is far more mobile, never letting up on the constantly retreating Kiri-nin until the half-naked ninja is leaning heavily against a tree, visibly exhausted with a kunai deep in each limb.

Before Kakashi can execute the killing blow, two senbon stick the eyebrow-less assassin in the neck instead. Turning to the direction of the senbon, the mostly stunned group find a masked ninja with long black hair standing calmly on the long branch of a tree. Naruto emerges from the bushes as Kakashi checks Zabuza's body, asserting, "definitely dead."

"Thank you very much," said the sweet voice of the hunter-nin. "I've been waiting for the right moment to kill Zabuza."

"_Uwah_," Naruto bemoans, looking at the senbon and thinking, '_so, this is Haku_.' "That's a hell of a shot."

"He's a Tracker-Nin, from Hidden Mist," Kakashi mildly states, happy his blond student isn't irrationally outraged by the impressive skill of someone who could be as young as Naruto himself.

"You're very knowledgeable," the Tracker-Nin comments.

Naruto and Naru-nii had discussed how to handle the situation enough to realize they needed more time. Neither one could come up with a plan that could readily convince Haku to not sacrifice himself for Zabuza, so they decided to just go with ignorance for the moment and taking the time to ask as many questions as they could in the hopes that a plan will form. So, Naruto takes the large sword from Zabuza's back and examines it as he asks, "do you think he had anyone he cared about? Someone who might be sad he's gone?"

"Zabuza Momochi killed over a hundred Academy students before becoming a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist," Haku calmly states from behind his mask. "He's murdered too many since then to have anyone he cares about."

"I doubt that," Naruto returns, knowing the truth and slowly lifting the sword. "I bet even Zabuza had someone he cared about. We're not just killing machines after all. We all have people we want to protect."

The quiet that followed is broken by a scoff from Sasuke. "Don't pretend that was protecting us, Dobe. I don't need your protection!"

"Sasuke," Kakashi admonishes.

"Ninja are tools," Haku tells Naruto. "They are the highly tuned instruments of death for the use of a village or a benefactor paying for their services."

"Nope!" Naruto calls loudly. "Friends aren't tools. We have purpose and it's got nothing to do with just killing."

"If you ever felt any loss at all, you'd know how stupid you sound," Sasuke retorts. "You think being an orphan means you know loss!" Though Naruto's angry enough to attack the last Uchiha, Kakashi deals with him instead.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi barks, grabbing Sasuke by the shoulder, though the avenger simply shrugs his Sensei's hand away before walking away.

As Naruto glares at the angered Uchiha, Haku walks to Zabuza, lifting the large adult by the injured arm. Naruto walks to the masked Haku and extends the handle of Kubikiribōchō. "For the person he cared about. Tell 'em Zabuza fought hard!"

"Naruto," Kakashi calls. "That weapon can earn you a lot of ryo if you keep it."

Though he wavers a little at the prospect of ryo and all the ramen it can buy, Naruto asserts, "this matters more than ryo, sensei. And besides, shinobi are more than tools."

Haku pauses for several moments, staring Naruto in his confident baby-blue eyes before eventually taking it. As Haku leaves, Naruto knows he'll see them again. Though he was really hoping to help Haku here and now, thoughts of Ji-chan and Iruka-sensei tell Naruto it'll take more than that. Still, Naruto is happy he told the masked boy the truth.

Lowering his headband, Kakashi wobbles on his feet before he drops to one knee. "Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura calls, running to check on him. Sasuke returns as Kakashi explains, "I used… my Sharingan… carelessly."

"We should go," Sakura states as she does her best to ease her sensei's physical exhaustion, though, Sakura feels like it's not nearly enough.

"Oi!" Naruto calls, and from out the trees at the other side of the clearing with the scorched radius from the clone's explosive notes, six Narutos and Tazuna-san walk toward them. Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke turn to the Tazuna-san next to them, who promptly grins before popping into white smoke. A clone of Naruto appears in its place before it dispels as well. As Naruto receives a small cache of memories, he notes no pain at all.

'_It must be easier when there's not a whole day's worth of training to send back,_' he guesses with a shrug. As a prankster, Naruto loves getting away with a hoax and smiles as he answers his team's bewildered looks. "You didn't think I'd actually risk the real old man in that little bet, did you?"

As Tazuna's primary defense, a confused Sakura asks, "when did you…"

"Before Kakashi-sensei cleared the fog," Naruto answers, thinking how helpful Naru-nii's been with details of what's supposed to happen on top of all the training he helps guide. With the help of his clones, Team Seven make it to Tazuna's home with their chakra exhausted Sensei.

HAKU

In a small clearing next to a river, Haku dresses the last of his precious person's wounds. With thoughts of the ninja team who did this to Zabuza's immaculate body flashing in his mind—none more than the golden-blond, blue-eyed boy—Haku can't help but think, '_that was unexpected._'

While Zabuza is a powerful shinobi, attacking without an exit plan is a sure way to die in their world and this was too close. The Konoha shinobi almost killed his special person. Turning to Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō, Haku knows he's no different than that finely crafted tool for murder… '_I am his tool_.'

Returning his eyes on his injured owner, Haku mentally asks, '_what would I do without you?_' With his wounds and his hyper-extended elbow, Zabuza will be down for a minimum of two weeks, but he needs medicine now. Understanding why they need the ryo, Haku sighs before sorrowfully asking an unconscious Zabuza, "will you be alright next time?"

* * *

I didn't feel like repeating every part about canon's mission so I just stuck to the parts I changed due to my Naruto's growth and meeting Kurama early. Which is why I interlaced it with Kurenai and Ino. I want to start bringing Ino back. I know many of you have been missing her and I agree.

FYI. That info about the flowers is real. There are orchids that sell for 250K in dollars which translates to tens of millions in Yen which when considering currency in the edo period is about 750K. Yay for research :)

As always, please let me know your thoughts. Have a great one,

-Grae


	12. 12A Special Person

Hey everyone,

I'm still glowing after that GOT episode-not that the ep showed a ton but it was enough for me-a good appetizer. I could watch Arya and Jon hug forever :) ...not in a shipping way.

I didn't think I was going to have a chance to get to this chap for a while but on top of having the day off, I had so much creative energy buzzing in my system, I spent a few solo hours writing and editing. Thus, I give you an impromptu update. Please don't expect this sort of update speed moving forward. It's just I'd already written part of it since it's connected to the last chap and I had the time to finish and edit.

I also want to reiterate the points of focus for this fic and it's not because of flames or mean comments. It's because we're already 100K in and what it was in the beginning is refined more after that many words. This fic will have some light moments but it will also have dark moments. The dark moments can be gut wrenching but that's because these characters are going through an arc and it's not always nice, pretty, or fast. There is a future where everyone loves and accepts Naruto-that's why I'm writing this-but it won't come easily or right away. I operate on a grounded reality, so naturally that's how I write. There is a journey and it'll be dark before we get to thoroughly enjoy the light.

Warning: Blood and Violence.

Please Enjoy.

* * *

NARUTO

Looking down at a cane-leaning Kakashi-sensei, the blond genin answers his surprised sensei, "I've been tree-walking for two months now. Why?"

"Well, I never taught you that, did I," Kakashi returns looking up a tall tree to the branch Naruto is hanging from the bottom of using solely his chakra to stick. Turning to Sakura, calmly tree-walking up a different, yet just as tall, tree, he adds, "I never taught either of you." Understanding the type of validation Sasuke needs to keep from losing mental and emotional balance, Kakashi tries to keep it light and inconsequential.

"Hmph! Sakura-chan is the smartest Kunoichi in our class and I'm not so dumb I can't pick up a scroll to figure out tree-walking," he proudly calls, though he would avoid scrolls if he can be told instead. "Maybe you'd notice your other students a bit more if you weren't giving Sasuke-teme private lessons!"

Surprised to hear the claim, Sakura asks her sensei, "what lessons," before realizing that it shouldn't matter to her if Sensei favors Sasuke-kun. '_Everyone should_,' she thinks. '_He__'s the best!_' Though, at the outraged face of Sasuke-kun, Sakura suddenly doesn't feel right about learning an ability he clearly hasn't yet and begins to walk back down to the forest floor. Something in her brain didn't feel right about that rationality and Sakura didn't like it. '_Sasuke-kun should be up here with us_,' she mentally yells.

"Sakura is doing very well with her Iryō-ninjutsu and I've noticed your training as well, Naruto," Kakashi comments avoiding compliments to keep the third genin from seething. Truthfully, after he'd heard Sasuke's ambition to, '_kill a certain man,_' Kakashi knew he had to keep a closer eye on the Uchiha than his others and felt the three genins worked out favorably for the avenger. If Naruto continued his growth beneath Sasuke and Sakura remains supportive, than chances were good Sasuke could turn out relatively balanced with time, and the Uchiha clan wouldn't die out.

"Whatever," Naruto calls back, sliding down the tree and meeting his team on the forest floor. "Since only one of us needs training, I guess I'll keep an eye on Tazuna-Jiji."

Noticing Sasuke fuming for feeling so left behind, Sakura can only think to say, "I'm sure Sasuke-kun will get it in no time," while Kakashi tells Naruto, "if you've mastered Tree-walking, we should at least try water-walking."

Naruto turns to Sakura, expressing, "it took me a week to learn tree-walking and even if it takes the teme less, I bet you he won't get it on his first try."

"Hardly anyone can get tree-walking on their first try," Kakashi states looking to relieve the tension, only for Sakura to flinch as Naruto adds even more tension by replying, "Sakura-chan got it on her first try, and I learned how to walk on water a week after I learned to walk on trees."

"Don't be so fucking full of yourself you idiot!" Sasuke yells. "You think I care you learned one thing all shinobi have to learn?! I don't! Because no matter how many lifetimes you train for, you'll never gain the power of the Sharingan!"

"Yeah well, when you do finally decide to get your pink eye you can copy this," Naruto yells as he gives Sasuke the middle finger. Naruto walks away as Kakashi holds an absolutely fuming Sasuke back.

Though Sakura would much rather stay with Sasuke-kun, to cheer and support him—to be his strength—Sakura doesn't want to risk Ino's retaliation should the platinum blond inadvertently learn from Naruto that she stayed with Sasuke when she didn't have to. With a muscle-tearing hurt in her chest, Sakura glumly tells Kakashi, "Sensei, I'll stay with Tsunami-san." She turns to an absolutely seething Sasuke-kun and tells him with pitiful cheer, "I know you can do it Sasuke-kun-"

"Just shut up and leave!"

Though hurt, Sakura is empathetic to Sasuke-kuns feelings of embarrassment and so truly knows he doesn't mean to snap at her. She leaves her sensei and her love.

HAKU

From behind Haku, Gatō and his two guards enter the moderately room unannounced, though the Kiri-nin heard them well before they reached the room. Zabuza is laying in bed while Haku tends to his wounds.

"You Kiri-nin must be worthless," Gatō spits. "I'm not paying you to lay about."

Zabuza says nothing so then neither does Haku.

Walking up to the bed like he's in no danger, Gatō is about to place his hand on Zabuza. Sensing the kunai in his master's hand, Haku takes it upon himself to act angered and irate for the Zabuza's injured state, grabbing and breaking Gatō's hand. Haku not only wanted to keep Zabuza from aggravating his injuries further, but he also wanted to keep his master from brashly jeopardizing their future plans for the Fourth Mizukage with the money they'll earn here.

"You have a week," Gatō yells, holding his trembling injured hand. They talk of their target's family as they leave, but Haku is more concerned with his special person. He can't care about a family he's never met more than the person resting before him. His special person is suffering. Grabbing a basket after a quick change, Haku heads into the forest.

"Oh, nee-chan, you woke me," Naruto mumbles. He rubs his eyes of sleep as he informs her, "ne, you shouldn't be out here by yourself. It could be dangerous."

"What about you?" Looking at his headband, Haku gently asks, "are you perhaps a ninja?"

Far more awake, Naruto smiles greatly as he adjusts his forehead protector. "Sure am! I'm going to be the greatest Hokage ever!"

"Oh," Haku smiles at the cheerful blond. "Is that why you're out here? Training?"

"Yup! There aren't any shortcuts so I need to become super _super_ strong if I want to be the greatest Hokage."

"_Mnnn_, but why?" The question makes Naruto tilt his head and Haku adds, "you already seem very strong."

Naruto shakes his head at the pretty girl, vocalizing with passion, "no, no, no. I need to be _super_ strong! I have precious people I need to protect."

"Do you believe you can only be truly strong when you have a precious person to protect?"

"Mmm," Naruto hums questioningly, thinking about Naru-nii. Certainly, he didn't know everyone he's protecting but his precious people are among everyone. "I don't completely know," Naruto admits before he clarifies. "I'd definitely do everything in my power to protect my precious people, so yes, but there are also friends I haven't met yet, right? Just because I haven't met them yet doesn't mean I wouldn't protect them too… right? I don't know. Like, I just met you today but we could totally be friends. We could be the best of friends!"

"Maybe we could," Haku smiles prettily, making Naruto blush a bit and miss Kurenai a lot.

"We definitely would," Naruto states, extending his hand. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

Humored by the very upfront attitude, a smiling Haku takes Naruto's hand as he introduces himself, "I'm Haku."

'_No way!_' Naruto mentally screams, expression of shock clear on his face. "Haku!"

"Uh, yes," Haku states slightly apprehensively and on alert. "Is there something wrong?"

"Eh? Oh, no," Naruto tries to recover. "I was just surprised is all. You're way cute!"

Haku actually blushes as he looks to the ground and recalls why he was out there. "I have to collect some medical herbs."

"Can I help?" Naruto asks, wondering how to help Haku. "I'm actually pretty good at picking plants. Just show me what it looks like." After Haku shows him the plant, they both begin searching and picking all the while Naruto tries to wrack his brain for a plan to help Haku.

"Thank you for your assistance Naruto-kun."

"Ne, can we meet tomorrow," Naruto asks. "Same time and place?"

Surprised, Haku simply nods before leaving.

SAKURA

Guarding and assisting Tsunami-san was going well until she courteously comments, "you must be very strong if you don't need to practice with your other teammate, Sakura-chan."

It irked Sakura that she immediately pictured Sasuke-kun rather than Naruto, but as Sasuke is the only one who can't tree-walk yet, the Rookie of the Year is the only one in training while Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura are on guard duty.

Tsunami-san continues, "it's rather lovely to see someone so pretty who is also ninja."

"…ah, um, thank you," Sakura manages around her trepidation.

"I've heard from father your teammate has defeated all the attackers you met along the way here. Naruto-kun must also be very strong."

Internally, Sakura heaves as she makes a mental note to switch with Naruto tomorrow and weakly mentions, "we're all very strong."

KURENAI

Ino is running to meet the beautiful Jōnin-sensei at the entrance of the Hospital. Kurenai smirks as the girl isn't running because she's late, but because she wants to be right on time, and Kurenai is amused by that. Ino stops before her at eleven on the dot, before she bids her good morning and they walk to the recovery ward. After the nurse confirms with Iruka that he's up for visitors, the kunoichi walk into his room.

Kurenai and Ino had already heard the lower half of his body is paralyzed, though knowing it and seeing it are two completely different things. It was hard for them to see. For Kurenai, this is a fellow sensei and comrade who was injured protecting a student from a traitorous sensei. And for Ino, the nice Chūnin had been her teacher for years. To see a man who taught her the principles, the foundations, of what it means to be a Konoha ninja, so broken was heart-wrenching.

Though the bed is the standard hospital bed, soft shapes are placed around his form to keep him upright with his limbs properly bent. Iruka smiles at their entrance as he raises the back of the bed to make facing them easier. "To be visited by one of my best pupils and the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha," Iruka sings. "How did I get so lucky to see such beautiful ladies today?"

"That's kind of you to say Umino-sensei," Kurenai starts while Ino smiles mournfully at the compliment.

"Please, Iruka is fine," he asserts with a wave. "Have a seat. What can I do for you?"

After moving seats close to his bed, Kurenai explains from the beginning. "Some weeks back, I enlisted the help of Uzumaki Naruto. It was a mundane task but I've since had many chances to speak with him and he's mentioned you a number of times." Iruka chuckles with a wide grin as Kurenai adds, "to hear him talk, you were the only sensei in the Academy."

"Yeah, well, he's was a troublesome one, but I was happy to learn he has a good heart," Iruka happily expresses.

"I have to admit, Umino-"

"Iruka," he repeats.

"Iruka-san," Kurenai corrects with a small smile. "He's mentioned some things that don't make sense."

"Such as," Iruka wonders, though he likely knows.

"His education is of special interest to me, or the lack thereof," Kurenai begins. "I've come to learn that not long after he graduated, he can tree-walk, water-walk, perform A-Rank jutsu, and he seems to have an absurd amount of chakra. His Kage Bunshin, in particular, can last far longer than what would normally be life-threatening to the majority of shinobi, and he seems to have an unfathomable potential to learn, which completely contradicts his class rank."

"You're kidding," Iruka gasps, taking each remark about his favored student with more and more brow-raising astonishment. "Are you sure we're talking about the same Naruto? Blond spiky hair, blue eyes, whisker birthmarks?"

The raven-haired beauty nods and adds, "somehow, he learned on his own the reason he couldn't do the Bunshin no Jutsu is because on top of having large chakra reserves, he has large Tenketsu and I don't have to tell you how exceedingly difficult it would be for him to attempt justsu that only requires a minimal amount of chakra."

"No, yes," Iruka hums in deep contemplation. "Like trying to accurately tip a full barrel of water into a teaspoon without spilling. He'd have an easier time learning S-Rank jutsu than D-Rank."

A monumentally bewildered Ino tries to make sense of this information, crunching her face confused as she asks, "excuse me, sensei, but are you trying to say that Naruto is actually strong? Like he's been strong this whole time even though he failed to graduate three times and is the Dead Last of our class?"

"Oh, how I hate that title," Iruka mumbles. Despite having used it many times herself, Kurenai is growing more and more tired of hearing it as well, especially to describe Naruto. Iruka then explains to the platinum-blond genin, "Ino-chan, rather than thinking of the Academy's final test as the ultimate authority on the intelligence or ability of every single student, wonder instead if standardized tests only work with standard shinobi."

"Um," Ino hums trying to understand, then asking, "you mean to say that Naruto isn't normal. Like Kurenai-sensei said, his tenketsus are apparently larger, meaning he would have a hard time utilizing low chakra techniques."

"Yes," he agrees with a proud smile, and adds, "but more than that, more than Naruto's specific example. If the final test was instead the Nara's Shadow Bind, how well do you think others would perform then? What if the final test was water-walking? How well do you think Naruto-kun would do? It's not unlike judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree. Why wouldn't everyone in the class, including the fish, not believe it has no talent after failing such a simple test?"

"All students can learn and succeed, Ino-chan, but not all at the same time and in the same ways," Kurenai reinforces, happy to know there are some instructors out there who are genuinely passionate about teaching.

"I guess, but he still did poorly in class," Ino cautiously points out. She's smart enough to see both these sensei have positive opinions of Naruto despite the mountain of evidence, or maybe a hill of evidence at this point, that says otherwise.

"Is there any credibility to the grading of his tests?" Kurenai asks, recalling Hinata's claims of unfairness when grading his tests. "I've been informed that despite answering questions correctly, he still receives zeros."

"Ah," Iruka says with clear embarrassment. "While I wouldn't say he answers _everything_ correctly, I can, in fact, confirm that behavior among the staff."

"Can you tell me which instructor," Kurenai asks.

"All of them," Iruka sadly states. "Any sensei that can use tests to reinforce their bias of him, did so repeatedly. What's more is if his text manuals were ever lost or stolen, he would not be issued another one."

Still irate by her experience in his sandals at the market, to only hear about how he was apparently treated in school, Ino couldn't help but ask, "so then how-"

"He used to break into the Academy's library late at night," Iruka sadly mentions. "I caught him once," Iruka adds with a smile. "I'm sure that's how he started breaking into places."

"It's that systemic…" Kurenai wishes she can say she's surprised but at this point the picture of Naruto's life is clear. Any way or method Naruto could be screwed over, he was. Ino couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was so sure he was just an idiot, but now two intelligent adults are saying different, and after playing as Naruto for a day, she couldn't completely deny it.

"I- …okay," Ino speaks, clearing her troubled mind. "Not that I don't believe you, and truth be told, the way he acts out makes even more sense now, but this is hard to accept, mainly because I don't get why everyone hates him so much. How could so many people hate one boy for no other reason than being an orphan? It just doesn't add up."

"You're right Ino-chan," Iruka glumly states, weakly slamming his head against his pillow. "It saddens me to say when I first met him, not only did I not understand him, but I didn't want to. I had my own personal reasons for refuting him, you see." Kurenai didn't need to hear why but it's forbidden to talk about so Ino can't completely understand. "While it's surprising he's learning that much in such a short period of time, his enthusiasm isn't. In my personal experience, I was happy to learn the one thing about Naruto you can always count on."

"What's that?" Ino asks.

"That boy never gives up," Iruka asserts with a smile. "Orphaned from birth, a child of poverty, nearly all his sensei belittle his intelligence, hated by everyone, mistreated by most, attacked and beaten by some; you would think someone going through all that for years and years would simply give up or turn to hate and violence. But not Naruto. He fights that much harder, like something I've never seen before. He gives me hope… that this world can be a better place and it's why I'll defend him with my very life."

The strength of his eyes as both women felt his conviction was palpable. Laying paralyzed only aided the truth of his words, and more than Kurenai, Ino was in awe that someone would actually go so far for Naruto of all people. One of her favorite sensei's positive opinion of him made her uncomfortable as she thought of all her insulting thoughts, taunts or abuse of him. Kurenai simply felt impressively pleased to know more about the loud blond and finds herself hoping he'll come back soon.

The remainder of the visit was reformed to pleasantries while both kunoichi nest deep in thought about a blond genin they thought they knew.

NARUTO

It would've been a fun couple of days if not for a few things.

One, Naruto keeps creaming his pants after constant wet dreams. The reality of Naruto's morning generally finds him in the washroom cleaning his boxers of a heaping quantity of spunk before anyone else is awake, wishing over and over to get back to Kurenai soon. It doesn't help that Tsunami-nee is really pretty and bends over often. She may be a mother, but she still has an attractive figure. This has been a constant problem he attempts to remedy through excessive training.

Two, Sasuke refuses to acknowledge Sakura, which Naruto can see hurts her. The fact that it hurts her, means it hurts Naruto and he just wants to punch Sasuke for not realizing how amazing their pink-haired teammate is, repeatedly making him wonder, '_what does she even see in that asshole!_'

Living together in close proximity like they all are, sharing the washroom, the dining table, and chores, Naruto can't help but see the introverted attitude the Teme seems to have with them is ever-present. For some odd reason, Naruto always imagined that once he returned to his home, he would relax and smile more or something to that effect. Witnessing how wrong he is, Naruto can't help but wonder why Sakura-chan would prefer someone so mean to her over someone who actually cares about her.

Lastly, neither Narutos have yet to figure out how to help Haku. Naruto and Haku talk every day for an hour in the forest and it's been one of the best times he's ever had with another boy near his age. At two years apart, the eighteen-year-old brunette is super nice and funny, and though it unnerves him how girly he looks, he's super thrilled to have met him. With every new piece of information the Narutos learn, they wonder if a plan might form that would actually work considering who Haku's special someone is.

A big part of the problem is, and isn't, Zabuza. If Zabuza dies at their hands, Haku may not want to be friends anymore, or even come to Konoha with them. If Zabuza lives, the Narutos don't think Haku would leave him to live a different life. Naruto himself wouldn't leave Ji-chan or Iruka-sensei, so how could they expect Haku to leave Zabuza? The Narutos are stuck on this point, however, they're currently content to hang around with the Hunter-nin.

"You don't have to guard me," Tsunami tells Naruto. He and seven clones are sitting at the dinner table trying to cut a leaf with chakra alone. It's been going well. After weeks of trying he's finally seeing some real progress. Naruto turns to the pretty mother as she explains, "I know how much father enjoyed having you with him. He said you and your clones helped construction move thirty-seven percent faster, which is incredible."

Naruto chuckles as he responds, "yeah, I have a lot of energy and I wanted to help."

"Ah, to be young again," she says whimsically with a smile. "I think it's a nice… to see that side of a ninja."

Confused, Naruto asks, "what do you mean?"

"Forgive me," Tsunami says. "I only mean to say it's nice that ninja can help build. We here primarily know about their strength to destroy rather than help. Father's told me how much you want to help us, and from the bottom of my heart I can't thank you enough."

"No sweat," Naruto proudly tells her with a big smile.

"Naruto-kun," Tsunami calls. "Is it true you changed into my father on your journey here?"

"Yup!"

"That's just so unbelievable," Tsunami states with a giggle. Naruto puts his fingers together and henges into her father, to her joyful surprise. "Oh my! You look exactly like him."

Naruto hunches his back like Tazuna does, pretends to look around the room in confusion and mimics his voice, saying, "Tsunami, be a dear and help me find my glasses." As they're already on Naruto-Tazuna's face, Tsunami laughs at the dead-on impersonation. "Why I can't find those blasted things anywhere!"

When Naruto changes back to himself, Tsunami claps for the performance and even the clones join in. The next morning, Kakashi-sensei rotates their assignments again as it seems Sasuke finally learned tree-walking. He certainly did it faster but Naruto didn't care about that.

KURAMA

Kurama was irate, displeased, frustrated, and anxious. After establishing a connection through the seal to communicate with his container, the puny blond no bigger than his nail runs up to the damn gate. The sight of his grin annoyed Kurama further, forcing the great chakra beast to pace to alleviate his aggravation.

In the dark dankness of his seal, Naruto noted, "it's pretty rare for you to call me down. What's up?"

Kurama used to live for the land gifted to him by his father; the peace and tranquility his father's land provided him. Even now it aches to think of that loss. Kurama did not want to be sealed, however, he did not want to be controlled even more. The loss of his father, then siblings, and then even his land to then be controlled and hated by so many, the only source of comfort, of peace in all this is the few moments his brat container has with his mate. And now he's been cut off. Pacing angrily within the large cavern beyond the gold prison bars, Kurama demands to know, "why has it been so long?"

Naruto tilts his head confused, angering the chakra beast further. To Naruto, they've only had a handful of conversations since they first exchanged names and the Kyūbi has been surly in every one. Their conversations don't even feature much more than Naruto's pathetic development in tapping into his chakra. Naru-nii confirmed there are several transformations that happen depending on the amount of Kyūbi chakra he takes in, but he hasn't been able to reach the first transformation yet. Though that has more to do with time constraints then ability—his team, Kurenai, and Naru-nii's training take up most of his waking hours.

With squinted eyes, Naruto asks the bristling Kyūbi, "why is '_what__'_ taking so long?"

"YOu…" Kurama cuts himself off, angrily grumbling as he moves to the gate and settles comfortably on his front paws to closer inspect the blond. "I thought you were a human of your word."

"What?" Naruto snaps, growing more confused. "I am!"

"Than why haven't you mated," Kurama surly asks. Seeing the shocked confusion on his face, Kurama raises himself to look down on the puny brat. "You said you reached a deal with your mate that guaranteed carnal satisfaction. I'm so disgusted with myself for believing you, a human!"

"Wha- Ne, Kurama," Naruto sputters, completely thrown off by this weird topic of conversation. "You know I'm on mission, right?"

"And?" Kurama retorts. "I'm the strongest of the tailed beasts! I shouldn't have to wait to feel something other than this dark abyss!"

"Well, I mean," Naruto tries, unsure how to respond. "There's not really much I can do until I get back. Trust me, after the week I've been having, I want to get back as much as you do!"

"As the container of the greatest tailed-beasts, I demand you mate with your teammate!"

"What?" a shocked Naruto hollers, though he blushes profusely, nearly making Kurama laugh. "I can't just sleep with Sakura-chan!"

"Have you asked her," Kurama returns smugly.

Pulling up short, Naruto mumbles, "well, no, but- BUT I don't need to ask her, you big dummy! She doesn't even love me!"

"That explains nothing," Kurama shrugs off. "Why should I deem you worthy of my chakra when you're unable to even mate regularly?"

"Hey now," Naruto tries to reason with the oddly bratty Nine-Tails. "Come on, cut me some slack, will ya? It's pretty amazing that I even have Nai-chan training me-"

"More!" Kurama interjects. Naruto looks confused and exhausted as Kurama adds, "you must gain more power to attract more mates. You will continue training with my chakra and when you are as great as I, you will acquire more mates."

"You remember we're supposed to be stopping that masked dude from taking all the Bijuu right? Your brothers and sisters?"

"An impossible task since you can't even handle the strength of a single one of my tails!" Kurama verbally jabs and Naruto's shoulders sag. "You must train harder. It's clear to me, the more power and attention you receive, the easier it will be to attain willing mates."

"…I guess," Naruto questions. "But I'm kinda hoping to marry just one, so how about I just have a lot of sex with one. I mean it's not like you can tell who I'm having sex with, so why would I need multiple women?"

"…I suppose that would also work," Kurama agrees. "That will be your price, brat. For my continued support against Madara's plans, you will acquire a life-long mate designated for frequent copulation… or multiple mates. As long as you don't lose to the other Jinchūriki, I don't care which."

Naruto throws his head back rolling his eyes before he says, "how about we just keep training on using more of your chakra without losing my mind and we'll worry about who I have sex with later?"

"More, brat," Kurama reminds him with hard eyes and growl. "Moooooorrreee."

With a deep exhale of air, Naruto nods, "I got it, I got it. I know it's not fun here and I really want us to be like Naru-nii and future-Kurama, so for the both of us, I'll definitely try. We're teammates after all."

Kurama says nothing as Naruto leaves, unsure of how to react to the brat's assertions. Truly, he's is different than his previous wardens… different than many humans, however, that shouldn't matter. '_It doesn__'t,_' Kurama stubbornly thinks as he lays down for a nap.

NARUTO

After talking with Kurama, Naruto had been waiting for Haku to show up all morning. Unsure why his friend is late, Naruto leaves a clone just in case he shows up and returns to Tazuna's residence to find a crying Tsunami on a large brown-haired man's lap being fondled over her clothes. Try as she might to resist the man with a tattoo on his left shoulder and bicep groping her, she's clearly more concerned with her son who's on the floor being kicked by another man with bluish-white hair and black eyes. They're both laughing until Naruto enters.

The bigger of the two is reaching for his sword while the smaller had drawn it, but neither is faster than Naruto's rage-filled speed, slicing the neck of the one beating on Inari before throwing that same kunai at the larger one's head, killing them both. Helping both Tsunami and Inari while his clones drag out the corpses, Naruto asks, "what happened? Where's Sasuke and Kakashi?"

"They- They said my father's already dead," Tsunami wails. "And that Inari would be next if I- if I didn't-"

"It's okay," Naruto states, putting his hand on her shoulders. "They won't hurt you again."

"Please you have to save my father," Tsunami calls.

"I'll leave a few clones," Naruto tells them before rushing out of their home.

When he gets to the bridge, he finds Sasuke fighting Haku with his mask on while Kakashi and Zabuza fight it out some distance away. Sakura is fighting several of Gatō's mercenaries by herself, effectively keeping them from killing Tazuna. Sakura needs his help, he wants to make sure Haku is alright and he can't let Kakashi kill Zabuza. Naruto simply wants them all to stop. Then he spots Gatō at the end of the nearly complete bridge, laughing as he watches on from the safety of a group of large and imposing men.

For one man to cause so much chaos, to hurt so many lives and laugh all the while? Naruto was sure this is why he works so hard to be strong; to stop men like this; to stop men threatening the lives of innocent people, in the present and in the future.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Thirty puffs of white smoke reveal thirty angry clones of Naruto. It's more than he uses for training but as he knows they won't exist for too long, he's positive they won't be too draining. Naruto sends fifteen to aid Sakura, confident she'll manage his clones to perfection since he always has the hardest time when she leads them in their sparring sessions. Ten attack Gatō's men from the front while the other five jump over the bridge to travel under it.

Wondering if the dome is the same one Naru-nii described, Naruto jumps inside the cage made of ice-mirrors and finds Sasuke's cut up and bleeding but noting no severe injuries as his raven-haired teammate yells, "you idiot! Why would you jump inside?! What kind of shinobi are you!?"

Irked at being yelled at for trying to help, Naruto throws back, "wha- one who can water-walk! Which is a hell of a lot more than I can say about you!"

"Tch," Sasuke coughs, before turning to the ice mirrors and yelling, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke's fireball may be large but it doesn't damage the mirrors, to which Haku notes, "they won't melt with that level of firepower."

"He's right, that's pretty weak," Naruto points out.

"Shut up!" Sasuke yells back.

"You shouldn't have come here," the hunter-nin tells Naruto before all the mirrors light up and fire senbon after senbon at the pair of Konoha ninjas. They prick and cut all over but the attacks are shallow and non-lethal, and thanks to Naru-nii, Naruto knows why. Haku doesn't want to kill. Haku's not a killer. It hurts Haku to do this, and from what Naru-nii said, Zabuza knows this as well.

When the onslaught of long needles finally subsides, both Naruto and Sasuke are thrown roughly on their backs. Though he feels like he's got a thousand little cuts aching all over his body Naruto stands, calling out to the mirrors, "I had to come Hunter-nin! Zabuza owes me his stupid sword!"

Though Zabuza and Kakashi only focus on each other, Zabuza responds amused, "Oh, the comedian is back."

"Uzumaki Naruto, the ninja who beat you!" Naruto yells proudly, muzzling most of the action on the bridge. "Get it right!"

"Whine all you like, boy, but you beat nothing," Zabuza claims. "A pathetic brat like you could never take Kubikiribōchō from me. You'll die right where you are."

"We'll see about that," Naruto calls before turning to the masked Haku. "Ne, Hunter-nin, you'll learn soon enough, but I won't die until I become the greatest Hokage ever!" Snapping his fingers together, Naruto cries from the pit of his stomach, building not only his vocal outcry but his profuse reserve of chakra. Like the second stage of Rasengan—power—Naruto increases the volume and output of his spirit energy, forcing his abundant reserves to the precipice of his large tenketsus and holding the buildup there until the pain cascades throughout his entire muscle system. If he could see himself, he'd know, like the others watching him, how awash he is with blue luminescent power shrouding his crouched form.

Through the painful ripping, he howls, "Tajuu, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

A mountain's worth of white smoke puffs before the entire mirror dome fills with Narutos. While some escape and break the mirrors from the outside, some attack from the inside, smashing one mirror after another until Haku flies out of his Ice jutsu. Though reeling from the burst of energy, Naruto rushes the much faster boy. The speed of Haku's fist snap against Naruto's face, stomach or any opening the Hunter-nin could easily land, but Naruto is relentless.

Despite losing in taijutsu, sharp pain is no reason to stop or slow. He takes as much pain as Haku can dish, battling to absurd ends for this brunette boy and his future counterpart. Naruto's clones disperse one at a time, causing constant smoke as both boys trade blow for blow, converting a loss of footing into a strike at distance, parrying one punch into an effortless counter, and though it appears one-sided, Naruto doesn't relent, putting his all into more… into feeling more _truth_. Naruto is learning who he is fighting a newly found friend and he won't stop; not until Haku gives him a reason too.

Despite lacking in skill, the more Naruto fights on, the more his body adapts and the more he sees. Then, as sudden as the next sharp inhale, Naruto moves faster than he's ever felt, stopping and evading more than he had before—countering and deflecting more—until Naruto finally feels it. That hesitation. The physical conversation between them, tells Naruto that Haku doesn't want to do this. Naruto can somehow feel that Haku's fists ache to hit him, and they don't want to anymore. It's all Naruto needed to clearly see the oncoming strike, palm it in his strong grip, keeping a huffing Haku in place while Naruto rears back his own fist, drawing energy not just from the rotation of his entire body, but with the strength of his convictions… of what this means to win.

Like a tight spring snapping free, Naruto slams his unwavering fist directly into Haku's mask with an impossibly heavy '_thrack!_' The Hunter-nin is launched a great distance away, hitting the ground with a hard thud before rolling farther. If Naruto didn't have legitimate reasons behind this fight, it would've hurt him even more to do that to someone he cares about, and that horrible anguish rises violently from his taut stomach.

"_AAAAAHHHHHH,_" Naruto screams to the heavens, wrecked with raw emotions. "**ZABUZA!**" With less fog and fewer clones, Naruto vaguely sees Kakashi and Zabuza still facing off, though both are paying more attention to him and Haku. "I'm coming for your weapon!" Unbeknownst, to Naruto and Sasuke, a water clone of Zabuza materializes threateningly behind Sasuke before the Demon of Hidden Mist tells Kakashi, "don't even think of interfering, Kakashi. Or my clone kills your little pet."

Zabuza immediately breaks away from Kakashi at break-neck speed, shouting at the blond ninja, "you want it, brat? You got it!" Zabuza was truly a monster and he was on Naruto in seconds, bringing down his enormous sword with great stone cutting speed. A kunai in each hand and chakra constantly flowing from each foot, all Naruto could manage was evading or blocking, getting cut no matter what. Even if Naruto blocks a direct assault, the concussive force alone is enough to rattle his skull, deafen his ears, and send him flying—chakra suction or not—all the while Zabuza laughs.

"You need to do better than that if you want to beat the Demon of Hidden Mist," Zabuza yells as he toys with Naruto, confidently digging in little cuts every so often, not only feeding his blade, but his own blood-lust.

Naruto uses everything, every technique he knows, every clone available, every tool in his pouch and nothing could stop Zabuza from having his way—kicking Naruto harder than he's ever felt, punching him with the force of a sledgehammer, cutting into aching muscle with his sword—drawing more and more blood from the red-stained blond.

"Congratulations, brat!" Zabuza yells, as he parries Naruto's kunai strike with his leg before kicking him in the face. "I officially recognize you as a shinobi," Zabuza adds before finishing his combo with a kick to the stomach, sanding Naruto far enough for Zabuza to jump in the air and prepare a downward cut. "Now you can die like one!"

Gleefully, Zabuza brings down a lethal cut, strong enough to howl in the severed wind as the assassin attempts to cleave Naruto in two. Naruto barely manages to bring up both kunai, creating a V to catch the razor-edge of the legendary blade. But even still, with the force of his technique, Naruto instantly drops to one knee, slamming chakra-infused bone and cartilage into cracking concrete as inches of the blade digs into his trapezius muscle, sprouting blood up the side of his jumpsuit's collar and his face.

"Naruto!" the blond ninja hears Sakura call, but his blurry attention can only focus on the madness of Zabuza's cold face.

'_Oi! You dumb Fox_,' Naruto's mind calls as all strength in him fluctuates and sputters as much as his free-flowing blood. '_Get off your ass, I could use a little help here!_'

A large red eye pulses within him and like a second heart, bigger than his head, pumps more disgusting power into Naruto's small body than he's ever felt in training. Everyone begrudgingly witnessing the fight is suddenly stunned to see red chakra surround his body and steam the air around. Not a second later, his wounds begin to heal faster than is medically possible and Naruto is left with more power than he knows what to do with…

… but Naruto knows exactly what to do with this absurd strength.

The animalistic blond heaves the great sword up with super strength from is already healing trapezius wound, and rolls forward towards the mercenary, sniping both the assassin's set feet with his kunai. Zabuza growls in the pain at the kunai embed through his feet and into the stone below as Naruto's left hand grips the assassin's right wrist. While a clone lands next to Naruto, Zabuza tries to pull away but the blond's insane chakra-covered grip is unyielding, until he resorts to striking Naruto in the face to let go—a hit that would've normally knocked him out is ignored and healed in seconds—all the while Naruto and his clone are shaping a glowing ball of chakra in his right hand.

"You think you know what it means to truly be strong," a bloody Naruto bellows passionately at the assassin, though all on the bridge clearly hear. "I'll show you how the greatest Hokage there'll ever be protects his friends!" Growling fiercely, Naruto focuses on condensing the great ball of rotating power until it's perfect. Leaning in, the blond, bloody and beaten ninja slams the destructive ball of chakra straight into Zabuza's gut, roaring for all to hear, "Rasengan!"

No matter the perspective of the explosive attack; from Kakashi's, Sakura's, Sasuke's, Haku's, none could accept a small bloodied blond genin smashing a condensed tornado of chakra into a former Kiri-Anbu's gut and rocket the seasoned shinobi thirty yards away, spinning the taller mass like a propeller all the while. The hard, bone-breaking landing looked like mercy as it seemed like Zabuza would go on forever.

In the infinite quiet of the bridge, a heaving Naruto sends two clones to get him as he slowly walks over to a stunned and held down Haku whose mask is in pieces on the floor. The clones keeping Haku from interfering dispel and upon realizing he kept Haku back while he beat the beautiful boy's special person, Naruto grows very nervous. He can't imagine Haku would be happy about that and immediately apologizes, "ah, Haku, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to beat your special person! But I had to prove to him that friends aren't tools. You- He-… I mean, if there was another way-"

"…Did you know," Haku slowly asks.

Confused, Naruto asks, "know what?"

"That the person you met in the forest and the Hunter-nin by Zabuza's side were one and the same?"

"Oh," Naruto follows, responding, "yeah."

"You…" Haku is taken into silence until his clones bring Zabuza's weakened body. Kakashi and Sasuke close in as the Demon Ninja coughs and sputters blood through his sharpened teeth, prompting Naruto to happily bellow, "oh thank Kami you're alive!"

The extensively wounded former Kiri-Anbu managed to painfully communicate, "… I… under… estimated… you."

Anxious about Haku, Naruto ignores the statement to ask, "Ne, Zabuza-jiji, instead of your sword, can Haku come with me to Konoha?" Though everyone is surprised, Naruto ignores them to add, "I promise I'll protect him with everything I got," while heavily smashing his fist in his palm.

"No," Haku gasps, wincing in pain. "Do not ask this Naruto-kun! I won't leave Zabuza-sama!"

"Why not?" Naruto counters, looking from Zabuza to Haku. "Zabuza-jiji isn't the only one who cares about you."

"I'm his tool," Haku calls back. "I'm meant for nothing more than to kill anything he desires!"

"That's not true," Naruto calls back. "I heard you! During our fight, I could tell every punch you landed, every kick you tagged me with, you didn't want to kill me. You didn't even want to hurt me!" Haku is stunned to hear the admission but Naruto turns to the sprawled Zabuza and states with a pointed finger. "I bet you even he knows friends aren't tools. Shinobi aren't murdering machines. We build! And we protect! That's my Nindō!"

Haku tries to argue, "well you're wrong!" But, like his fists striking his blond friend, the beautiful boy doesn't feel complete conviction.

"…Haku…" Zabuza moans weakly.

"No, Zabuza-sama," Haku pleads, tears streaming down his swollen face. "Please let me remain by your side!"

"…No…" Zabuza wheezes. "…Go…"

"Sakura-chan," Naruto calls, turning to his teammate. "Can't you help him?"

Sakura's face has been set in perpetual surprise for the past five minutes and is stunned into awareness by Naruto's direct question. Thinking past her reservations, she turns to Kakashi for his directive when Sasuke proclaims, "he's our enemy! You can't heal our enemy!"

"No, he's not!" Naruto defends Zabuza against his teammate. "He was only doing it for the money and that was taken care of like five minutes ago." He points over to where Gatō should be, and when they all look they see a group of mercenary looting Gatō's dead body for anything of worth. "No payment means no job, which means he's not our enemy!"

With a stiff nod from a moderately wounded Kakashi, Sakura tries her best to heal their once-enemy. Naruto turns to Haku, pleading, "I wish I could've met you first, really, I do, but I'm meeting you now and that has to count for something, right? Please, Haku, won't you be my friend?" Haku looks pained in a way that has nothing to do with his wounds as tears flow freely.

"…Go…" Zabuza adds. "If I… mean… anything…"

Tear-filled, Haku nods once, croaking, "…a-as you wish, Zabuza-sama."

Even with Naruto's help, it takes Tazuna another week to finish the bridge. To Naruto's immense despair, Haku doesn't talk to him but for, "excuse me," or, "I'd like to be alone, please." Naruto tries to give him space but every day, every hour, he's hoping Haku would search him out so they can talk like they did in the forest. Even Naru-nii's enthusiasm and jovial gratitude for helping Haku didn't truly break his melancholy. '_Naru-nii was right,_' Naruto thought. '_Haku is a person to be remembered__… and now he hates me._'

Naruto was expecting worse the morning they found out Zabuza had left in the middle of the night, leaving Kubikiribōchō behind. Though the people of the city threw a huge celebration for Team Seven's departure, even naming the bridge after him, Naruto couldn't truly feel joy. Even though he genuinely felt happy, he nearly felt obligated to smile and laugh along with the others. His mind was always empathetic to his long-haired friend and how it's his fault Haku was separated from his special person.

It was a rather sullen journey back to Konoha, but at least it was faster as they ran most of the way back. As per the conditions of Konoha's security, Team Seven walk the last five miles toward the village, absentmindedly understanding they're being observed and reported on just as everyone else is when journeying to the hidden village. Just before the group reaches the large gate, Team Seven can see Anbu guards waiting for them.

"Naruto-kun," Haku calls in his lovely voice. Surprised to hear from him, Naruto doubts he even heard properly. The others move to meet security as the pair remain and Haku continues, "I'm sorry I've been so distant. I know you didn't deserve that but I had to sort out my thoughts and feelings." Taking Kubikiribōchō from his back, Haku extends the large heavy sword and presents it to Naruto. "Zabuza-sama would like you to hold on to Kubikiribōchō… as would I."

Surprised by it all, Naruto slowly nods and takes the very heavy blade, instantly accepting that he wouldn't ever be proficient with a sword bigger than he was. Looking at a mournfully smiling Haku, Naruto simply states, "thanks Haku."

"He wanted me to tell you he'll take it back at your rematch," Haku adds with a friendly face, though Naruto's face pales as white as a ghost when they hear Kakashi call, "come on you two."

As they walk, Naruto asks for clarity sake, "does this mean we're friends again?"

Haku's smile is more genuine when the beautiful brunette asserts, "I left the person who means the world to me to be here… with you. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

"Really," Naruto asks happily, feeling his energy spark once again. "Really, really!"

"Before he left, Zabuza-san told me, if the world had more men like you, they wouldn't need men like him. He ordered me to keep your dream alive. And I'm happy to do so."

Naruto has to hop to reach enough height to bury the tip of the massive cleaver into the dirt so his hands would be free to give Haku a big bear hug.

In front of a stern Sandaime, with Anbu surrounding five shinobi, four are at attention while Naruto is struggling to lean the large sword in the corner of the Hokage's office. He tried using the metal wire like Haku said to keep it at his back but it was so annoying. Naruto felt carrying it or leaning it against him was easier.

After finishing a quick overview of Team Seven's mission, the Sandaime sternly asks, "your preliminary report states this Kiri-nin, Haku, along with known associate, the Demon of Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza, were an enemy combatant during your mission. And it's only because their contract was terminated that Haku decided to emigrate to Konoha."

"Ne, Ji-chan," Naruto starts, giving Kakashi stressfully harder heart-palpitations as Naruto's informal response to the strongest ninja in their village flabbergasts everyone but Sakura. "Since we're friends, can Haku live with me?"

"Naruto!" Sakura whispers her yell.

"Naruto-kun," the Sandaime begins to reply. "You must remember when to show my office the respect it deserves if you're ever going to take my hat."

"Hai!" Naruto straightens. "Hokage-sama, can Haku please stay with me?"

"We will submit her application of asylum," Sandaime states. Having yet to be informed about Haku's gender, the older man continues, "it will be reviewed by both the civilian and shinobi council, however, this will be a military decision. Should everything run smoothly, I don't foresee any issues. However, while her application is pending, I would prefer if you both stayed in different quarters. Call me old fashioned but with the exception of marriage, I believe girls and boys should not share one room."

"Ji-chan," Naruto starts, completely forgetting his earlier formality toward the office he covets. "Haku's a boy."

"No way!" Sandaime calls flummoxed, looking at Haku's beautifully feminine, smiling face.

"I know, right," Naruto sternly adds, groaning philosophically. "This world is full of mystery."

"Yes, even at my age, wonders never cease," Sandaime agrees in a wise tone, nodding with his eyes closed. After the room is forced to accept this monumental break of decorum without explanation, the Sandaime rolls the scroll up, calling out, "job well done, Team Seven. For representing your village with exemplary bravery, your mission will be upgraded to A-Rank. All but Kakashi and Naruto are dismissed."

"I'll wait in the hall," Haku tells Naruto.

When it's just the three of them in one of the most secure buildings, in the most secure rooms in all of Konoha, the Hokage announces with authority, "S-Class Security protocol. Sarutobi, Hiruzen, 000261, Kage."

Immediately the once bright office hums to life as the windows are darkened and thousands of previously unseen Fūinjutsu characters glow blue along the walls and floors. Naruto hears at least ten locks but he doesn't know from where. The now dark room is lit by lamps as neither Kakashi or the Sandaime react to the overly hostile changes. After a second of utter silence, the Hokage states, "for the moment, this will remain an S-class secret. The report concerning this technique will be redacted to further reflect how vital this information is."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi states as Naruto warily adds, "Hai."

Turning to Naruto, the strongest shinobi in Konoha demands to know, "Naruto-kun, how is it that you learned the technique known as Rasengan?"

Growing less nervous, Naruto answers, "um, well, I don't know how best to explain it, but, um, when I fought Mizuki-sensei, I went into the seal… at least I think that's what it was. It was dark and weird. I was in this giant room when I heard a voice. It told me not to pull the seal and then told me I should get stronger. It gave me three tasks that turned out to be the three steps to learning Rasengan."

Hiruzen eyes Kakashi for a split second before his analytical observation focuses on Naruto again to ask, "this voice, did you see the face it belonged too?"

"No," Naruto answers honestly. "Just the voice in the room."

"Was there anything else in the room," the Hokage asks.

"Hell yeah," Naruto admits. "A bigass gate with a huge red fox behind it… who's a bit of a dick."

"So you've spoken to the Kyūbi," Kakashi asks.

"Yeah," Naruto answers. "But like I said, total dick. '_Wretched humans this_,' '_Greatest of the bij__ū that_.' I just tune him out."

"And it was responsible for the red chakra witnessed," Hiruzen asks.

"Do I look like a charity, Ji-chan? His chakra's the rent he owes me for staying in my body," Naruto proclaims.

Hiruzen turns to the head Jōnin and commands, "Kakashi, make sure your students are aware to never reveal anything about his red chakra shroud. This mission and its details are never to be spoken of again."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi confirms.

Turning to Naruto, Hiruzen asks with more softness in his voice, "is there anything else the voice told you?"

"_Mmnnn_," Naruto hums, scratching his smooth chin. On the way back from their mission, the future and present Narutos had discussed the likely outcome of using Rasengan in public. Naru-nii agreed it was the right call to use the technique so they set their minds to trying to answer what they thought the likely questions would be. They agreed to use the same idea they used with Kurenai on others, but Naru-nii thought there could be an opportunity for more.

'_More what_,' Naruto asked his older self as Team Seven plus Haku travel through the trees from branch to branch.

'_**Well, you**__**'re getting closer to the second part of mastering your nature manipulation and I learned it using the help of another shinobi named Yamato, but I can't think of a way you could meet him and ask for his help without causing a ruckus.**_'

'_Why did he teach you?_' Naruto asked.

'_**Kakashi-sensei thought he could help train me and asked for an assist.**_'

'_Do you think we can make him do that again?_'

'_**Who knows,**_' Naru-nii freely admitted. '_**I suppose if they know that you**__**'re ready for that, they might ask him. Since I had to learn it in days with thousands of clones, Kakashi felt he needed Yamato-taichou because he can do Wood-Release jutsu and that helps negate Kurama's influence over us. You have more time to take it slower so maybe they won't need him.**_'

'_Kurama mentioned once how much he hates wood-release,_' Naruto mentally chuckled, thinking how pleased The Demon Fox was with '_his human_' when Naruto told him they were headed back to Konoha.

'_**Yeah,**_' Naru-nii agreed. '_**Let**__**'s just go for it and see what happens. Even if we don't get to meet Yamato-taichou, we'll figure out another way.**_'

In the now fully secure office of the Hokage, facing the esteemed God of Shinobi, Naruto snaps his fingers and goes for it. "Oh, the voice mentioned something about perfecting it."

Taken aback, the Hokage repeats, "perfecting it? You mean to say the Rasengan is an incomplete jutsu?"

"Uh, I guess," Naruto shrugs. "I'm still working on it so I can't say for sure."

"How," the Hokage asks, keenly interested. "How are you trying to perfect it?"

"Duh, with more training," Naruto states. "I learned I have an affinity for Fūton chakra, so I thought I'd combine them."

"Kakashi," Hiruzen sternly commands.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi states, understanding his Hokage's unspoken directive.

But Naruto doesn't, promptly asking, "what?"

"Kakashi will be assisting your training," Hiruzen answers the boy.

"Oh, now you want to train me," Naruto bellows incredulously. "Are you sure your precious Uchiha can spare you?"

"Naruto," Hiruzen calls sternly and Naruto buckles, hardly ever hearing Ji-chan talk to him like that. "This is important! It's simply amazing one so young would learn the Rasengan, a technique that took the fourth Hokage years to master. Adding to that, it's also an incomplete jutsu that somehow you intend to add Fūton chakra to is simply astounding! For the good of this village, this is a top priority."

Crossing his arms, Naruto grumbles under the old man's stern admonishing.

"You don't seem surprised," Kakashi points out, looking closely at Naruto. "This is a technique developed by the fourth Hokage and that doesn't excite you as I would have expected."

The Hokage stands at his full height, looking down at Naruto and sternly asking, "did you know?"

The Narutos hadn't planned on this. Panicking for more seconds then he felt allowed, Naruto goes with the only explanation he can think of, "yeah, well… K-Kurenai-sensei told me."

Both men are surprised by the admission. While the Third Hokage commands no one visible, "bring Yūhi Kurenai here at once," as Kakashi asks, "you showed her?" Though the Hokage seems more interested in another point, asking the elite Jōnin, "why does Kurenai-kun know more of your student's techniques than you do, Kakashi?"

"Hey, let's get one thing straight here," Naruto calls out over both adults. He turns and points to Kakashi, stating, "you were too busy with the teme to help me, so, while I was helping Kurenai-chan, I asked if she could teach me some stuff. She said she wasn't supposed to because of some stupid rules I don't remember, but she was still nice enough to give me some cool scrolls and even a field pack since my gear was so old. So, yeah, I showed her. That's when she told me it was the Fourth's technique."

Both men are silenced until the Kage—knowing the blond rather well—warily inquires, "and did you tell her how you learned it?"

Nervously, a wilting Naruto answers with a pitiful chuckle, "… Well, she asked…"

"Kakashi," the Hokage interrupts.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi responds, understanding his commander's unasked instruction.

Not understanding as well as the veteran Jōnin, Naruto raises his voice in defense of Kurenai. "She better not be in trouble, Ji-chan! She didn't do anything wrong!"

"She's not in trouble, Naruto," Hiruzen says with a smile. "However she needs to be made aware of her Hokage's position on this information. And as her commander, I need to be absolutely certain she understands what's expected of her."

"She does!" Naruto continues to defend. "She totally told me not to tell anyone. I only used it on Zabuza because he was crazy strong and I couldn't beat him without it!"

KURENAI

Kurenai wished to Kami she was anywhere but here, at a dango shop with Anko, Ino, Genma, and Asuma.

In their pursuit of intelligence gathering, Ino and Kurenai had inadvertently banned Naruto from two of the last few critical shops that would sell to him. Add to that, Kurenai's scare tactic to get his landlord to fix the hot water apparently scared the lard of a man to simply run off with all the tenants' rent. Having skipped out on loan payments, property taxes, utilities, among other expenses, the village immediately shut off the electricity and water and if the delinquent account isn't settled in the next forty-six days, everyone who hasn't left yet will be evicted and the complex foreclosed.

Kurenai only wanted to meet Ino before Anko arrived to tell her to sell the Fire Slipper Orchid. She may not know what Naruto wants to do with it, but she's certain he'll need funds soon. To her surprise, Ino showed up with Asuma. As her sensei, it's not unusual for Asuma to be with Ino, but Kurenai sent a note to talk about the intelligence they've gathered, and that's a topic Kurenai doesn't want to discuss around Asuma. It just felt too odd for her. Even as the pair approach her, seated cross-legged at a table for three, her stomach tightens and her skin itches.

"Ino-chan, Asuma-sensei," Kurenai addresses.

"Kurenai," Asuma states taking a seat. "First Naruto-kun, and now Ino-chan. As her sensei, I didn't want to pressure her too much to learn what you needed from her, so I thought I'd tag along and ask you in person."

'_He needed a reason to come see me,_' Kurenai's mind wonders as she takes a regal sip of her tea. "I'm sorry I wasted your time," Kurenai asserts. "I was gifted a unique flower recently and I simply wanted to tell Ino-chan to sell it on my behalf." Turning to Ino, she requests, "please let me know what fee the Yamanaka Clan require to facilitate the sale." Ino simply nods, and Kurenai can tell the clever girl detects the underlying history between the Jōnin-senseis. Kurenai can't be sure her own red eyes were as apathetic to the love of her life as she would like them to be, but Asuma hadn't looked anywhere else besides her which was a dead giveaway.

"That's news," Asuma casually states. "What sort of flower?"

"That's private Asuma," Kurenai asserts with a tone that left no arguments.

Taking out and lighting up a cigarette, Asuma replies, "must be some flower."

Ino can tell this is _thee_ kunoichi she'd been looking for; the one that Asuma is in love with. It was simply too obvious to her trained pupil-less eyes, and so she asks Kurenai, "just out of curiosity, would your favorite flower be red roses?"

Slightly taken by the question, Kurenai answers honestly, "yes they are," to which the girl squeals and turns hopeful eyes on Asuma. Kurenai wants to roll her eyes but her mask of indifference is set.

Clearing his throat, Asuma asks, "should I assume you're the reason why Ino-chan's been on our asses lately about training more?"

"I believe Ino-chan to be a very capable and intelligent kunoichi," Kurenai tells Asuma, making Ino blush at the unabashed compliment. "Does she need a reason for her desire to be stronger?" Though Kurenai is certain Ino's sudden motivation to improve has everything to do with hearing about Naruto's impressive progress.

"Oh thank Kami he's here too," Anko's overly relieved voice calls out. "Now I don't feel so bad for picking up a stray."

"I'm not some lost puppy, Anko," Genma responds as they both walk up to the table for three.

"Anko," Asuma starts before addressing Genma with a bit of an edge, "Genma."

Genma simply nods with his usual indifference. "Kurenai… and little Ino-chan. What are you doing here?"

"She was invited," Kurenai bluntly states, growing more anxious. Turning to Anko, Kurenai silently asks with her eyes, '_why?_' Anko lightly shrugs, responding with a roll of her eyes, '_no helping it_,' as she drags a chair next to her best friend.

"Since you're here Yamanaka-chan, hows your inventory lookin' on red roses," Genma asks, stunning Ino as she's brought in the middle of all this. "Hope there's still some left for the rest of us."

Kurenai knows how much Anko enjoys drama. As soon as the dango arrive, the buxom midnight-haired kunoichi will be in heaven. Though taken at first, Ino has always had a force of personality that easily helps her navigate any social situation, including the two bulls eying their red target and so answers, "of course Genma-san. It's our most popular purchase. Please come in whenever you like. I can even show you a few cards your mother may enjoy."

Anko snorts along with Asuma. Though a genin, her pupil-less blue eyes dare Genma to say anything. It's clear the girl wholly supports her sensei, but Kurenai couldn't enjoy this any more than Genma did. Even looking at Asuma now, laughing his big-bear-laugh shoots a melancholy ache through her chest. Her heart is still mending and this isn't helping. She simply wants to leave.

"At least now I can scratch you off the list," Asuma asserts.

"What list," Anko asks suspiciously.

"She hasn't told you," Asuma casually inquired. Kurenai deflates a bit when Anko shakes her head. '_What could I say? Anko, look at this flower a genin gave me. She would wonder why the hell I would even bring it up_,' which Kurenai needs even less. Before Asuma can dig up any more clues, Kurenai ends his round-about expedition by asserting, "Anko, would I be a horrible friend if I didn't tell you about a flower I received that I'm now asking Yamanaka-chan to sell for me?"

"I'd like you a hell of a lot less if you wasted my time on hot garbage like that," Anko affirms.

All while looking at Asuma, Kurenai responds, "good to know." Though Anko had said that, Kurenai is fairly certain Anko is actually interested who gave it to her, but in front of the men, she wouldn't sell out '_her babe_.'

Before any more can be said, two Anbu immediately appear in a flurry of leaves. "Jōnin-sensei, Yūhi Kurenai," the masked shinobi starts. "Hokage-sama requests your immediate presence in his office." Looking toward the others, she can tell they judged the urgency of the tone as well, but all Kurenai can think is, '_thank kami._'

* * *

I actually had a one-off lemon between Naruto and Tsunami but I decided to cut it out for the betterment of my writing sanity. I like the part about Ninja building though and thought it could be added to my Naruto's nindo.

Props to my boy Iruka-sensei. Love him.

Sorry folks. Haku is a boy. I know some wanted girl Haku and I was really debating it, but I decided to stick to canon on that point.

I know a few have pointed out that my Naruto isn't very bright, and this is why. I went to a public school in the kind of area where the teachers just pass you regardless if you earned it or not. Just too many students and not enough money. Imagine my surprise when I entered the work force :) I'm not blaming anyone but if that doesn't make sense to you, consider you've probably lived a better life than others.

I want to make something clear as far as the conflict Naruto faces. In my fic, characters are flesh and blood, which means they should have limitations. Sometimes I think Kishimoto ignores the reality he started with for artistry of huge epics, and though that's completely understandable, ultimately it's not how I write. So, I will NOT be exploring some overly convoluted power boosts(that is to say the power boosts themselves will be within reason), crazy ocular powers like Izanami and possibly even Susanoo(undecided at this point), Zetsu and Kaguya(unless I'm inspired to some how), Reaper Release Mask(cause that's confusing to think about), and definitely no reincarnation of Indra and Ashura. No deus ex machina as well as stuff that contradicts other previously stated stuff, for example, Mangekyu Sharingan not blinding people when it's supposed to. Lastly this world peace that Naruto is supposed to have achieved by the end of the series meant there should be no Boruto. Uniting the 5 nations is more believable because world peace just isn't possible if there are enough humans who want things more than someone else.

Lastly, the character traits about Sasuke I'm drawing from the most are his relation with Itachi and restoring his clan. I'm not saying canon-Sasuke didn't have his nice moments as a teammate, like training/fighting as a team and Sasuke saving Naruto in the Wave mission, but when the chips are down, in my opinion, Sasuke is all about Itachi and his own ideals. With that in mind, just because Sasuke has some nice moments doesn't mean that's enough to earn this outrageous devotion from Naruto and Sakura. Empathy is not friendship. A human can feel empathy for another, sure, but that doesn't mean they're best friends. Naruto shouldn't have to defend a straight up murdering villain to his actual friends just because he understands Sasuke's pain. Empathy could be a foundation for friendship but you're supposed to build up from there and as Sasuke left Konoha, I never saw any build up of friendship that warrants going so easy on him. But I put this more on Kishimoto's time constraints rather than the characters/story.

As always I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have a great Game of Thrones Season.

-Grae


	13. 13Underneath It All

Hey guys,

This chap is a little on the short side, but as I'm going to be busy the next couple of days, I thought I'd update today.

Warning: Lemons

Enjoy!

* * *

KURENAI

Running at top speed from rooftop to rooftop, Kurenai had no concrete idea what to expect when she was suddenly summoned to the Hokage's office. They sprinted so fast, Kurenai's certain she broke her personal record, reaching Hokage tower in a minute, fourteen seconds. Though winded, she didn't let it show, employing the shinobi taught Continuous Circular Breathing technique to constantly supply her brain and lungs with oxygen. Seconds later, Kurenai drops into Hokage-sama's secure black room for sensitive material with not only Kakashi, but Naruto.

'_He__'s back,_' she thinks amused, happy to see that despite some blood on his torn jumpsuit, he seems uninjured. To her surprise, a warm thrill flutters from her heating center. Given the amount of amazing sex they had before the blond's departure, Kurenai expected to have a hard time coping without, but after every passing week, she felt further satisfied somehow. While every night her morally-unrestrained subconscious dreamed of their next night together, her physical desire was manageable, especially after accelerating her own team's training.

Now in the Hokage's secured office, one look at Naruto, and despite the darkness of the room, she can see his pupil dilate as they grow hungry for her. Oddly enough, her body is roused awake, transitioning her toned-tense muscles to grow soft as a cushion for his pounding pleasure. Before they can be found out by two of the sharpest shinobi's in all of Konoha, Kurenai steps forward at attention, "Hokage-sama."

Taking a seat, Hiruzen proceeds to inform her, "I've been told a number of things concerning your relationship with Naruto-kun. You've been summoned to explain yourself as well as hear my inclination on this affair."

'_He found out,_' is Kurenai's first gut-wrenching thoughtless response, but as her brain frantically dissects everything, she realizes his tone seems off; not of a man who found out a Jōnin-sensei with a previous romantic entanglement with his son is currently sleeping with a fresh out of the Academy genin… regularly.

Fortunately, Naruto both assists and completely stuns her with utter surprise as he sternly maintains, "Ji-chan, you said she wasn't in trouble. You're making it sound like a court-marshal."

"Naruto-kun this is important," the Hokage huffs, as Kurenai wonders why Naruto isn't being yelled at for calling the leader and most respected shinobi in their village… '_Ji-chan, like it__'s the most natural thing in the world! Not even Asuma calls him anything near so personal a name_,' she realizes. Nearly instantly, she then recalls Naruto mentioning a Ji-chan often and finds that shocking revelation impossible to keep from her perfectly symmetric face. Whipping her head from her leader to the blond genin and back, her singular thought shockingly yells, '_How the hell is the God of Shinobi his Ji-chan!?_' The only way her mind alleviates her anxiety is when she registers this isn't about their sexual encounters.

The Hokage's stern voice continues. "Kurenai-kun, in the past few minutes, Naruto has told us-" "Only because I don't want to lie to you," Naruto interjects in a low voice. The Sandaime sighs before continuing, "he's shown you the technique known as Rasengan, correct?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kurenai promptly answers. "A little over a week before he left for his mission."

"And do you also know how he came to learn this technique," her leader demands to know, and in his presence, her urge to satisfy his curiosity is so strong she's certain she would answer any question he may have, even, to her dread, her sexual relation with the blond.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kurenai responds. "As he did not want me to violate your edict, he refused to elaborate, however, I understood what he was attempting to explain."

"Is there anything else you can tell us," her Hokage asks of her, and despite her earlier assertion she would be truthful in all things, Kurenai answers, "simply that he trains diligently."

"Hmm," her Hokage accepts and Kurenai is slightly relieved. "For the moment, this will remain an S-Class secret. Is that understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kurenai responds.

"Did you explain to Naruto-kun the hierarchy by which genin disclose their techniques," the strong elder asks of her. "As well as the common practices of a Konoha team dynamic."

"Now wait a minute-" Naruto starts to cut in when Kurenai quickly answers, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

"And he still showed you," Hiruzen thoughtfully says, more to himself than anyone.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kurenai still answers.

The Third takes a long drag of his pipe, momentarily in deep consideration when the elder finally expresses, "thank you Kurenai-sensei," taking her by surprise even if she didn't show it. "I've always known how dedicated you were to the future generations of this village, but never more so than now. I feel proud and fortunate to have you within our ranks." Dazzled, Kurenai wanted to cry as her devotion to her home has never felt so venerated.

Hiruzen turns to Kakashi and asserts, "Kakashi-kun, from this moment forward I expect better."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi returns nearly like an apology.

"Naruto-kun, your training will be strictly monitored from here on out," Hiruzen tells the blond.

"What does that mean?" he asks truly curious.

"It means I need to oversee your training," Kakashi answers.

"Why? I've been doing pretty awesome on my own," Naruto points out.

"You are a special case," The Hokage admits.

"Because of the fox?"

"Among other things, yes," Hiruzen admits.

"What other things," Naruto irately asks.

"…Things like you're an important shinobi to this village," the older man says compassionately, adding, "And I have to protect the future Hokage after all."

Trying to keep the grin from his face and failing, Naruto grumbles, "fine. What's going to happen to Haku? He's a really good person who had a lot of bad crap happen to him."

"I do not object to a neighborly association or even a social one," the Third evenly states. "He may utilize any of the vacant rooms on your floor, however, he will be on probation for a number of years, the strict guidelines of which will be explained to him. He's not the first asylum-seeker this village has ever seen and if it is truly his wish to stay, he will abide by our rules until we are satisfied. As such he will not be able to leave this village for quite some time, which means, for the moment, he cannot be a field-shinobi, if he's ever a shinobi."

"Can we train together?" Naruto quickly asks. "He's wicked strong."

"Only if it's supervised," Sandaime answers. "Speaking of… Kakashi, Kurenai, we cannot be so blind to progress by what we think we know. More than any, I understand the magnitude of the bond between a student and his sensei. To my very core, I believe no other significant perspective of tutelage should interfere with that development, that relationship. Many successful shinobi have been produced in this manner, however, so too has it contributed to our failures… my own included. And so, Naruto-kun's development will now be two-fold with Kakashi as lead architect. Kurenai-kun, I understand you have your own team, as such, I only ask for any assistance you can manage without hindering the progress of your own students. I mean it. You're no use to me if you burn yourself out."

"Hai," Kurenai speaks.

"Hokage-sama, that will not be necessary," Kakashi begins to explain with the smallest measure of shame in his voice. "My shortcomings are clear to me now. You have my word I will do better."

"Kakashi-kun," Hiruzen starts, softer in tone than his authority. "You are by far one of the most brilliant shinobi I've ever had the privilege of witnessing, but there are simply some tasks better managed together, as a team, as a village."

When Kakashi nods in understanding, Kurenai bids her leader, "if I may, Hokage-sama?" At his eye blink, Kurenai turns to the silver-maned shinobi, asking, "Kakashi-sensei, you live in a one bedroom apartment correct?" Unless shinobi are part of a clan, work in a military position that sees no combat, or their family are civilians with homes, most shinobi tend to keep a simple apartment. Death is too constant of a companion to plan for a home so Kakashi's answer of, "…that's correct," is no surprise.

"That's what I thought," Kurenai responds then turns to Naruto. Before his eyes dilate and lid even further, Kurenai declares, "Uzumaki-kun, I'm sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but your building's landlord has fled Konoha with all the funds meant for business expenses, which means your apartment currently doesn't have running water or power, and in another forty or so days, all tenants will be evicted."

His squinted eyes are doing the math. "… … Wait, are you saying I'm homeless?" he voices before loudly crying out, "Ah! What about Haku? I said he can stay with me. _Mmn_, no, Zabuza-jiji's not going to like this…"

"With the Hokage's permission," Kurenai begins to suggest. "My home has three bedrooms and a study that could be converted-"

"I'd rather ask Sasuke-kun," Kakashi interjects. "It would be advantageous if two of my students lived under one roof. And he has more than enough space."

"Ha!" Naruto laughs at the suggestion. "Not with that huge head of his."

"Naruto-kun, he's your teammate. It wouldn't hurt you to be a little more empathetic considering you know why his home is empty," Kakashi tries when the Third Hokage calls out, "enough! Kurenai-kun, I appreciate your offer however I would feel more comfortable if Uchiha-kun is asked first. If he disagrees, try other avenues. Kurenai-kun's offer is the last resort, understood?"

The senseis nod, though a part of Kurenai is beginning to realize how much more difficult it'll be to meet her blond bed-mate now. She informs the shinobi elder, "Hokage-sama, while possible outcomes are currently unclear, Uzumaki-kun has found a very rare plant that he gifted to me with a market value of seven hundred and fifty thousand ryo." They all repeat the amount under their gasping breaths as she continues, "I realize apartment buildings range in the millions, but-"

"I'll have a list of possible properties sent to you," the Third cuts in. "I will expect progress reports. Dismissed."

Kurenai's mind disobeys her moral's will to stop thinking about how hampered her sex-life now is. Her intellect is rebellious in its tremendous desire to locate suitable alternatives for their lessons to what now appears to have been the heaven that was his apartment. Her mind can't help but yell, '_he literally had the entire top floor to himself!_' With Hinata-chan and her all-seeing Byakugan living in her home during the week, and this Haku boy living with Naruto every day, the difficulty of keeping their lessons secret went from an E-rank to an A-rank.

'_A new location means a new routine which means a higher risk of discovery and all with the same Naruto._' This is the math Kurenai's mind is incessantly trying to solve as they walk out into the hall. Kurenai spots a beautiful girl waiting and finds it odd when Kakashi walks up to her, disclosing something she couldn't hear.

Kurenai's assumptions about the pair don't travel far as she hears, "careful, Nai-chan." Turning around Naruto is leaning the weight of a sword longer than he is against his shoulder and has to lower himself for the tip of the immense blade to clear the doorway. His immediate question after he got her attention is, "uh, um, when do you think we can-"

Kurenai cuts him off just as her own rising core temperature moistens, asking instead, "where did you get such a… actually, why does this sword look so familiar?"

"Mn? Zabuza-jiji wanted me to hold on to it for a while," Naruto responds.

"Zabuza… Momochi, Zabuza?" Kurenai gasps as Kakashi and Haku walk over. "As in the_'Demon of the Hidden Mist_?' He's one of Kiri's Seven Swordsman! That's- Don't tell me that's actually Kubikiribōchō?" Kurenai asks, looking over the large sword.

"You are well informed," Haku comments standing beside Naruto.

Now Kurenai is wondering why this beautiful girl is next to Naruto when the ever-surprising blond states, "Kurenai-chan, this is Haku. Haku, this is Kurenai-cha-"

"Yūhi Kurenai," the raven-haired Jōnin-sensei clarifies and she wonders how it's possible this bowing boy could look more beautiful than many other actual girls.

"We should get going," Kakashi states, taking the lead toward the Uchiha compound.

As the four begin to walk, Kurenai makes certain Naruto is in front of her while Haku stays beside her, and requests of anyone, "maybe someone can tell me how a legendary sword like Kubikiribōchō, came to be in your possession when its previous owner is a notorious assassin."

"Naruto-kun made a wager with Zabuza-sama," Haku begins to explain to her in a positively enchanting voice. '_He even sounds like a girl_,' Kurenai mentally gasps as Haku states, "if he defeated him, than Kubikiribōchō would be his prize."

Kurenai didn't mean to laugh in disbelief, especially not in such an unladylike manner—deep from her toned gut. Without a single denial from Kakashi and at Naruto's hurt expression, Kurenai couldn't help the, "no! He- He was one of Kiri's highest ranking shinobi; having graduating their Academy at the age of nine by single-handedly killing all their students."

"Well excuse me if it's so hard to believe," Naruto pouts.

Kurenai has to work hard not to make it seem like a lovers spat as she evenly states, "I'm sorry, Uzumaki-kun, I didn't mean to doubt you, it's just, the odds of a skilled shinobi defeating Momochi Zabuza is nearly 700 to 1, whereas a genin defeating him…" Kurenai trails off as it seems like Naruto is ruffled by her rational objection. Despite being analytical by nature, Kurenai ignores the statistics and simply states what's underneath it all. "I'm happy you're back Naruto-kun." '_More so now than ever,_' she mentally adds, gasping like she only just dodged a strike to the heart.

With his, "Mnn," and his wide grin, she can tell that's all he wanted to hear as Haku explains what happened. Halfway to the Uchiha compound, they all hear a loud shriek that they discover belongs to one of Guy-sensei's students. The black-haired kunoichi with two Chinese buns in a qipao-style blouse breaks from her team and rushes straight to Naruto, or rather the massive sword he's carrying over his shoulder.

"Kubikiribōchō! Kubikiribōchō!" she repeats in total amazement. The pretty girl is beside herself as Kurenai recalls her from the weapons shop, '_Ten Out of Ten_.' Snapping away heart-shaped eyes from the sword to the blond genin, she has to ask, "where? Why? When? Please!"

"If it isn't my most beloved rival, Kakashi of the Sharingan," Guy calls triumphantly, causing Kakashi to slink deflated.

"…Guy," Kakashi lamely greets.

"Oooohhh," Guy yells with pumped up fists. "That's what I hate about you, my fierce rival! You're too cool! Kurenai-sensei, you're youthful radiance is as bright as the springtime sun!" He laughs proudly while Kurenai can barely chuckle politely.

"So this is Guy-sensei's eternal rival," Lee observes with bright, star-filled eyes before whipping around to Neji, likely itching to challenge the genius Hyūga again. Neji simply sighs before walking away.

"Na, Guy," Kakashi starts. "We have an important matter to attend to, so… bye."

"Wait," Tenten calls to Kakashi before turning to Naruto. "My family collect rare and valuable ninja tools from across all the nations. Kubikiribōchō is one of the legendary Seven Swords of Kiri with the ability to regenerate itself using the iron from its victim's blood! What do you want for it?! How about a discount on shinobi gear for life?!"

"I remember you from, Ten Out of Ten," Kurenai says moving between a senbon-armed Haku and an unaware Tenten. "Regardless of any offers made by your family, your father will, I repeat, WILL stop treating Naruto-kun like a second-class citizen. You can also tell Dānyī-san from now on Naruto's ryo is just as good as anyone else's. Is that understood?"

Though Tenten had a difficult time looking away from the sword, she nods once before informing the blond, "please don't do anything until we talk again!" then rushes away. When the group continues toward Uchiha compound, Kakashi walks up beside her and asks, "care to explain."

Surprised by the question, Kurenai actually cranes her neck in disbelief as she asks, "aren't you aware of how poorly your student is consistently being treated in the village; not just by civilians, but shinobi as well?"

Kurenai can't tell if he is or isn't aware because she suddenly realizes the mistake she made by leading their walk after telling Tenten off… Naruto and Haku are now behind her and Kakashi. Despite the growing humidity preparing her womanhood for some very aggressive snuggling, Kurenai tries to walk as mechanically as possible, hoping the blond behind her doesn't lose his head over the swaying of her hips or perky rear.

NARUTO

Naruto had no idea how long he'd been staring at Kurenai's ass for—vividly imagining gripping and massaging the round flesh as he mindlessly drills her hot honey-pot—until Haku elbowed him hard enough to break his yearning reverie. When Naruto reads the knowing smirk on the beautiful boy's face, Naruto immediately blushes down to his neck. Turning away from the chuckling boy, Naruto tries his best to control his pangs of lust while they walk, though, looking at the sway and swing of graspable flesh her every step incurs, his desire is continuously testing his weakening control.

"Ne, Naruto-kun," Kakashi calls from behind his little orange book, bringing Naruto out of his daze.

"Mn? Yeah?"

"If you let me do all the talking, I promise to treat you to ramen at Ichiraku's," Kakashi bargains as the walk the empty main street leading to the largest residence.

"Really?!" Naruto eagerly hoots before his mind considers further possibilities. "Wait a minute, shouldn't you treat us for completing the mission anyway?"

"That does sound fairly standard," Kurenai adds with a bit of a smirk.

His shoulders deflate a bit but he agrees as they enter the grandness of the once populated Uchiha mansion. Naruto had never entered the Uchiha compound and was astounded to see how grand it was. Despite how deserted the old traditionally designed buildings are, it all looks regularly maintained. Naruto and company just pass the third gate entrance when they meet Sasuke-teme in the open courtyard before the main mansion, wearing an informal yukata with the Uchiha crest on it. Kakashi takes the lead as Sasuke-teme eyes each of them.

"Sasuke-kun," Kakashi starts.

"Kakashi-sensei," the raven-haired avenger returns. "You know I don't like unannounced visits."

"We're here because your teammate would like your help," Kakashi starts but before Naruto could energetically correct him, he continues to add, "I know it's difficult for the two of you to accept one another, but I believe that's only because you're more alike than you realize. You both know pain and more importantly, you're teammates. The conflicts you face together means something and Naruto-kun would help you just like I know Sasuke-kun would help you," the elite Jōnin tells each boy. "In the world we live in, you don't have to like each other to completely trust in one another. So, Sasuke-kun, the situation is Naruto-kun is now without a home. As his teammate, we thought you would like to help him."

When Uchiha-kun grumbles his agreement, Kurenai begins wondering how easy it would be to sneak into the large compound. '_Maybe Naruto can sneak out?_' she immorally wonders when Sasuke adds, "in return, I want my Sharingan Kakashi-sensei. You promised and I won't wait any longer."

"Fine," Kakashi dully agrees.

Before any more can happen, Sasuke also stipulates, "I may have a responsibility to the Dobe but I don't have one to a Kiri traitor." With onyx eyes of steel, he tells Haku, "call me crazy but I don't trust you."

"Fine," Kakashi agrees.

"Not fine!" Naruto breaks the bargain previously struck, saying, "Haku's my friend and I'm not just going to let him live on the street!"

"We'll find him another place to live," Kakashi promises, adding, "think of how much stronger our team will be if you and Sasuke-kun took this opportunity to make peace with each other."

"Sasuke-teme doesn't want Haku to stay, that's fine," Naruto agrees. "It's his house, but I wouldn't feel right about it. So, thanks Teme but Haku and I'll find somewhere else to live."

"Naruto," Kakashi attempts. "Try to be reasonable. You have my word Haku-kun will be fine and Sasuke-kun is your teammate."

Naruto knows that makes sense and struggles to sort his thoughts. Despite how much Sasuke-teme annoys the hell out of him, the spiky-haired blond does understand certain sides of the avenger. Kakashi's right, they both know loss and Naruto understands that to his core. But, what he can't understand is how someone who is so loved by everyone around him—who is so gifted—can act like a complete douche to everyone! While Naruto struggles for every friend, Sasuke-teme only needs to walk outside and nearly the entire village would love to be with him.

'_Then there__'s Sakura-chan,_' his mind angrily thinks. Though Naruto is supremely happy Sakura-chan is training with him now, and can't help but push himself that much harder because she's there, the pink-haired love of his life is, instead, in love with this arrogant ass for no discernible reason. It's the strongest reason for their rivalry. '_A now this extra pearly ass-wipe of a teammate wants to separate him and Haku? Not happening!_' "I get that we're teammates Kakashi-sensei. We're shinobi of the Leaf so we have to work together, but we're different because I do trust Haku."

"Don't say I didn't warn you when he stabs you in the back," Sasuke retorts.

Naruto didn't see Haku's fist tighten as he proudly declares, "he wouldn't!"

The silence that follows is filled with stern glares, ended only when Kurenai turns to the elite Jōnin-sensei. "Kakashi-"

"There are more options than two boys living with you."

"I don't even want to know what you're insinuating," Kurenai naturally responds, though flooded with guilt. "But I believe I have a viable alternative."

KURENAI

"Of course," Iruka-sensei tells the group after a tearful Naruto hugged his favored Sensei, sweetly blubbering his apologies before they explained the situation. As simple as those two words, an excited Naruto and the ever-serene Haku have a place to stay.

The Umino residence was in the more economical section of the shinobi sector, clearly left to the devoted Chūnin from his deceased parents. It was a one-story three bed, two bath—not nearly as large as Kurenai's two-story home but the unkempt and wooded backyard was more than large enough for the boys to train in. The interior of the home was clearly a workaholics cave with stacks of books, scrolls of essays and student development sheets.

The Umino residence was also far from the main populous of Konoha, and as much as Kurenai tries to deny it, it's much closer to her house than Naruto's apartment. '_That__'s something, at least,_' Kurenai muses. She was silent as the boys picked between two equally small rooms, nearly reflecting the equal war within herself. Like an unbiased observer, she observed a mental war between her body's yearning for sexual release with Naruto, and her moral integrity willing her to uphold decency and civic responsibility.

While Naruto was away on his escort mission, her mind ran the longest marathon on this single topic, going round and round looking for an answer she can live with, because while sex with Naruto is unbelievably marvelous, she still can't bring herself to tell her best friend—who's a sex goddess in her own right. It means deep down, Kurenai knows it's wrong and she just can't keep this moral burden up any longer. No matter how good it feels, she knows it's not right and while Kurenai still wanted several nights with him, it was beginning to feel like her nocturnal time with Naruto was numbered.

That was until her mental gymnastics is thrown for a loop with another point of contention: Naruto nearly died at the hands of Zabuza Momochi. With a highly intellectual, visually vivid mind, Kurenai can easily form mental simulations of what it must've been like for a genin, fresh out of the Academy, to face a seasoned black-list target in their bingo book… and her chest constricts her breathing at all the ways her bedmate could've died. '_He could__'ve died… thirty-eight different ways I can think of…_' and that thought makes her stressed and anxious.

It's simply ludicrous he survived and it's left her in an agonizing state of doom to the point that simply acknowledging his well-being with her eyes wasn't enough. Sometimes knowledge is a scary thing and Kurenai just needed an anchor, something to steady her. Wrong though it may be, right now, the raven-haired Jōnin needed to touch him… to feel his breath… his pulse… his heart.

Despite the circumstances, Kurenai had given herself permission to be free with this boy. She let him in, and to her grand astonishment, she's grown comfortable doing so. Her body needed to feel he's actually safe, and yet, she can't. For the foreseeable future, Haku will likely be in close proximity to Naruto and Kakashi has been mandated by the Hokage to take a more vested interest in Naruto's training. Sadly, the observation, '_he doesn__'t live alone anymore and he'll always have company,_' feels like she's being sentenced to prison.

As the big-dick blond in question creates clones to retrieve the few belongings from his apartment, Kakashi lazily calls, "Haku-kun, I'll be back in a moment. I need to speak with Kurenai-sensei." Slightly confused, Kurenai follows the elite Jōnin outside to the unkempt wilderness that is the front lawn. When they were alone, he cuts straight to the point. "Whether it was your intention or not, you've undermined my authority as Team 7's sensei."

Kurenai expected this and respectfully explains to her senior Jōnin, "it was never my intention to weaken your place as their sensei and team-lead. This simply played out within our blind spot; yours as much as mine."

Though silent a moment, it's not tense before Kakashi points out, "with regard to Naruto, the third feels the way he does because of what he couldn't see in Orochimaru." Though unsure why he would bring it up, Kurenai agrees with a nod nonetheless. "But Naruto isn't Orochimaru. I've checked on that kid a number of times and despite his solitude, I felt comfortable he wouldn't turn to his hate."

"Is that why you're dedicating more time with Uchiha-kun," Kurenai asks, though she's sure Obito fits in there somewhere. "To curve his hatred?"

"If my team is going to maintain its unity," Kakashi begins to say, ignoring her question. "I can't wait to raise Sasuke's skill level."

Kurenai understands what that truly means, and though she's aware Uchiha's introverted personality type is necessary within their ranks and have their uses, she's not sure how sustainable that model is with someone like Naruto on the team. "You want Uchiha-kun to be the captain…" Kurenai accuses the elite Jōnin. "…as a counterbalance to the dominance of his unstable feelings. You're using Naruto-kun and Haruno-chan to taper off his hatred of Itachi and his trauma."

"Don't expect to reach me for at least a month," Kakashi easily continues.

"You need to think of another way," Kurenai tries to impress upon the elite Jōnin. "That's avoidance and no matter how much better it would be if Uchiha-kun was the best, Naruto-kun isn't going to stop growing."

Kakashi disregards her concerns and simply reports, "Naruto and Sakura are more than capable of completing D-Rank missions on their own. You don't need to supervise. Just sign off as sensei. I'll also have either Guy or Asuma check in-"

"Guy," Kurenai quickly cuts off.

After a moment, Kakashi casually states, "it's not my place to butt-in, but he told us Tomoko-hime is a petty and spiteful person. As the third born daughter, she has little prospects in the way of any significant power or marriage, so she's very rebellious and has no respect for shinobi or her own family. He ignored you because if she learned how much he cares about you, or you him, she would've delayed her return that much longer simply to feed off of your pain. Apparently, she even prefers more feminine boys; you know, the frail, hairless, pretty ones."

… … Kurenai silences her mind for seconds allowing that revelation to sink in and test the fragile waters of her loving heart and honestly, it only made her angry. It's such an Asuma thing to do, protect her from pain as best he can. '_And what? Now it__'s okay for me to be with him? After the perfect way he brushed us off?_' Her mind recalls Genma's words, '_he__'ll be okay,_' and she can't but wonder if that's truer now more than ever. Despite the context, the agony continues to drown her chest with heavy hurt.

'_No,_' she thinks. '_This wasn__'t just that. This was a fear._'

Though Kurenai loves Asuma for how much of a man he is, her village places a lot of importance on teamwork and even a friend would've been treated better than she was. Kakashi was told, and more than likely so was Genma, which is likely why Genma feels he's better for her than Asuma-kun. '_What was he waiting for? Commitment for shinobi who are so often near death can be harder or easier, but could that be the reason why he hesitated? Why he thought it__'d be better if I went through that?_' She can feel her heart harden as she flatly tells Kakashi, "he may have overextended himself trying to avoid hurting me. As you're the leader of Team Seven, I'll respect any choice you make."

Kakashi just nods as they both reenter Iruka's house to find it empty. The Jōnin-sensei find the boys in the backyard and Haku is showing Naruto how to throw senbon when Kakashi interrupts. "Haku, we should go."

"Hai, Kakashi-san," Haku returns.

"Wait!" Naruto calls confused, and for once, Kurenai feels the same.

For a moment she entertained the notion that maybe Kakashi preferred boys until the elite Jōnin answers, "Naruto, part of receiving asylum in Konoha is a mandatory interrogation."

"Really?" Naruto calls with a hint of worry. "For how long? Can it wait? We were going to Ichiraku's for some ramen."

"It'll take as long as it takes and it has to be now," Kakashi mundanely states. "Just don't freak out if Haku's not back in two days or three days. The more information they have to go through the longer it'll take. Team meeting tomorrow; seven, sharp."

With a respectful bow to Kurenai and a hug from Naruto, Haku departs with Kakashi, leaving the sexy Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha and a sexually starved blond boy with a big dick and mountains of energy alone in an empty residence. Kurenai manages a gulping swallow before her thin waist is captured by strong, hungry arms, pulling her softness to him like he's trying to fuse them together.

She can feel his heat and muscle as he moans repeatedly, "Nai-chan," exciting her nipples to hear such need for her.

"W-wait…" Kurenai tries, feeling slightly short of breath with an amorous rumbling in her chest. His arousal was easily pressing against her round rump and within the orbit of his radiating warmth, her body grows softer, like a hot cushion with zealous lubrication. Without her consent, her ass rubs against his steel rod and like recalling hunger, her appetite grows rapidly to uncontrollable heights. '_Cock,_' her mind bids as Naruto absentmindedly begins dry-humping against her, moaning, "Nai-chan!"

"N-Naruto… wait," Kurenai tries, even though it thrills her to the bone at the thought of him deep inside her, spreading her slick walls repeatedly until she cums hard enough to pass out. "Not… here," she manages as the last vestiges of reason slip away.

Holding her so comfortably tight that she can feel his racing heartbeat, he simply lifts her off her feet and her flexible legs bend back and wrap around him at the knees, fixing herself deliciously against his raging hard-on as he walks inside the house. With every step, her weight presses down on his rock hard rod, growing overly wet with an itching need. She can feel the pulsing shape of his head pressing between her soft cheeks until he just clears the threshold, then she's on the floor, on all fours, with a magnificently hard phallus eager to rearrange her insides. The realization triggers a massive rush of blood toward her already twitching wet cunt.

Naruto whimpers as he shoves the mesh armor blouse up and over her bandaged thighs and pelvis. Groaning like a wounded animal, Naruto, without thought or permission, unsheathes a kunai, spins it in his grasp and expertly cuts through a binding, unraveling the complex impediment. "Naruto!" he hears and is immediately remorseful… until he sees her pulsing peach, sodden and swollen for him and he forgets everything, including his own appendage to stuff his hungry face in her sensitive womanhood.

"_MMN!_" Kurenai groans deeply from her tight core. '_Yes!_' her mind screams, feeling his long tongue lap her never-ending stream of honey. Feeling shackled in her clothes, Kurenai struggles to take off her blouse, but when he dips his long slippery organ in her twitching snatch to get at the richer fluid deep within, Kurenai's mind blanks out as she groans loudly. She drops midway through taking off her blouse as the tension cable of her impending orgasm tightens frightfully fast. It's been too long, he wants her too much, and after what Kakashi told her, the ever-present ache in her heart needs this just as bad.

"_Ahhh! Haahh! Mmmnn! _Na-Naruto! I'm- I'm_mmnn_, almost!" she moans. The building ecstasy churns her cunt-connected sanity madly and she bangs her heavily aroused head against the tatami mat. Her mouth salivating profusely, spilling down her chin and neck as the unyielding coil filled with unbridled ecstasy is ripped to shreds when his mouth finds her engorged clitoris and sucks. "CUMMMMM-" She screams, her lower back arching with full body spasms as her strong legs try to snap together, though it's not enough to keep his hungry tongue out of her spewing snatch. Kurenai screams from within her white and red blouse as her entire body erupts continuously for nearly a minute. All the while he laps and sucks at all the juices erupting from her radiating pleasure center.

Kurenai finally sinks to the floor, boneless in a haze of euphoria. Suffocating in her blouse, she weakly removes the moist cloth and vaguely learns Naruto is naked behind her. She becomes more alert when he lifts her waist to his pleasure weapon's level.

"Wa-wait, Naruto… I'm still-_AAHH!_ …_MMMNNNN!_" she mewls as he penetrates her sensitive folds to her depths, delivering the exact exhilaration her body has been craving. Kurenai moans along with him, who clearly feels the same. The hot wet connection only lasts until his need to be even deeper in her sodden center overtakes him. With a tighter grip on her strong hips, he drives his meat pole the full length of her gushing canal, ripping a deep moan from her throat as his fat cock-head kisses her puckered cervix.

"I missed you so much Nai-chan," he moans desperately.

Weak and losing control fast, Kurenai doesn't respond, concentrating instead on the delicious friction he sparks within her as he pulls out and quickly plunges back in to a wet '_shloop!_' '_Wai- I__'m still aahhnn…Ahhn! Ahhn! Sensitivvvvvv,_' Kurenai panics but her voice is gone as he pulls out and pumps his massive hardness back in, ripping a, "Cuummmmiiinnnnnnnggg," scream from her throat. Curling her back and toes as she full-body spasms in repetitive rupturing pleasure, her twitching cunt grips and pulls him in, jonesing for his man milk.

Naruto moans loudly, happily, by her clamping sucking grip and isn't far behind. After a minute of a full-body orgasm, Kurenai sinks to the mat below, sweating and breathing heavily. Naruto flips her over to see her thoroughly debased and debouched appearance. Her pink nipples on her large breasts stand stiffly at attention, her hair is a mess, shiny and stuck to her feverish skin, her ruby red lips moaning and rubbing against each other and her half-lidded eyes are unfocused and heavily dilated. Inflamed by the splayed evidence of his lust, Naruto slopes against her sweating body, hungry mouth to flushing chest as he uses his knees, feet, and pelvis to pump his engorged need in and out of her sopping mess.

"_Haah! HAhnn__… Ahn… ahhh_… Na- Na- I'm_mmmmmnn_," Kurenai tries, instinctively wrapping her legs around his pumping ass and her arms around his nipple-sucking blond head. Over and over his unyielding speed is maddening, fucking her like tomorrow is the end. '_The end_,' her heart clenches at the thought of his near death. '_He could__'ve died_,' it hurts her to realize and Kurenai fucks him that much harder, quickly closing in on a grand third orgasm. "Fuck me Naruto! My pussy's aching! Fill me up!"

"Nai-chan! I can't- You're so-" The horny blond starts to say before forgetting his words and takes enough of her pert breast in his mouth she can feel his teeth as he hungrily sucks and fucks, Kurenai's eyes roll back as another body-shattering climax ruptures her every pleasure nerve in her body, only this time, Naruto slams in, to his balls, and dumps stockpiles of cum into her quaking cunnie. If the pumping liquid filling her quaking cavity wasn't so thick, she would've feared he was urinating a day's worth of pressurized piss. At the gelatinous flooding of molten man-milk in her quaking center, Kurenai cums continuously, losing her mind in the process and ascending past all problems into pure bliss.

"Nai-chan! I can't get enough!" Naruto bemoans from the pain of so much pleasure. Despite milking him dry, he hasn't softened and in her frenzied euphoria, she couldn't do anything but let him have his way with her. He brings both her knees to her chest before going balls deep with another round of hot beef injections. Her breast swing trapped between her raised legs as he beats on her gushing walls, continuously keeping Kurenai in the high heavens, triggering orgasm after orgasm up and down her squirming body until his balls tighten and he unloads shot after shot of his hot cream. Kurenai sees white for an indiscernible amount of time, feeling only heavily vibrating bliss.

When she comes to, Kurenai realizes she's in a bed, it's dark outside, making it darker inside and more than anything, Naruto is resting on top of her, his head nestled between her soft breasts and his groin firmly against her own. At the feel of his hot hard body on top of her, a humming pleasure makes its presence known along with half his flaccid penis still inside her. Kurenai enjoys the tranquilizing feel of him against her as her body celebrates the refreshing feel of a good, hard fucking. It certainly wasn't the longest of their sessions. The need between them just propelled it to another level of sensitivity all its own.

With Naruto between her breasts, hugging her with a fear she may flee, Kurenai rubs the top of his silky blond hair, enjoying everything about the moment. She doesn't tend to hug him back when she wakes up like this, but she can't forget he nearly died. Every ninja in the village knows any mission can go bad at the drop of a hat. There are no guarantees in their profession, but still, with Kakashi in the lead of a C-Rank mission, she had no doubt everything would be okay.

'_He not only survived what was changed to an A-Rank mission, but he fought Momochi Zabuza and actually won!_' Her chest aches with the statistical possibilities of his death. It's very possible Team Seven could've returned with the announcement that the blond trouble-maker, who shouts to all who will listen, how he'll one day be the greatest Hokage ever, is dead.

Though Kurenai never really returns his desperate hugs, she holds him dearly now. Her rising body temperature triggers her cooling sudor and she leans down to pepper the top of his head with ardent kisses. Pleased within his slumber, he hums and she starts to feel him grow within her.

"Naruto…" Kurenai softly calls as she massages his fine scalp. It takes several more calls to finally rouse him out of slumber, all the while his penis steadily spreads her sticky and white walls. Sleep addled, he looks directly at her a moment before a wide smile breaks across his face.

"How are you feeling," Naruto manages to ask before more sensations register. She can clearly read on his face when it registers that he's on top of her and growing semi-hard inside of her. His piercing blue eyes dilate and are lidded as his cheeks blush for an overall expression of lust-filled hunger. Before he gets too ahead of himself, Kurenai rolls them on the bed so she's on top.

Leaning up as she saddles his groin, Naruto has the most amazing look of a naked goddess, hard nipples on perky C-cup breasts, long, black, fuck-me-hair of a mess framed around her beautiful face, elegant neck, and toned shoulders. Feeling her weight on his groin with her knees and toned legs bracketing his torso was its own majesty. Naruto was instantly hard at the drug inducing sight of her and instinctively bucks his hips up. But even if he had the leverage to dive in deeper, Kurenai lifts herself just high enough to remove his curved meat rod from her soaking quim.

"Nai-chan," Naruto tries, sitting up.

Feeling the copious amount of semen in her begin to ooze downward, Kurenai places a gentle palm on his chest stopping him. Sitting on his engorged arousal, rubbing herself against him as she explains, "Naruto, do you remember what this position is called?"

"I- ah, you're rubbing," Naruto tries to say, enjoying the way she slowly grinds her pussy lips, lubricating the underside of his throbbing erection.

"Naruto, I'm not going to allow you inside me unless you tell me what this position is called," Kurenai promises, growing wickedly fond of the pained face he's making as she rides his thick log, coating it with her juices and his dribbling cum. "Come on. I taught you this, remember?"

"I- _mmn_, don't remember?" Naruto calls between gasps, gripping her thighs as he tries to thrust for more friction.

Kurenai takes his hands and fixes them above his aroused head, giving him a much close view of her swinging breasts. "Come on, I know how smart you are." Kurenai dangles her tits so they barely brush against his hot chest as she continues, "I'm riding you. What are girls called when they ride a stallion?"

"C-Cowgirl," Naruto whimpers.

Kurenai releases his hands so she can sit up straight. Taking his pulsing cock in one hand she slowly lifts herself and aligns his pleasure rod with her dripping love tunnel. They both groan in satisfaction as she impales herself with his beating sex. In this position, women have much more control and Kurenai easily navigates his thick-headed trajectory with her angling, squeezing him all the way to their mutual satisfaction.

Fully stuffed, Kurenai remains still, slowly asking the groaning blond, "Naruto, why did you think you could beat Zabuza?" Naruto's response was to grip her thighs and try to fuck her. She dashes his hopes when she grabs his hands and plants them over his head again, leaning in closer to look him straight in the glazed eyes. Her face is inches away and despite being wrapped so euphorically inside of her, her face and red eyes are serious. "Why did you think you could beat Zabuza?" she asks again.

Regaining some clarity, Naruto realizes she's asking him a serious question; one he didn't have much of an answer for. He isn't sure what to think, though the silence is interrupted when she continues. "Ninja survive because we take careful stock of our opponent and use that knowledge to develop a strategy to defeat them or if the option is available, run. What was your strategy against the Demon of Hidden Mist?"

Again, Naruto couldn't think of words to answer but could see her growing concern. She almost looks in pain to him when she continues, "were you really willing to throw your life away over a sword? There are people who care about you, Naruto. Iruka-san would be devastated if he learned you died trying to fight someone as strong as Zabuza. Your '_Ji-chan_—,' which, don't think you're getting out of explaining that one to me—our Hokage cares about you and would've been saddened to learn of your death. I-" Kurenai pulls up short, though her cum-filled womanhood squeezes him hard. They both moan as she wonders if it would be a lie to say she cares for him nearly to the point of love. Her love for Asuma clearly shows the difference between the two but it would most assuredly hurt her if Naruto died. She couldn't help think how his death would taint her life, make her a bit spiritless… lose her fire.

"I think of you as a special person in my life," Kurenai concludes. "It would've hurt us to learn of your death. So why would you be so reckless?"

Naruto is stunned—dick-in-pussy-forgotten stunned. '_She was worried about me?_' His mind asks. Being worried he could die is not something anyone has ever expressed to him, except maybe Iruka-sensei when he fought Mizuki. But this beautiful, strong kunoichi actually cares about him like Iruka-sensei does. It actually excites him to learn he's made another friend; another special person he would do everything to defend. And he swiftly realizes that's always been his answer.

"Nai-chan," Naruto starts looking completely in her worried red eyes. "I mean it when I say I'm going to be the greatest Hokage but that means there are super strong ninja out there I have to fight. No matter what they want, they'll hurt anyone just to get it and I need to be even stronger than I am to make sure they can't ever hurt the people that mean the most to me. The Hokage _always _protects his people." Naruto's hands move out of her grip to cup her beautiful face in his palms. "I didn't care about the sword, I cared about Haku. And I didn't think I could beat Zabuza, but, I just had to. I'm sorry I scared you, Nai-chan. I didn't… I didn't think that I could do that… to you."

'_This fucking boy_,' Kurenai's mind yells with affectionate aggravation. Rather than tell him anything, she leans down and kisses him. She rarely instigates this type of affection. For the sake of maintaining their emotional boundaries, her mind simply won't allow her to cross those boundaries. While Kurenai understands kissing can be a part of sex, she prefers to kiss someone she's in love with.

Swirling her dainty tongue deeply around his large rougher organ, the feeling overwhelming her isn't simply sexual or loving, but of gratification, praise, adoration, and triumphant. While she may have her reservations on the morality of their relationship, there's little doubt this boy—this shinobi—will be someone great. He may have a long way to go to surpass the four before him, but the foundation is there. She can see it. And that deserves this kiss.

'_He risks his life because he cares_,' is her answer. '_He still cares despite it all_,' she thinks recalling everything she learned of his daily life. Her awe of him is enough for a make-out session. It's as simple as that. As uncomplicated as his needy upward thrusts, and as natural as her responding downward grind, it's the first time they've ever have slow simmering sex.

On top, Kurenai takes the lead, rolling her hips and angling his rock hard cock to churn her insides in all the right places. Her red eyes flutter with his every sparkling pull and quivering push against her gripping walls. Her red lips constantly moan and she nearly loses all awareness every time he rouses her melting g-spot. He grips her strong thighs, massaging them as she rides his cock closer and closer to their peaks.

"Naruto, I'm… _ahhn_… going to help- _AH!_.. make your dream com- _ah! Ahnn!_ Cum! True!" Kurenai moans with her eyes closed, tweaking her nipples as she nears the greatest drop.

"I'm almost-" Naruto groans, tightening his grip on her. Leaning her hot and wet body forward, Kurenai picks up her tempo when she felt her massive end only a few hard thrusts away, and Naruto didn't disappoint. He grips her hair-matted face and crushes her moaning red lips against his, sliding his tongue into her mouth to suck on hers as his final thrust busts his balls and Kurenai's mind explodes with ecstasy.

He moans along with her as her lower back snaps to an arch, quaking and jerking powerfully with mind-rippling pleasure as her quivering cock-pocket clamps and swallows hungrily around his entire length. Kurenai's buzzing mind only wants to pull as much of him in her as she can, milking him for all she's worth until she's brimming with his hot seed. At the feel of his knot expanding at her entrance, plugging her up while he shoots stream after stream of his hot white goo, the Konoha beauty falls forward, thinking along the lines of, '_he__'s going to get me pregnant_,' as she surrenders to unconsciousness on top of him.

When they wake to the aches and pains of satisfaction, they dovetail the previous session with another round of slow, deeply intimate sex and for the first time ever, Naruto has enough presence of mind to play with her clitoris. With her direction, the eager blond combines that stimulation with the sensitive spots within her he knows hugs his cock the hardest until she's squirting her orgasms and screaming his name.

* * *

Yay! Iruka saves the day again! He's always been a favorite of mine.

Ino is definitely coming around in the next chapter. I actually had some time to figure out where she's going and how the chapter plays out, I just need to go over it a few more times.

I'd also like to mention, I don't dislike Asuma in any way. I didn't want to make him a villain but he did brush her off and I wanted to make it clear why. I'll figure out a way to do right by him eventually. It just won't happen for some time.

There's a reason why Sasuke is living in his clan home and not in that hotel residence we saw in canon. It's a small change but one I thought about for Sasuke's arc.

We're also getting closer to more story and training for Naruto(like two maybe three chapters away). For those readers who raised legitimate concerns about the amount of explicit lemons, I want to say that direction of this fic was done on purpose. Time travel fic and Harem fics has a lot of well established tropes. THe reasoning behind my fic is, we've already read many time travel fics that have all the variation of his training as well as Harem fics that have a lot of drama/story. Now, it's not that drama and training isn't exciting to write by themselves, but in their singular way, it's been done and done well in some cases. So, instead of writing in explicit detail about Naruto learning all the stuff everyone already knows he learns: Rasengan, Futon training, RasenShuriken, Sage training... I decided to focus on the drama/lemons part while his canon training happens around the Harem. Once we get closer to the new techniques and stuff I want him to learn, Harem lemons will share the screen time more fairly.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and have a great one,

-Grae


	14. 14Transference

Hey guys,

Apologies all around. I hadn't expected to be quite so blown away by Avengers Endgame. I've seen it four times already and I don't think that's enough. Also work is always excessive before vacations.

That being said, I'll have time to write since I finally get to take my vaca now, yay! I'll try to write as much as I can before Summer. Though I should warn you. My hours jump to around 75 per week during the summer session, which makes it next to impossible to write. So, expect the break in updates.

Just shy of 11K. Enjoy!

* * *

KURENAI

A different hunger forces Naruto and Kurenai from his thoroughly soiled bed and into the kitchen. As everything in Iruka's kitchen is mostly expired, they decide having dinner in her house would be best. Fortunately, it's Saturday and Hinata is staying in her compound. Though Kurenai is thrilled by the idea of shower-sex, her vibrating body needs rest and thus after separate showers, they walk to her house.

Along the way, Kurenai senses it's safe to ask the blond, "Naruto, why is it that you never mentioned Ino-chan before?" The boy leaps a few feet in the air in clear panic, groaning nervously before Kurenai adds, "I was able to speak with her recently, is why I'm asking. You always mention your teammate Sakura-chan, but you've never mentioned Ino-chan."

Relaxing some, Naruto nervously answers, "did she say it was okay? To talk about it? Because she sooo didn't want me to bring it up… to anyone! Said she'd kill me if I ever did."

Kurenai can sense the disconnect. Clearly, he's referring to something specific, whereas Ino-chan felt like she was abhorrent to the idea of their pairing… '_or was that it?_' she wonders, leading her to ask Naruto, "is she why you wanted me to teach you how to make girls feel good? Because you didn't make Ino-chan feel good?"

"I guess," Naruto admits, growing confused. "I can't really say, you know? I didn't know what I was doing and she… she was just so… I don't know. I thought we both liked it at the time, but then she said she didn't, so I was super confused."

Kurenai can't quite believe what he's alluding to without explicitly saying it and so tries, "the kiss?"

"The kissing, normal sex, anal sex; everything," he plainly admits. Kurenai is absolutely stunned as he continues. "She was my first, you know? I think I was her first too… even though I'm pretty sure she loves Sasuke-teme just as much as all the other girls do. I just don't get why she picked me and then said she hated it after," he glumly admits.

"She…" Kurenai didn't know where to begin, mentally gasping when she realizes this boy is just a bottomless pit of surprises. '_The heiress of the Yamanaka clan__… wow_,' she mentally gasps before finally communicating, "Naruto, as a woman I might be able to better understand her if I could ask you a few more questions."

"Really?" Naruto asks. "Oh, yeah, you totally could! Ask away!"

"Tell me about the time before it happened," Kurenai starts. "Essentially everything leading up to it." Naruto then explains the flower petal and Ino's desire to look for the flower; meeting her and walking through the forest; suddenly being jumped by her and her begging him to have sex.

"We did it for a while," Naruto explains fondly. "And at the end, she yells at me to never tell anyone and that she'd kill me if I did, which is why I'm super relieved she told you. This's been bugging me for a while," he tells her with a smile, and Kurenai feels a twinge of remorse for tricking this monumental secret from him. But she also worries others may learn of her secret just as easily. "So can you tell me why she was so upset? Did- Did I do something wrong?"

Kurenai couldn't answer him. She needed more information, especially since Ino-chan was acting suspiciously. "You know Naruto, if Ino-chan felt she made a mistake, she may not want to think about it, and being around you would have the opposite effect; it would make her think about it more. I don't mean to say you are a mistake, but if Ino-chan was sure she wanted to be with you one minute and then unsure the next, she would want to take some time for herself to understand why she did what she did. I feel she may have yelled at you so she could have some space to properly sort out her feelings."

"…Wow," Naruto marvels at the woman's explanation. "You think so?"

"Women can be very attuned to their emotions," Kurenai explains. "Sometimes it takes time to sort through them or they leave us very confused."

"So, does that mean she hates me," Naruto gently asks.

"I personally don't believe so," Kurenai tries. "She could've made some horrible claims if she actually hated you, but you may need to ask her to be sure. I would say wait until she approaches you."

"Has that ever happened to you?" He adds, "being confused about your feelings, I mean?"

At the unexpected query, she turns to him stunted in response for a few moments. Before she can answer, she spots Asuma waiting at the very end of the street in front of her home. At the sight of him, Kurenai feels less confused but more than that, she feels a great need to do what he couldn't and be honest. "Naruto… I'm sorry, but I tricked you. Ino didn't actually tell me about the two of you."

Whipping around, pained he yells, "WHAT?!"

Kurenai steps in front of him. "After meeting you both, I could tell there was something but I didn't know what exactly," she tells the betrayed and scared boy. As Asuma starts walking toward them as Kurenai continues to tell Naruto, "listen, I know what I did was wrong—I know that—and I do feel bad about it, but as a sensei, I also want this to be a learning experience for you. Those closest to us are in the best position to hurt us." She can sense she still has time before Asuma reaches them and adds, "I personally say, '_it__'s good to trust, but it never hurts to test._' I understand if you don't like me very much. I just don't want you to regret trusting someone one shouldn't. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"I- I don't hate you," he slowly responds as his mind floods with images of a crying Ino. "But what about Ino-chan?"

"I'll take full responsibility," Kurenai says as Asuma closes in. "Besides, I have to talk to her anyway-"

"But she doesn't want anyone to know!"

"I know, Naruto, but in this case, something just isn't right. This is suspicious," Kurenai answers him. "Don't worry, this isn't your fault. Trust me, I'll fix this and... and I think you're going to like how I make it up to you. You have my word." Pink-cheeked with a wild imagination, Naruto slowly nods as soon as Asuma shows up.

"Naruto-kun," Asuma calls with a hint of familiarity.

Distracted with fantasies of how the beautiful woman might make it up to him, Naruto simply answers, "…hey Asuma-nii."

Curious by the personal name, Kurenai turns to the gruff Jōnin who answers with a shrug, "I've seen him around Otou-sama's office often enough."

Shaking her head astounded at the ease by which Naruto knows the Hokage, she turns to Naruto and relays, "you can head in first, Naruto-kun. I'll only be a moment."

"Actually," Asuma calls. "If we're talking dinner, I wouldn't mind joining you. Kakashi talked to me about lending a hand. It seems Naruto-kun and I are both Fūton users." Naruto is still upset about outing Ino, but is enthused enough to smile as Asuma adds, "why don't I show you some stuff later."

"…Okay," Naruto agrees before turning to Kurenai. "I'll eat at Ichiraku's Kurenai-chan. See ya."

After Naruto disappears, Asuma asks with a bit of a smirk, "Kurenai-chan?" Kurenai rolls her eyes and thanks Kami he hadn't said, '_Nai-chan._' "Never thought I'd see the day you'd be so casual with Genin."

"As if he'd listen," Kurenai returns with a hint of exhaustion.

Asuma chuckles, nodding as he says, "he still calls Otou-sama, '_Ji-chan_.'"

"How did _that_ even happen," Kurenai can't help but ask him, even though she's worried about falling into easy conversation with him. Her heart both hums and aches at the idea of talking to him again. Fortunately, her recuperating body's too exhausted to do more than buzz in the glow of some great fucking.

"Can't really say," Asuma states with a casual shrug.

Instantly recalling what Kakashi told her, she grows annoyed enough to sharply ask, "can't or won't?"

His shoulders tense a moment and Kurenai knows he wants to smoke, but he won't. He knows she's never liked it and he wants to be on her good side. With half a smile, the gruff man admits, "I should've been the one to tell you."

'_When?_' is right on the tip of her tongue, but with a great effort, she holds from continuing this argument. It's pointless and changes nothing. "What's it matter," she tells him, beginning to walk around him.

"Kurenai," he speaks, taking her hand as she passes. "Genma was supposed to… It all sounds like excuses now, but please give me one chance. Just one. Nothing will get in the way again."

Kurenai takes her hand away. "I already am, Asuma. I'm sorting myself out. Have a good night," she bids before returning to her home.

NARUTO

'_**That doesn**__**'t sound too bad**_,' Naru-nii answers his younger-self.

After informing Naru-nii about everything that's happened today, including a single, short sentence in reference to getting some alone time with Kurenai-chan—Naru-nii couldn't hear more than that—Naruto finishes his sixth bowl of Miso Chashu Pork Ramen with less enthusiasm than he tends to have. The reason for his melancholy is simply put, Ino.

'_I betrayed her_,' Naruto thinks. '_I promised her I wouldn__'t tell anyone and I totally broke my word._' Naruto doesn't usually come by Ichiraku's Saturday nights. It's their busiest night and he feels bad when he drives away business just by sitting there. Though Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-nee are always happy when he visits. While six bowls is moderate for him, he decides to help them and himself by leaving.

He had a lot on his mind and like Kurenai-chan likes to say, '_sort it out by thinking it through._' Luckily, Naru-nii will always listen to him when he has enough energy to use the prayer beads. Though Naruto was with Kurenai-chan when Naru-nii had prayed earlier, he said he'd try again when he wasn't so busy.

'_**That**__**'s always a possibility**_,' Naru-nii slowly explains. '_**I**__**'ve messed up loads of times. I made a promise to someone we both really care about, a promise I still haven't been able to keep,**_' he says with heavy sadness and a sigh. '_**But you know, I won**__**'t give up. I can't.**_'

'_So what should I do?_' Naruto glumly wonders.

'_**Take it head on!**_' Naru-nii champions, and Naruto can just imagine the fist pump, which brings a little smile on his face. '_**We may not be super smart but even when we mess up, we can still be damn good friends.**_'

'_Yeah,_' Naruto thinks. '_Yeah, I think so too._'

'_**Of course we do,**_' Naru-nii chuckles. '_**I**__**'m almost out but remember-**_'

'_Keep practicing on the leaf,_' Naruto recalls. '_I know. This thing__'s been kicking my ass for so long, I got nearly a hundred clones with Kurama's chakra on it most of the day now. You know how long it takes to dispel that many?_'

'_**I**__**'m telling you, once you get halfway, the rest is easier- well, smoother,**_' Naru-nii reminds him. '_**Also, if Kurenai brings up F**__**ūinjutsu, run with it, or better yet, try to trade all the reading you'll have to do for sparing with Hinata-chan.**_'

'_How come,_' Naruto wonders, thinking about the kind, quiet and nice girl.

'_**Dude, I told you she**__**'s badass,**_' Naru-nii happily promotes. '_**I know she seems quiet and stuff in the beginning but that**__**'s mostly because her family treats her like crap. It's basically like how the villagers treat us, only she's getting it from her family.**_'

"Really!" Naruto actually calls aloud, drawing in a few glares from passing villagers. '_How could her own family be so mean to her? She__'s like super nice and sweet!_'

'_**I know,**_' Naru-nii calls from his future. '_**Wait till you meet Neji. It**__**'s crazy, but it's exactly why Kurenai-sensei wanted to help her so much. Trust me, try to get some sparring sessions if you can.**_'

'_Ossu!_' Naruto thinks before his future-self falls silent.

INO

As Ino walks back to her home, she's making mental plans on how to best help Asuma-sensei reach Kurenai-sensei's heart. Ino knows it won't be easy. Having spent time with the beautiful kunoichi before learning of her connection to Asuma-sensei, Ino would've never guessed the woman is either broken-hearted due to princess Tomoko interference, or in love with her Jōnin-sensei. After a few inquiries with her father, Ino learned how smart and driven the raven-haired woman is, so it's likely her mask is just that strong.

Still, Ino is adamant. She wants Asuma-sensei to regain his love. Maybe if she can get them together, she might feel a little better about the state of her own love life with Sasuke-kun.

Near her home, she's intercepted by the most irritating boy of late. Holding Cow Parsley flowers, Inuzuka Kiba has been pestering her ever since her mother discovered the second orchid. Her mother's logic led her to believe Kurenai-sensei was helping one of her students and since the Aburame clan flat out told her parents it wasn't them, that only left the Inuzuka. In Ino's eyes, the canine clan must've jumped at the opportunity because Kiba has been hounding her non-stop since, and the worst part about it is how primitive his attention to her is.

In front of Ino, Kiba is even more boastful than she remembers him being as he calls, "hey Ino-chan. You're looking extra sexy today." He extends the whitish parsley with his K-9 partner adding a bark from within his jacket. "You smell super good too."

With an especially long sigh, Ino states, "for the last time, I don't want to go out with you."

He just smirks, as if pleased to hear her response. "That's just because you're a strong woman. Maybe I wasn't clear before when I said only the strong make perfect partners, but I _like_ strong women. Unlike other guys, I still want you to be strong when you become my woman."

Ino isn't sure if he's aware how chauvinistic he sounds. Though recalling Tsume-san refer to a relationship as a possessive, '_my man_,' Ino feels it's a clan thing more than anything intentionally disrespectful. Ino also wonders if someone is coaching him because it seems after every exchange where one of her responses stumps him, he returns with some form of counter-argument for that same point. It feels like bartering, like he's haggling to lower her patience, like a lower price, in hopes of wearing her down enough she finally feels too tired to say no.

With clear annoyance, she yells, "I'm not going to be your woman! I don't know who put you up to this but I don't love you. I don't even like you. How do you _not_ understand that Sasuke-kun is the only one I love!" And to her great dismay, an image of Naruto looking deep into her eyes pops in her mind, tightening her chest. '_That__'s not the same,_' her mind yells at the mental image. '_That__'s just new and physical and really good!_'

Her resistance feels even weaker when Kiba replies, "Sasuke-kun doesn't have to be the only one you love."

With squinted eyes and at a complete loss, Ino asks, "W-what does that even mean?"

"It means you can love me too," he emphatically states, beating his chest. "You can love us both and then I'll prove to you I'm better than he is!"

Rolling her eyes, Ino retorts, "that's ridiculous! You can't love more than one person."

"So you'd rather young widows just give up after their man dies?" He hollers back with a bit of a smirk. Ino wasn't expecting that kind of insight from Kiba which truly makes her wonder who's helping him. "I know for a fact you can love more than one person! And besides, Sasuke didn't send you flowers!"

Unwilling to debate this and growing more frustrated, she simply argues. "You didn't send me those flowers either!"

"So," Kiba cackles waving the Cow Parsley. "Who's this other guy then? You think about him too?"

"That's none of your business," Ino shouts trying not to think about Naruto.

"Afraid Sasuke'll learn you don't love him as much," Kiba arrogantly suggests taking a confident step forward. "You know why this other guy wouldn't matter to me, Ino-chan? Because you're super hot. Other guys are _supposed_ to want you. Luckily, I'm an alpha and I'll kick anyone's ass who thinks they deserve you more than me," Kiba states with the assertion of a pack leader.

Ino hates that she can't control her thoughts and force Naruto's face out of Kiba's point of view, responding, "look, I'm just not into you… like at all. So please, stop." Ino walks around him.

"Wait," he calls as he runs right back in front of her. "Come on, I get you want a strong man, but you know, the Chūnin exams are coming up. Kurenai-sensei has been working us _really_ hard for it… like to the bone… like I'm a little scared of training with her right now."

"So, you probably need it," Ino replies, wondering if it had to do with Naruto. After all, Ino's been pushing her team to try harder so as to not be left behind. On top of that, it's empowering to know Kurenai-sensei believes in her future.

"So," he says with a wide grin. "If you need proof of how much better I am, fine. I'm a hundred percent sure Akamaru and I can beat anyone we face in the exam, which means I'll be the first one in our class to be Chūnin, and when you see me in my flat-jacket, you'll definitely want to be my woman then. I'm only saying we can start now and skip all that because I don't want you to feel like you missed out, is all."

With simmering anger as her driving force, Ino dubiously asks, "you actually think that's what I care about—who has the biggest muscles or the most chakra? How shallow do you think I am?"

"Oh get off your high horse," Kiba calls incredulously. "With a straight face, you're telling me if Sasuke was the Dead Last and failed everything three times, you'd still be into him?" Again, her mind flashes all sorts of images of the ultra-confusing Naruto. Stunned in silence, Kiba chuckles as he continues. "Even I'm not dumb enough to fall for that, but it's okay. There's nothing wrong with wanting the strongest, and when I beat everyone in the exams, you'll definitely want me too."

He extends the most unromantic flowers she could think of, repulsed not by them or even Kiba's arrogant advances, but by the question of her love for Sasuke-kun. The raven-haired Uchiha has always been so singular among everyone, she never really imagined him as common. '_Would I still love him if he was like Naruto?_' Her mind is silent, wavering in a response that some months ago would've been a resounding, '_yes!_' It makes her question why it is we love who we love. '_If I didn__'t love Naruto, why did I have so many intense orgasms with him? Why was that experience still an amazing memory?_' she quickly wonders. Even now, her body automatically responds at the mere recollection of him.

Ino glumly walks around Kiba, finally returning home. After having a light dinner, she ascends to her bedroom, but rather than spend the time with her thoughts, Ino retrieves her vibrator. It's taken her some practice, but Ino's learning more about how to use the large toy to excite and satisfy her. Just recently she learned how simply grinding against it as she sped the tempo of her rolling waist up or down could bring her to an intense orgasm.

When she's sure her parents have gone to sleep, Ino turns on her large vibrating dildo. Having learned she likes being on her knees, raising her ass off the bed to let her juices trickle down her thighs, Ino's already growing excited. Her heart's beating fast and her skin feels hot when she begins to gently rub and tug her hardening pink nipple with one hand while simultaneously rubbing the head of the low shaking phallus up and down her leaking labia. She learned how much better it feels when everything is slick. With her face planted on the bed, a low moan escapes her open mouth as Ino slides the thick orange toy up and down the pink slit of her raised ass.

Feeling a good build to a fantastic orgasm, Ino raises the vibration as she speeds her phallus massage. When she's ready to slide her orange partner in her wet folds, a slight knock is heard against her door. Ino immediately shuts the vibrator off. While her mother hasn't found her toy yet, Ino's had enough near misses with the observant woman that makes her think it's only a matter of time until they have an awkward conversation. Fortunately, her mother is a trained psychologist and is likely to handle it well. Still, Ino remains motionless, just in case the sound was nothing.

It wasn't.

Another gentle knock on her door frustrates Ino like nothing else as she retorts, "One second!" Ino slides her wet toy under her pillow and pulls up her hotpants. She towels her face, arms, thighs, and cleavage with her silk robe as she rushes to her bedroom door. "What-" is all she manages to get out as a hand clamps over her mouth and she's shoved into her room by Naruto.

At his force of intrusion, Ino is instantly outraged. Despite feeling she could kill him, in the middle of what she was doing, she can't help feeling excited as well. This is the boy who turned her into a woman… now in her room… covering her mouth with his hot hand… '_so he can have his way with my horny little body,_' Ino thinks as her cheeks and neck flush with blush. Inflamed by her imagination, his impregnating presence, and at his hot hand covering her small mouth, Ino's heart is hammering in her chest. Her pleasure center throbs with a prickling heat, picking up where she left off with her vibrating dildo as her juices trickle down her thighs.

Though her knees buckle and her muscles flutter with excitement, her mind is still rational enough to be pissed. She grabs his forearm as he nudges the door closed with his foot. He moves in close and she feels his radiating body heat as her nostrils are filled with his male scent. He whispers, "I'm sorry I showed up like this. You have every right to scream but, I had to tell you- I felt you deserved to know… Ino-chan, I fucked up."

Despite her heaving chest, accelerated heart-beat, and her beckoning pussy, Ino can recognize the remorse in his tone. Her limited brain power can also reason he wouldn't dare be here unless something significant happened. Ino dreads what he has to say but she doesn't move away as she slides his hand down her lips to ask, "what? Why are you here?"

He looks pained to say, "Kurenai-sensei… I… I told her… about us." Ino feels like the world stopped and went silent. Even though she knows he's continuing to say, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! You can hate me, you can kick me and beat me-" she can't hear him as she grabs him by the collar and punches him in the face.

The greatest shame in her young beautiful life is now known by a third person. Ino punches him again as she realizes she can never look at Kurenai-sensei without feeling ugly in her stunning red eyes. He doesn't defend himself as she hits him again when she realizes that it's only a matter of time before the respectable Jōnin-sensei tells her mother. She hits him again when she imagines the disappointment in her father's eyes. Ino whirls the boy so that he falls on the bed—the floor would make too much noise and she doesn't want anyone to interrupt.

Jumping atop his torso, he doesn't defend himself as her rage strikes him in the nose, temple, jaw, and mouth. Her fists grow stained with blood and still, he doesn't stop her in any way as she attempts to break through his thick skull for every friend or family her mind tells her will soon be happily sharing opinions about her shame.

'_Even that braggart Kiba wouldn__'t want her after he learns what she's done_,' and that thought makes her want to cry. Her whole life is turning upside down and everything is being dislodged from their perfect place as shaky, bloodstained knuckles stop punching so she can cover her crying eyes.

"I'm… sorry," his lightly swelling bloody face wheezes.

Through her hand-covered face and sobs, she weakly asks, "why? How could you… destroy my life like this?"

"…Because… I'm stupid," Naruto pitifully responds, like it's the title to his autobiography.

However, that fires off a cluster of brain cells that knows that's not true. She's been made aware of the truth by Kurenai's reconnaissance work, backed up by a few discreet questions to her parents. Ino simply couldn't understand why everyone hated him so much and her mother's basic answer of, '_transference. To many citizens, he simply represents one of the worst days in our village__'s history,_' was the only explanation that made the most sense.

"No," Ino sobs as her tears lessen. "You're not stupid. Tell me exactly why you told her!"

Even with his moderately swelling face, she can tell he was surprised by her assertion of his intelligence. '_He really does think he__'s stupid_,' her mind recognizes as he begins to explain how Kurenai-sensei will be assisting with his training and how the Jōnin-sensei asked about her. Though by the end it sounded as if Kurenai might've tricked him, the most important thing she needed clarity on was, "you're sure she said something was suspicious?"

"That's what she said," Naruto asserts. Not only is Ino curious by what that could mean, but by the way his face seems to be recuperating despite being slightly swollen only moments ago. Her thoughts are quickly kicked out in place for her sensations when he places his warm hands on her straddling, bare thighs. "Ino-chan, I'm sorry. I know I said I wouldn't tell anyone and I totally blew it. You have every right to hate me but if I can make it up to you, you have to let me try. Please."

Though Ino listened to every word, her moist labia is pressed against the furnace of his stomach and her legs are wrapped around his expanding and deflating chest. She heard every word but her mind isn't thinking about a verbal response. '_He__'ll do anything you want,_' her body feels and when his hands tighten on her feverish thighs, Ino couldn't help but answer with an instinctual quick buck of her hips. The slight dig of friction ripples pleasantly up her spine, like a tease of what more there is to feel if she does it again.

'_No,_' her mind thinks, hoping Naruto didn't feel that, however, his eyes widen—or at least one does—telling her he did. She then watches his gaze drink in her form; her young yet curvaceous body in purple hotpants and a white tank top, with her long platinum-blond hair down and around her beautiful face.

Even though he can feel humidity from her lady parts, Naruto says, "I know I'm not who your heart thinks about. I bet you're confused, like, in your feelings. I get that. After everything, even I don't know if I'm good enough for Sakura-chan anymore. I just mean that I get it if you only want us to have-"

Ino grabs her pillow and mushes it over Naruto's face, unnerved by his insinuation. "You think I want to have sex with you?!"

"I can't breath!" his muffled voice yells and she lifts the pillow so only his gasping mouth is visible. "I don't know! I… I just don't want you to hate me."

'_Like everyone does_,' her mind fills in for him. All the tension in her body is suddenly exhaled. In a more relaxed state, she can feel him again; his heat, his scent, his muscles between her legs. Despite herself, straddling him is exciting and arousing, and at the sight of her orange vibrator visible where her pillow used to be, her body reacts on its own; steeling her pink teats, buzzing under her bum and softening her pink flesh. Her body is honest to a degree Ino can't fully control.

"S-Stay still," Ino commands. Bracing herself with her arms, Ino slides her crotch down his waist to his hips until she feels his tent. '_He__'s hard_,' Ino's mind shouts as she closes her eyes. '_My body made him hard_,' her mind moans, growing thrilled in her grinding against his thick hardness. Without authority from her brain, her lower body awakens to a mind of its own, picking up the pace for more friction—more satisfaction. The slick slide down shoots a thrill down her legs while the grind up escalates sparks of pleasant tingling up her spine and into her brain. Her flush body overrides everything, taking charge as she steadily rolls her wet crotch against his.

The friction is delicious and it isn't until she feels his hands on her arms that her eyes snap open, surprising her as she yells, "no! This- This isn't sex. I don't- _mmn__… ahhn!_" Her denials and disapprovals would sound more authentic if she weren't moaning whilst trying to split herself riding his thick tent.

"I know," Naruto claims as his hands slide up her arms. His strong, hot hands coursing over her skin feels like electric fire sliding up her arms, sucking the inhibition from every bit of skin and replacing it with delight. '_He__'s going sooo slow,_' her mind yells with hot excitement as they trace her bicep and round her feverish shoulders, then descend. She grinds down harder, faster, getting closer to something more powerful than she ever felt with her vibrator.

'_Yes!_' She thinks when she realizes where his slow-moving hands lighting up her feverish skin are heading. It feels like the tension of pleasure tightening in her wet core will be triggered when his hands reach their pink and pert destination. He cups her soft hand-filling breasts, pressing them against her grinding form before pulling. '_My nipples! Ahhn! My _nipples! I'm-_ Ahn! _I'm cumming! I'm Cumming! I'm cumming!" The moment she realizes she was actually being vocal, he suddenly grips her blood hardened peaks and squeezes painful pleasure out of them the moment her clitoris is kneaded against his strained cock; shocking her clenched pussy with back-breaking spasms as her whole body climaxes on top of Naruto.

Ino's entire body shutters violently. The delicious pulse rippling up and down her every nerve as a tsunami of joy drowns her altered brain. Falling forward so she can map his torso with her buzzing sweaty breasts, her head is right under his chin as she moans and hums in delight. The gleeful shivers are prolonged as his strong hands massage her ass over her hotpants. Without his sight, Naruto relishes kneading and pulling her sensitive twin orbs, making her buck and moan pleasantly on top of him. He's happy to note she has sensitive and playfully round ass.

Though the pillow still partially covers his face, his own thrusts against her sensitive pleasure button keeps her in a haze, so, she puts up no resistance when he flips her over, nor when he slides her ass to the edge of the bed. She doesn't truly sober up until he slides her purple short shorts down her vibrating legs. '_I should stop this_,' her mind yells, yet her body doesn't heed her command. '_Ino, stop it_,' her pounding heart warns. Propping herself on her elbow, she's in time to see his long tongue lap her sensitive pussy lips. "_Ahhh!_" she moans at the rough tongue digs out a large flare of pleasure from her raptured body.

"Ino?" the platinum-blond hears from outside her door, shattering her pleasant haze for pure panic. Thank goodness even Naruto has enough sense to stop, though, neither of them moves as Ino answers, slightly breathless, "y-yes?"

"Are you… are you okay," her mother slowly asks.

"I… am," Ino states, trying to sound like she didn't just have an amazing orgasm.

"It's just that… I heard you," Ino's mother states in a knowing manner.

Ino can read the tone and is supremely embarrassed when she knows there's only one reply she can say that would keep her mother away. Her frustrated hands grip and pull at her sweaty blond locks as she begrudgingly answers, "I'm… I'm masturbating."

Ino takes the pillow and tries to suffocate herself as her mother clears her throat and slowly replies, "I see. That's quite normal. Um… if-if you feel you may be overly vocal… use a pillow… for your father's sake."

"… mmkay," Ino weakly responds and her mother's footfalls reduce in volume until Ino can't hear her anymore. Suddenly feeling the weight of it all; the loss of her innocence in her mother's eyes, in Kurenai-sensei's eyes, succumbing to her urges with the same boy again, the possibility that it's only a matter of time before everyone knows… before Sasuke-kun knows… Ino cries. With her face covered by her pillow, Ino simply wails into it, muffling the worst of it. She doesn't feel Naruto pull her pants in place nor even as he covers her in her bed covers. Ino cries herself to sleep.

HINATA

'_How could he ask me to do such a thing?_' Hinata's thoughts worry, '_why would Kiba-kun ask me to help him like this?_'

Hinata has always felt she would do anything in her power to help her teammates when they needed it, but spying on Ino-chan feels wrong.

_"Think of it like recon," Kiba-kun had argued yesterday. "That's our team's specialty; tracking and recon! Please, Hinata, you're the only one I can rely on… and Shino already said no."_

_"But isn't she entitled to her private life?" Hinata had tried to counter._

_"All's fair in love and war," Kiba cried out. "It's like what I always tell you. You have to get after the things you want."_

_"… Why- why don't you t-track her, then," Hinata had actually managed to ask him._

_ Proud of himself, he smiled broadly as he said, __"I'm so glad you asked Hinata. Because I'm being mature! If I tracked her and uncovered this guy's identity, depending on who it is, I might get angry and blow it with Ino. As team captain, I want you to learn who it is because, I know you're responsible and I'll only want you to tell me if it's someone bad, like any adult."_

_"I- I can't believe Ino-chan would be… like 'that' with an adult," Hinata had responded._

_ Kiba explained, __"Okaa-san said the flower this guy got her sells for a lot of ryo. Who would do that unless it was an adult? On top of that, Ino hasn't even told her parents. Don't you think that sounds pretty suspicious?"_

Though Hinata felt wrong about invading Ino-chan's private life, she didn't want to let her teammate down. Kiba-kun has been so caring and always tries to encourage her. Hinata couldn't _not_ help him in return, even if it felt awful to invade someone else's privacy—'_a fellow classmate no less._' That isn't to say that Hinata and Ino-chan were close. In truth, they were slightly better than acquaintances, but as Konoha ninja, there are firm ground rules about using jutsu on fellow shinobi: '_If you do it, don__'t get caught._'

As such, Hinata finds herself following Ino-chan when she leaves her clan's compound. With her Byakugan, she can see her target from rooftop fifty meters away and not have to worry about Ino spotting her using reflections. Though, Hinata almost lost her footing—nearly falling several stories to a horrible injury—when Ino meets Naruto-kun in the market. Hinata can't hear their conversation but she can tell from their body language that Ino's upset and Naruto-kun is trying to appease her.

Hinata wonders if Naruto-kun could possibly be the boy who gave Ino-chan this flower before immediately wondering if he likes her now. She had observed him ask Sakura-chan out almost every day when they were in the Academy. '_What changed_,' her mind asks as she follows them through the market. Ino-chan seems anxious as she physically forces Naruto-kun forward, leaving Hinata to wonder if she's wrong. Of all the places Hinata thought they might go, Kurenai-sensei's house wasn't one of them.

Hinata watches them sit in her living room and talk. The conversation seems on edge and for a moment Hinata wonders if she should listen in until she realizes Ino-chan is meeting with her sensei and this has nothing to do with what Kiba-kun wanted to know. Kurenai-sensei has helped her far too much to invade her privacy like this. Hinata was actually able to invite Naruto to lunch once and that was only possible because of Kurenai-sensei. Even now, it's so unbelievably astounding to her she actually asked.

So when Naruto leaves the two kunoichi to walk outside, Hinata ignores the foreign lodging in her throat, the insane heart-beat drowning her ears, and the horrible familial voices in her head detailing how this will all go wrong for her, to bravely walk up to the blond boy of her dreams.

KURENAI

"I did trick Naruto," Kurenai first tells Ino as the three of them settle in Kurenai's living room—Kurenai sits on the sofa with Ino while Naruto takes the farthest chair. Last night, Naruto had woken her by knocking on her bedroom window, and it was no surprise to her when he confessed to telling Ino-chan how she learned of them.

_ With hard saddened eyes he asks if he can stay with her, to which she had responded, __"I know you feel ashamed but that isn't a good idea. That's not what we have."_

_"I'm used to being by myself so it's no big deal if you want me to go," he replied. "I just thought, maybe, being with you would be better."_

_"I suspect we're a good distraction for one another," Kurenai had told him. "But maybe that's not always for the best. Go train, Naruto," she had commanded him. He looked upset until she adds, "train for as long as it takes to feel better, then you come back here to rest. After your team meeting, you, Ino-chan and I will talk this out."_

He trained through seven hours of the night and when he returned, he was cold, covered in dirt and leaves, with dried blood on his already healed knuckles, lip, and temple. She helped wash his worn and tired body in her large bath and despite covering herself with a towel, she still had to give his excitable membrane some of her best head to settle him. With his arms holding her close, they slept comfortably in her soft bed until he left for his meeting.

Her living room is tense and Ino-chan hadn't made more than fleeting eye contact so far, letting the raven-haired kunoichi know she's supremely ashamed and embarrassed. It must be odd for the young kunoichi to sit beside someone who knows their most intimate secret. With as much empathy and encouragement as Kurenai can express, she tells Ino, "I tricked Naruto as much for his education as yours Ino-chan." Surprised, blue pupil-less eyes snap to her red irises before she answers, "if you had reacted normally when we met in your family's shop, it wouldn't have mattered that I knew who gave you the orchid. Naruto hadn't given me the slightest hint he was involved with anyone until I met you."

To hear such a critical observation from someone Ino has grown to admire is disparaging, and Ino's shoulders sag at her physical assault of Naruto when it seems like she is mostly to blame. Kurenai continues, "I realize that we are in the safety of our village, but we are still ninja. Keeping secrets that affect the world is part of the job, always, and neither of you should be tricked so easily. The both of you must do better with protecting information, understand?"

Both Ino and Naruto nod their head. A moment later Ino shakes her shoulders and bravely asks, "you told Naruto you thought something was suspicious. Can you please tell me what it is?"

"First I'd like to ask you about that day," Kurenai replies.

Ino turns a wary eye on Naruto, "does he have to be here?"

"I don't need to-" Naruto starts already getting up when Kurenai puts her hand out, indicating he should stop and answers Ino, "I want him here to make certain every detail from his perspective aligns with your own. For now, don't pay him any mind and focus on me."

Exasperated, Ino simply huffs and explains, "that day… that day was like any other with the exception of meeting Naruto. I met my team in our usual spot for a meeting. After that, I met Naruto at the Hokage monument and thirty minutes to fifty minutes later, I started feeling…" Her entire face burns bright red and she looks away.

"Ino-chan," Kurenai prompts and it isn't until she places her hand on Ino's shoulder that the Yamanaka heir returns her attention. "You have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm certainly not judging you in any way, but I would like to understand every detail before I convey my thoughts."

Ino nods and weakly explains, "I felt… hot… especially down there, and- and …wet… and then I- I begged him… actually _begged_…"

Ino stops there and Kurenai ignores Naruto shifting in his seat to ask, "before you met with Naruto that day, did you ever harbor any romantic feelings for him- and please be nice."

"…No," Ino forcefully answer, though she feels like she didn't need to be told to be nice. Even if she did beat him the night before, she regrets it now, and more than anything, it's unlikely she'll ever think of Naruto the same way again.

"Have you had those feelings with any other boy," Kurenai asks.

"I… well, I love Sasuke-kun but I can't say I've had that type of reaction when I think of him."

"So the afternoon you had with Naruto was more of a physical urge than an emotional one? A strong one?"

"Yes, definitely," Ino heaves like she's finally dislodged something heavy from her shoulders.

Rather abruptly, Kurenai cautiously postulates, "I suspect you may have been drugged." The girl reacts exactly as the raven-haired Jōnin expected of a young smart ninja. Her blue eyes well up, but they don't spill. Her biceps tense as much as her jaw but she remains still. Unclenching her tight fists, Ino-chan rubs her welled-up stern eyes with the butt of her hands. Though sniffing through her cute red nose, Ino nods, ready to hear the rest. "It would explain your behavior despite having no romantic inclinations toward Naruto."

"How could that be," Ino asks with a trembling voice. "Before I met with Naruto, all I had was tea and a stick of dango with my team."

"Any sudden pricks to the skin; needle marks you may have noticed," Kurenai asks.

"No, nothing," Ino responds.

"You didn't see the tea prepared," Kurenai guesses. "Did it taste any different? Sweeter?"

"No, but you and I both know that drugs can be made to be tasteless and odorless," Ino returns.

"Yes, but it's no easy thing to do," Kurenai counters. "You also have to consider the motive to go to such lengths. Purchasing or making that kind of odorless and tasteless drug costs a lot. And all for what? Sex with a genin? Seems a bit of a stretch."

Ino turns suspicious eyes to a confused Naruto. It takes her a second to realize it couldn't possibly be him to which Kurenai easily reads and asserts, "that's rather obvious, isn't it?" '_True,_' Ino mentally admits, before recalling his very smart teammate. "Sakura," Ino speaks with conviction.

"Hmm?" Naruto perks up as Kurenai asks, "why do you think it may have been Haruno-chan?"

"I hate to admit it but she's pretty smart, maybe even smarter than me," Ino begins. "She's studying Iryō-ninjutsu and we're both competing for Sasuke-kun's attention. If I was out of the picture, she'd have a much easier chance of being with him."

"Did she know you were meeting Naruto," Kurenai asks.

"No-"

"Naruto, did you tell Sakura you were meeting Ino-chan," Kurenai asks him.

"No," he calls feeling grim about what they're implying. "But Sakura-chan wouldn't do what you're talking about."

"Oh, you don't know anything about Forehead," Ino gripes.

"Always remember it's the ones we think we know the most who are in the best position to betray us," Kurenai cautiously advises the genin.

"If Sakura-chan wanted to hurt anyone she'd just walk right up to you and punch you in the head," Naruto shouts mimicking one of Sakura's many punches. "She just wouldn't do what you're talking about."

"Why, because you love her," Ino accuses feeling an ache in her chest. "For the life of me, I can't even understand what it is you see in her."

"She's super smart and pretty and honest and strong," Naruto quickly asserts. Both kunoichi ignore a sudden feeling of drawing parallels with the one girl in his heart compared with the sexual relations he's had with them. In their heart of hearts, no girl wants to feel less special to someone they've been intimate with, but neither Kurenai or Ino want to consider the romantic attraction necessary toward Naruto to feel inferior to Sakura.

So, while Ino asserts, "she's not that pretty," Kurenai asks Ino, "what about the dango? Did they taste any different than when you normally have them?"

"I don't eat dango," Ino admits. At Kurenai's curious eyes, Ino adds, "they're terrible for your figure. I only ate dango that day because I knew I was going to need the energy and Chōji made them especially for me." When Kurenai raises her eyebrows, Ino feels a need to completely explain the situation. "He had made some before then when the team first formed and he just didn't get why I wouldn't eat them. That's why he made these special dango for me."

Kurenai asks, "how were they special?"

Ino slowly answers as she wonders why she's breathing harder, "low calorie, low carbs. Zero fat. They tasted fine enough," she asserts before recalling, "the blue one was a little chalky though."

"Blue," Kurenai repeats with the final click of missing information. The Raven-haired beauty has had enough dango with Anko to know every stand in Konoha sells pink, white and green dango, and a chalky taste makes no sense. Kurenai's mind correlates the keywords blue, Akimichi, and chalky to hypothesize, with near certainty, what Ino-chan ate was not dango.

Ino's been quiet for several moments and clearly, she's trying to understand what she likely hasn't been told of. The blue pill isn't exactly commonplace talk among unmarried couples, but the blue medicine is a sweet insult she's heard a time or two. Kurenai eases Ino into her theory by asking, "you're aware the Akimichi clan produce most of our military ration pills?"

"…Yes," Ino states to Naruto's, "really?"

"The Akimichi also have special medicine pills," Kurenai continues to explain. "Three are used specifically for their clan in combat situations and one can be used by others—normally married adults—specifically for sexual situations. That pill is blue and artificially stimulates sexual excitement. Depending on the amount ingested, it can produce a great amount of sexual arousal within a person."

Ino is stunned still as an even tone escapes her parted pink lips. "I… You're saying… Chōji drugged me?"

Tentatively, Kurenai answers, "I'll have to verify…" and doesn't add, '_but, yes_.'

"…My own teammate," Ino, mumbles looking as if her own parents had struck her. Kurenai turns to an angry, though thankfully silent Naruto, understanding they were all classmates so it isn't hard to imagine their confusion and outrage. Kurenai whispers to Naruto, "give us a minute. And don't do anything to Chōji-kun. We don't know what Ino-chan wants to do."

Taking one last look at a stunned Ino, Naruto nods before leaving. Kurenai shuffles right next to the girl, and though she was strong earlier, Kurenai can easily imagine the weight of the hardships she's been suffering for months now, only to find out it was all because of her teammate; one shinobi she is supposed to trust more than any other. When Kurenai places a comforting hand on the beautiful girl, she shutters, then trembles. Sorrow breaks the artistry of her elegant face, adding creases her tears flood over. The girl turns and wraps her arms around Kurenai's waist, holding her just as desperately as Naruto tends to and wails in her chest.

Feeling the strong sound waves from the crying girl vibrate her very ribs, Kurenai holds her just as dearly. Kurenai leans against the sofa as she holds her, softly singing, "it's okay, Ino. Cry as much as you want. I have you. I have you." She cries for so long, her tears run out and she falls asleep.

NARUTO

Naruto walks out of Kurenai's house, unsure of how he feels about what he's learned. He recalls playing with Chōji, Shikamaru, Kiba—before Kiba turned into a dick—and of their group, Chōji was always the kindest. It simply didn't make any sense that such a nice guy would drug his own teammate. It makes him angry enough to want to hit the boy, but more than that, Naruto wants to know why. '_How could he do that?_'

Naruto is happily surprised when he notices Hinata tentatively walk over to him and calls to her, "hey Hinata-chan!"

Her entire face blushes in her surprise but she stutters, "he-he-hello, N-N-Naruto-kun."

Naruto smiles at her, loving the way she tries even though she's so shy. "Are you here to see Kurenai-chan? She's kind of busy right now." The indigo-haired Hyūga twiddles her index fingers in front of her lips before shaking her head no. "Hey, do you have some time? Maybe we can hang out?"

The midnight-blue haired girl visibly shakes to spend time with him. Unable to recall her ability to speak, Hinata-chan nods her head, '_yes._'

"Sweet!" Naruto calls. "Come on, I don't live too far from here." On the way to Iruka's, Naruto wonders about his sensei, about Naru-nii's assertion of Hinata-chan, of Chōji drugging Ino which led to Ino doing something she never wanted to do with him. '_It__'s so weird how things happen_,' he thinks before asking Hinata-chan, "hey, why do you think someone who's usually good might do something bad? You know, like hurt other people."

Hinata-chan's whitish lilac eyes grow in surprise by the question and though her throat dries and shrivels, she answers him. She only had the strength to do so because he seems so uncharacteristically serious about wanting to know, and she wanted to help him in any and all ways. Thinking about Kiba's request of invading Ino's privacy, Hinata answers, "mn, m-maybe th-they d-didn't mean to-to do something bad." Thinking about her own clan, she adds, "s-s-sometimes it isn't s-so simple."

Naruto thinks about Iruka. Whether he meant to or not, it was his fault Iruka is hurt the way he is, and like it always does, Naruto's guilt riles him up to try harder, to be better, so he can protect his friends. He promises, with Hinata-chan as his witness, "because of me, Iruka-sensei is in the hospital. Because I was too weak, he got hurt. I definitely won't let that happen again." He clenches his fist and closes his eyes when he feels his eyes moisten.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, Hinata is in awe of him. If the sun could be a person, her life would start and end with Naruto. She's never seen anyone fight as hard as he does against everyone, every day and never quit. It's unbelievable to her, but in his presence, she feels like she can accomplish anything. "I b-believe in you," Hinata finds herself faintly saying, and completely turns beet red when she realizes she said it aloud.

Naruto turns to her, surprised, not simply by her faith in him, but also by the cute way she crouches down till her butt sits on her heels and hides her embarrassed face with her dainty hands. Naruto's heart beats warmly at the sight of her. Regardless of Naru-nii's promotion of the Hyūga's abilities, Naruto would be happy simply to have her in his life. He crouches in front of her, gently calling, "ne, Hinata-chan." She only spreads her middle and ring finger so a bit of her left eye looks at him. Smiling he expresses, "I believe in you too. Let's get stronger together."

He stands and extends his hand to help her up. After routinely being forsaken by her own family, deemed expendable by her own father, deemed inferior to by her little sister, hated by her hurting cousin, Hinata is amazed anyone besides her sensei could believe in her. For those words to be spoken by someone as strong-willed as Naruto, is the most amazing dream she could ever be lucky enough to live. She doesn't know why she has the strength to take his strong hand, but she nervously does. Promising all the while not to let him down… ever.

They visit Iruka, giving their Academy sensei flowers Hinata-chan picked on the way. Naruto tells them all about his training, about taking care of Tori-chan and his concern over Haku's wellbeing. When Hinata suggested they throw Haku a welcoming celebration, Naruto is so excited he loses his head and hugs Hinata-chan until she goes limp; unconscious.

INO

Ino wakes from a troubled slumber but on a comfortably soft pillow. She nudges deeper when she feels caring fingers massage her scalp. Her immediate thought is of spiky blond hair and sky-blue eyes, forcing Ino to snap awake, learning the soft headrest she was laying on is actually Kurenai-sensei's chest. Ino hops off of her and the couch they were laying on, apologizing through several deep bows. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry Kurenai-sensei. I didn't mean to fall asleep like that."

Leaning up, Kurenai shakes her lustrous mane, reassuring the frantic girl, "it's alright, Ino-chan. You were understandably upset."

At the mention of what led to this in the first place, it all returns to Ino, and initially, she's upset. However, when she feels like she doesn't have tears enough to shed, she's quickly seething. '_This entire time__… I've been suffering this entire time because of that fat idiot!_' "I'm going to kill him," Ino voices with a tone detached of any humanity.

Kurenai stands to face the furious girl, and in a commanding voice asks, "Yamanaka-chan, I need you to enter your operational space."

Surprised to hear about Shinobi mission management by the suddenly stern sensei, Ino tries to ask, "but sensei, that fat pervert-"

"Genin," the Jōnin-sensei interjects. At her commanding voice and stern eyes, Ino naturally straightens her posture and is more receptive when her superior kunoichi continues. "This is a mission scenario that will require a set of interactions which will lead to multiple outcomes. I need to know you can hear the options?"

"Options? You mean whether his funeral should be open casket or not," Ino honestly answers. "He drugged me, sensei, which led to my rape under the influence!"

"You have every right to confront him if that is your true goal-"

"It's the only thing I've wanted for months!"

"More than keeping the loss of your innocence secret?" Inu pulls up short at the question, so Kurenai continues, "putting aside actual murder, let's use mission management to follow the threads. If we are open and honest about this, considering your families history, Chōji's parents will no doubt want to make amends to your parents. Assuming your parent's anger involves the Yamanaka clan, we would no doubt have to involve the Hokage to keep everything as peaceful as possible. I can't currently predict how this will completely affect the village, however, it's certain very much would change. This thread's outcome will likely lead to some form of justice for you. You may even feel better but I doubt you'll ever be '_seen_' as the girl you were."

"I don't know if I can let this go sensei," Ino freely admits. Like every genin—likely with the exception of Naruto—she knows about mission management; weighing the variables to lead to the best possible outcome for completing the mission. That lazy Shikamaru is actually a genius in this field of reasoning and it never failed to surprise her that her teammate could very well be the Hokage's right-hand man one day.

Still, Ino thinks about the first time she sees Chōji—smiling or eating as he does—and her anger makes her blood boil with a great need to kill him. Slam her fists against his fat face for hours until it's an ever-widening pool of blood, ground up meat and bits of bone. Ino shakes her head, clearing it of the over-powering anger within her.

"That fat-ass drugged- …he made me have sex- …Kami!" Ino curses taking a deep breath. "I'm no longer the innocent girl my mother thinks I am!" Ino painfully admits to the beautiful sensei, feeling her hyperventilating burden lighten the more she speaks. "Do you know how often I m-masturbate now? How often I think about sucking Naruto's sweet, thick cock? And drink everything that comes out? We even had anal sex, sensei… And I can't even say I hated it! I'm scared of who I am now! This isn't the girl I ever thought I'd be! I'm corrupted and it's all because of him!"

Ino couldn't physically cry anymore, but the agony is clear on her pain-cracked face. Kurenai takes the girl in a fierce hug, trying as much as she can to transfer all her warmth and understanding to the young blond. The distraught girl hugs the beautiful kunoichi back just as desperately and in a comforting voice, Kurenai orates, "self-discovery is one of the greatest challenges life has to offer. Self-understanding is such a daunting task, most would rather not know their true selves, choosing instead to rely on external objects and superficial emotions to feel fulfilled, but that will never be enough, Ino. It's perfectly normal to feel fear when uncovering parts about your identity you never thought you'd feel favorable towards, but that doesn't mean you're damaged, or less than what you were, much less corrupted."

Kurenai pulls back to look into the young Yamanaka's pupil-less blue eyes. Thinking about her own reality with another blond-hair blue-eyed genin, Kurenai confesses, "I'm fairly adventurous in the bedroom, Ino-chan. I have my own kinks and I'm even willing to try different things I may not have considered before. I know women who actually prefer anal sex, and I don't dislike it myself. The point is, I don't think there's anything wrong with you. You were forced to confront a lot of revelations in a short span of time, and I think you're handling it amazingly well."

Feeling absolutely grateful, Ino hugs the beautiful Jōnin-sensei, enjoying the comforting warmth and her vanilla and walnut scent. Normally, shinobi use odor canceling shampoo and conditioner to avoid being tracked, but Ino thinks no amount of bathing would ever remove such a lovely scent and more than ever, Ino feels like she has to get Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei together.

"Come on," Kurenai tells the girl. "Let's make some lunch while we talk some more." As they prepare a late afternoon meal, Kurenai asks Ino, "did you ever think Chōji might be capable of doing something like that?"

"Never in a million years," Ino answers. "Personality-wise, he's too soft for that. Total nurturer mindset. He leans on Shikamaru for practically… no…" Ino gasps her racing mind speculating on both her teammates being in on her drugging. "Now that I think about it, Chōji wanted to hang out afterward! Kami, if it wasn't Naruto, it may have been those two idiots, or if I was strong enough to run away, some random villager."

Rather than comment on her suspicion, Kurenai asks, "since that one day, have you ever been made to feel the same way you did with Naruto? Simply put, do you think they, or Chōji, may have dosed you again?"

"Um, n-no," Ino admits.

"So it's possible they or Chōji only did it that one time."

"M-maybe," Ino hates to admit. "But I still… feel weird."

"How exactly," Kurenai asks, graciously looking away to help Ino feel more comfortable.

"I… you won't tell," Ino asks blushing down to her neck.

"I won't tell a soul, Ino-chan," Kurenai promises.

With a long exhale, Ino answers, "I still get… excited, like _really_ excited. Every time I think about him… what we did… I get so hot, and aroused, all I can think about is getting back to my bed so I can… take care of myself."

"Do you feel this way about any boy or just…"

The blond indication clear to them both, Ino responds with a nod, "…just… I mean it felt so _so_ good! Better than anything I've ever felt. That can't be normal. It has to be the drug's effects, right?"

"Possibly," Kurenai tells the girl. "I don't know the specifics of what's used to make the blue pill, however sex feels very good even without it. Power, money, sex, love, are four of the most common driving force in all of humanity, and you know, woman love sex just as much as men. We're just not as flagrant about it."

"I've heard women talk about their first time before," Ino starts feeling more and more comfortable with the raven-haired kunoichi. "In the bathhouse or at the compound. Most say it hurts too much to really enjoy it. Some girls even prefer to touch themselves instead of letting their boyfriend get them off."

"While true, there could be many factors to that on both sides," Kurenai explains. "The woman may have a difficult time achieving orgasm, the man may be too sexually inexperienced to bring her to orgasm, lack of communication between partners, confidence issues, anxiety, and many more reasons."

"…yeah," Ino mutters, wondering if somehow Naruto wasn't the worst first partner she could've had. When she thinks about what could've happened when she was hit with the pill's effect in the village, she shudders.

"Mission scenario number two," Kurenai continues. "You secretly beat Chōji within an inch of his life. He won't know why, nor will anyone else… except maybe Naruto. If the resulting investigation leads nowhere, this may bring you a small measure of justice and it's possible you'll move on. After all, when you're in the field, if you don't trust your team, you're as good as dead."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Ino snaps viciously cutting through the lettuce.

"The problem there is, I absolutely have to make sure he hasn't done this to someone else," Kurenai says. "Which leads to the third thread. While keeping your identity completely anonymous, I bring him in front of his parents and make him aware of what he's done and how it's hurt someone. If his reasons have no malice in them, I'll end it there and make certain he knows never to reveal your identity to anyone for the rest of his life. I'm sorry Ino-chan. I know that's not what you want to hear, but I can't allow him to do that again."

"…I want to be there," Ino states, agreeing with the beautiful sensei. "I need to see."

"I can do that," the Genjutsu mistress of Konoha guarantees, happy to use her skills to help Ino. "How's today sound?"

"The sooner the better."

* * *

More Ino to come! I may have been too subtle about what happened to Ino in the beginning chapters. I don't like spoon feeding my audience so I'm glad I got to explain that within the story and have it move the plot forward. I want Ino to put that stuff behind her so she can begin to change for the better.

I'm sorry I hit Naruto again, but he's tough and Ino really lost her equilibrium. Currently I have no further plans to have any of the other girls beat on Naruto... that I know of.

As for Kiba, I never liked how he laughed with all the other kids at Naruto in part I, but I did like how he turned around after he lost their match. I say that because my Kiba hasn't been beaten yet, so he knows nothing... yet.

I can't wait to get to the Chuunin exams and write Gaara and all the other stuff I want to introduce. I feel like that'll be great fun.

As always, I'd love to know your thoughts and have a great one,

-Grae


	15. 15Unobstructed

Hey guys,

Writing when you don't have to work is so much fun. It's like I finally have time to write my ideas down. Some of you may know that I carry a little notebook with me while I work so I can quickly jot any idea that pops into my head. That note book has ideas well into the chūnin exams. Like all the way into the little tournament to narrow down the 3rd part of the exam. And I finally get to write them down! So, I'll write as much as I can, this I promise :)

Warning: Kissing.

Enjoy!

* * *

KURENAI

"Again, thank you for granting my selfish request," Kurenai sternly says, bowing respectfully to the heads of one of the four honored clans in Konoha, Chōza and Chiharu Akimichi. Chōza nods but is clearly confused about her insistence to speak with them as soon as humanly available as well by the disguised person sitting next to the Jōnin-sensei. The four are in the traditionally styled seating room of the main house of the Akimichi compound with the clan heads seated across Kurenai and a black cloaked, masked figure.

"As I mentioned this is a very delicate situation and may not begin to make sense until the end," Kurenai speaks. "Furthermore, the identity of the person next to me will never be revealed." Despite having to look up at the large Akimichi, Kurenai doesn't blink, buckle, or dwindle in any way.

Chōza stares into the serious red eyes of the Jōnin and can easily read how deadly serious she is. The tall figurehead grumbles but nods nonetheless, adding, "then please speak, Kurenai-sensei."

"I'd like to ask Chōji-kun a few questions; in your presence, of course," Kurenai starts and quicker than a heartbeat, the clan heads grow tense at the mention of their son and heir. Though easily detecting a clout of paternal energy emanating from them, the raven-haired Jōnin continues calmly as if she felt no hostility. "I will also ask for one of your blue pills, as that item is at the center of this entire event."

In addition to tense shoulders and upright posture, the two heads grow confused. Chōza states, "we'd, very much, like to know what you plan to ask Chōji."

"Of course, Chōza-dono," Kurenai states. "My intention is to ascertain Chōji-kun's knowledge of the blue pill. All I will ask is if he knows what it is and if he's-" A tap on Kurenai's arm from the hidden Ino lets her know she wishes to completely disappear. Kurenai turns from Ino to the observant heads. "With your permission, she wishes to be hidden further in genjutsu. She will not leave my side, I give you my word as a Jōnin of Konoha." With a hard nod from Chōza, Kurenai utilizes her genjutsu to completely erase Ino's presence from their senses, though she, herself, can still see the blond double over trying to keep her shaky breathing even.

Kurenai places her hand on Ino's shoulder though it looks as if she's comforting nothing but air. "You have to understand Chōza-dono, Chiharu-dono, this person has suffered in ways no girl should due to either foul-play or negligence. You know the purpose of your stimulant pill. It shouldn't be difficult to imagine."

"You're saying… Chōji…" Chiharu starts her mind racing. "He would never! He couldn't!"

"I've only ever heard positive things about Chōji-kun," Kurenai admits. "Without the personality needed to carry out such intentions, it's clear there's a piece missing. I only wish to ask him if he knows what the pill is and if he gave it to anyone." Chōza's hard face nods, and Kurenai adds, "please allow me to ask him myself."

They place the blue pill on the table between them and summon Chōji. Stern parents on one side and the pretty Jōnin Ino had talked about on the other side is the sight Chōji faces when he enters the seating room.

"Otou-san, Okaa-san," Chōji calls for clarity. "Kurenai-sensei," he greets with a short bow.

"Please have a seat, Chōji-kun," Kurenai gestures. Slowly, he does as she asks. Spotting the blue pill in the middle of the table, a twin of one he had taken, Chōji automatically grows nervous. He hadn't liked taking the pill, but he was happy that Ino had become much friendlier within the team, so he can't feel all that bad. "Chōji-kun," Kurenai delicately starts. Despite his parents stern energy, the pretty sensei's smile puts him at ease. "If you could help us out, there are a few questions I'd like to ask you. Now be honest, do you know what this is?"

Chōji looks at the blue pill Kurenai-sensei is pointing to and feels very much like he's in trouble. Though his first instinct is to deny it, Kurenai-sensei is a Jōnin, his parents are here, and he's been taught better than to lie, so, he slowly nods as he answers, "…Okaa-san said it was a special pill shinobi and kunoichi take so they can be friendly." As if experiencing terrible stomach pains, his mother drops her head with wide eyes.

Chōji wonders why his mother's looks so sad when Kurenai-sensei continues to ask, "friendly how, Chōji-kun?"

Slowly eying his freaked out parents, Chōji nervously answers, "so they can be nicer to each other, like best friends are."

Chōza's gulp is as audible as his knuckles cracking from a tight fist when Kurenai then asks, "and did you happen to give this pill to someone you wanted to be better friends with?" Chōji slowly nods his head, beginning to answer, "I gave it to-"

"Chōji-kun, please don't say her name," Kurenai interjects, lifting her hand seal ready to silence him if need be. While Chōji's mother seems devastated, Chōza is a stone, immobile and just as imposing.

"Who?" Chōza demands of Kurenai, who only answers, "she wishes to remain anonymous, Chōza-dono. She has plans and goals, like any other, and wants to put this entire episode behind her in order to move forward with her life. Revealing her identity would only accomplish the same end a great deal of time _**after**_ everyone has already assumed an unwarranted bias and personal opinion of her."

"…H-how old," Chiharu tearfully asks. Kurenai knows that many of the clan mothers are members of the Allied Mothers Force and suspects it's hurting Chiharu to realize what's happened to someone's daughter.

Kurenai turns to a confused, angry, agonized young Ino before answering Chiharu, "too young." Her response pained Chiharu to the point of silent tears.

"…Otou-san," Chōji tries again, reacting nervously to the mood of the room.

"I told you to talk to him," Chiharu blurts to Chōza, dabbing the edges of her eyes. "I told you he asked- I told you!"

Stern yet ashamed, Chōza shifts himself to face his terribly confused son. His small eyes are full of sadness and disappointment as he explains, "Chōji, that pill… is not what you think it is."

"What is it," Chōji quickly asks, desperate to understand the heavy and unspoken thing everyone else seems to know.

"We've talked to you about our clan's medicines," Chōza states getting a nod from his son. "And you've been educated on love and sex by us as well as the Academy." Chōji's chubby cheeks glow red, flickering guilty eyes in Kurenai's direction before nodding. "You know a sexual relationship should only be done between two people who love each other and are married." Again, a pink-cheeked Chōji nods. "When you reach a certain age, older adults simply don't have the energy to be loving like they were when they were young." Chōza indicates to the blue pill on the table, explaining, "this pill is special because it provides older married couples the energy they need to engage in physical love."

Chōji sits up straighter flustered by what his father is explaining, in the presence of Kurenai-sensei no less. "W-what do you mean? How," Chōji gravely asks.

"Think of the reactions from our Chakra pills," Chōza painfully details. "The three colored pills forcibly converts fat reserves to chakra for tremendous power. This blue pill creates a chemical reaction within the body that forces a person to feel a tremendous physical urge to have sexual relations… and if the person takes enough, he or she will want to have sex even if it's with a stranger," Chōza fiercely answers.

"But… But-" Chōji gets to his feet, and whips to his mother. "It's for being better friends! Okaa-san, you said-"

"You were wrong Chōji!" Chōza's powerful voice thunders in the room. "…_We_ were wrong. The girl- the far too young girl you gave this pill to suffered terribly because of you and this clan."

Chōji looks horror-stricken, clearly thinking of his blond teammate having sex with someone she doesn't love. "But that- that wasn't why I gave it to-"

"Chōji-kun," Kurenai yells lifting her genjutsu seal to her chest but doesn't silence him. "She is the victim here! The guilt you feel, the shame your parents must feel only comes second to her suffering, so do not speak her name. If her identity is revealed, your parents and her parents will have to be involved, which will then involve the Hokage. And despite any justice she may see, everyone will know what happened to her. This will define her in the eyes of her peers, her village, and to some extent, her parents, possibly for years. That is not what she wants. You will never—I repeat, NEVER—reveal the identity of the person you gave that pill to!"

After ordering the teary-eyed genin, Kurenai turns to the parents. "It's very possible you may come to learn the identity of this person. In the event that you do, she only asks three things of you. One, you attempt to shoulder your shame so she may have a brighter future without the stigma of being a victim of sexual impropriety. Two, if you must appease your conscious, you give her sufficient time to speak and prepare her parents. And three, she punches your son."

Before Kurenai finishes the sentence, an invisible Ino spins Chōji around and strikes him harder than she's ever punched anyone in her life. Her fist didn't even feel human as her suffering condenses her muscle, tendon, and bone to the unyielding density of a diamond. Driven by extensive mental and emotional anguish, her killer right straight impacts Chōji's nose with such force, he's sent flying into the table behind him. Despite feeling a crunch at the end of her fist, Ino feels no sense of satisfaction and rather than hit him again, and possibly lose herself to homicidal mania, Ino snags the blue pill that's rolled on the floor, jumps on top of Chōji, and shoves the extra-strength sexual stimulant down his throat.

More than content with the one easily aroused boy in her life, Kurenai prepares to leave, informing Chōza, "despite the suffering Chōji-kun is responsible for, I do not believe your son had any ill-intention." Chiharu is helping her son while Chōza remains still. "If you can assure me he will be thoroughly informed of what's expected of him moving forward, I will accept that and maybe some of us can move on from this."

Both knuckles pressed into the floor, Chōza bows deeply, stating with grim authority, " you have it." He turns to where Ino may be and bows again, "you have our deepest sympathy for the pain my son, our clan, has put you through." Chiharu bows as well while Chōji looks around, both hands holding his broken nose.

Kurenai can see Ino steel her posture, likely putting on a brave face under the mask before she turns and leaves. After a bow, Kurenai follows and when they reach the safety of Kurenai's home, the genjutsu over Ino is removed along with the cloak and mask. "Considering all involved, as a ranking officer in our military force, I will have to hand our Hokage a Black Scroll about this."

"What's a Black Scroll," Ino asks before realizing, "and you promised me you wouldn't tell anyone-"

"I'm not telling our Hokage what happened," Kurenai states, calming the girl some. "Well, not exactly. A Black Scroll is a detailed report of what happened to you and all involved, so in that sense, yes I am. However, it is sealed and only opened in the event a blood feud arises between prominent members of those involved; in this case, should the Yamanaka clan claim a blood feud against the Akimichi clan. If two of the four honored clans in Konoha begin to feud, our Hokage will need to intervene. Opening the scroll then, and only then, will equip him with the facts he'll need to help avoid any bloodshed."

"…I know this can't remain a secret forever," Ino rationally admits. "I just don't want to be the gossip of the village; portraying me behind my back like some slut, or helpless victim."

"I know," Kurenai hugs the girl. "But remember, no matter what others say about you, they don't define you. You're the only one who can do that. For the moment, we've bought ourselves some time for you to make a name for yourself that has nothing to do with who you slept with. Use it wisely."

Earnestly, Ino nods before hugging the beautiful woman appreciatively. "Pretty sure we saved him too," Ino says into Kurenai's mane with a chuckle. "People hate him so much they'd probably figure out a way to blame the whole thing on him."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Kurenai admits, pulling back to look at the girl.

"Thank you sensei," Ino gratefully expresses, kissing the gorgeous kunoichi in the cheek, to Kurenai's pleasant surprise. "Would it be okay if I talked to you sometime, you know, about my… strong feelings?"

"If you want to talk about specifics you can't or won't share with your mother, than I'd be happy to."

SAKURA

Sakura was surprised to hear her mother call her down. Her family had just finished dinner and Sakura was getting ready for tomorrow. She sighed when she realized it would be a Sasuke-less tomorrow. Earlier that morning, Kakashi-sensei had explained to Naruto and herself that he would be taking Sasuke-kun to a specialized training trip. While she was thrilled Sasuke-kun was getting the recognition he deserves, as well as the famed Sharingan, she was also sad and frustrated that she was being left behind.

'_Physically left behind by Sasuke-kun and Kakashi-sensei, and left behind in terms of skill by Naruto,_' she thinks, repeating for the hundredth time since the miracle event. '_He beat a J__ōnin! Zabuza was giving Kakashi-sensei a hard time_,' Sakura recalls. '_And Naruto beat that!_' Sakura felt abandoned on multiple fronts.

She was certain about that feeling of abandonment, as it's been an on again and off again companion for most of her life. Sakura easily recalls the first time her father left to travel with the slow-moving caravan along trade routes throughout the countries. Young as she was, she couldn't understand this was how he supported their family. All she knew was that he was leaving and feared he may never come back. Sakura can vividly recall her younger self waiting at the corner of their street for hours, hoping to see his figure walking back to her that night, but he never did. It wouldn't be until many weeks later when he finally returned, and though Sakura was happy to see him again, she still had those lingering feelings of inadequacy as a daughter.

After leaving the Konoha forces, her mother joined the civilian council which took up most of her time and energy, leaving Sakura with a great drive to prove her existence to her somewhat vacant parents. So, rather than mentally reciting the protocol for treating subarachnoid hemorrhage with Iryō-ninjutsu, her mind is filled with her depression over Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun's departure and her feelings of inadequacy within her home and team.

A despondent Sakura slinks downstairs at the call of her mother and at the sight of her late-night guest, Sakura is instantly simmering with anger. Ino waves happily at Sakura and after explaining to Mebuki she already had dinner, both girls relocate to Sakura's room. Sakura takes a seat on her puffy white and pink bed, glaring at Ino as she moves around the bed and lays down on the other side, letting out a sigh of content. Ino pats the bed, a clear indication, and Sakura lays down as well without much fuss.

Both girls lay on Sakura's bed, looking up at the ceiling for several moments until Ino states, "you were right about the Tree-walking and Water-walking." Sakura swivels her head to look at the blond as she continues, "you guys were gone for a month and a half and our team just started water walking last week. I may have to see Naruto train because it's pretty hard to believe he can hold that constant flow of chakra for longer than twenty minutes."

Thinking of her confusing orange-clad teammate, Sakura lets out a sharp exhale like quick laughter before she answers, "you're more than welcome to take my place training with him. I don't want to be around him any longer then I have to."

"I doubt that," Ino casually replies. At Sakura's confused quirk of her eyebrow, Ino responds, "don't think I don't know when you're bluffing."

"…I'm not trying to bluff-"

"Let's be true kunoichi, Sakura," Ino cuts in, confusing Sakura further. It's always a red flag when Ino uses her name, but the pinkette couldn't know how amazed Ino is with Kurenai-sensei, nor how much lighter the beautiful Yamanaka felt after that afternoon. Knowing the truth has eased her in a way she hadn't expected, like there is hope after all, and with clear satisfaction, Ino tells Sakura, "I'm getting a better picture of the type of kunoichi- well, the type of woman I want to be."

"A blackmailing cold-hearted bitch," Sakura asks.

Ino snorts. "I get why you're angry with me but you should really read the mood better," Ino points out, brushing the sting of the pinkette's words aside. "I'm in a good mood so naturally that makes you angry, because why should I be in a good mood when you're suffering, right? But if you hadn't snapped you would've heard me offer to give you one of the photos."

"Okay I'm sorry," Sakura tries rolling on her side to face Ino with desperation. "Look, it's not so much you. Kakashi-sensei told us this morning he would be taking Sasuke-kun on a personal training mission. They're going to be gone for a whole month, leaving me with Naruto, so, yeah, I'm upset. Please, Ino… I didn't mean the cold-hearted part," Sakura weakly fumbles to apologize.

"But the blackmailing bitch part?"

"If the sandal fits," Sakura hotly returns, rolling back to look at the ceiling. Though she expected some form of backlash, Ino simply snickers and Sakura can see it more clearly now. Ino does look lighter—more cheerful perhaps.

The Yamanaka smirks and nods before asking, "so what are you and Naruto going to do while they're gone."

With another sigh, Sakura answers, "Kakashi-sensei has me working with the Iryō Butai and per your demands, I'll keep training with Naruto around my medic training."

Slight uneasy, Ino asks, "what about Naruto?"

"That's a little odder," Sakura admits to her former best friend. "Kakashi-sensei said that Kurenai-sensei will manage Naruto's training while he's away and that Asuma-sensei will be helping as well, but I'm not sure why two sensei. I mean, Naruto is a lot stronger than I thought he was, but does he need two sensei to train?" At Ino's hard squeal, Sakura turns to the blond to witness Ino rolling from left to right, kicking the air in gleeful delight. "What?" Sakura cautiously asks.

Ino turns to her and happily answers, "I bet you anything Kakashi-sensei is trying to help Asuma-sensei."

"Why would he-?"

"Because Asuma-sensei is in love with Kurenai-sensei!" Ino squeals before explaining to her Asuma's duty as the Hokage's son, the princess' stay in Konoha, and how the nearly-arranged marriage intervened in Asuma and Kurenai's love. "You should see how many roses he's buying just to win her back, _uahh_, it's so romantic! There's even this other cocky Jōnin totally trying to make a play for her. I just _know_ Kakashi-sensei is trying to help Asuma-sensei."

"That's so sweet of Kakashi-sensei to do," Sakura had to admit, feeling better about her sensei leaving.

"I really want them to be together," Ino admits. "Kurenai-sensei is just amazing."

"She's so beautiful," Sakura admits, recalling the strong Jōnin-sensei. "I love her red eyes. They remind me of the Sharingan."

Turning to the pinkette, Ino says, "since Sasuke-kun's gone, you wouldn't have been able to earn that photo anyway. I was going to make you talk to him." Sakura listens saddened and perplexed as Ino continues, "the woman I want to be doesn't use blackmail to solve her problems."

"Then why not give me all the photos," Sakura pleads.

"We're still ninja," Ino sternly tells the green-eyed girl. "Just because we're in the safety of the village doesn't mean we should be lax. You were careless, and more than that, I don't believe your love for Sasuke-kun is healthy."

"You're just jealous because I'm the closest one to Sasuke-kun's heart," Sakura automatically counters before her well educated mind tortures her with specific exerts of the reports Ino made her do on obsessive love; specifically on her compulsion to assume without any concrete facts and argue with anyone who doesn't wholly support her love.

Soured, Sakura sighs when Ino states, "let me be clear here, I don't care if you love Sasuke-kun-"

"You have photos in your possession that say otherwise," Sakura retorts.

"In spite of how I got those photos, I'm only going to use them to help one person," Ino states, adding before Sakura could retort her obvious response, "a lot of people run from self-discovery. Despite how pathetic you are, I'm going to hold up a mirror and make absolutely certain you see the ugly truth about yourself whether you like it or not."

"And what's this truth I'm supposed to see?" Sakura snarls.

"What I've been saying this entire time, Forehead," Ino returns. "Obsession is not love!" Ino gets up out of the bed and walks to the foot of it before turning to Sakura. "Your hair's messier now without your constant brushing and conditioning—the style looks a little like Kurenai-sensei's actually." Sitting up, Sakura was going to counter nastily until she mentioned the pretty Jōnin-sensei. "Your arms have more definition, your neck looks stronger, your thighs have more tone, your butt pops out more, and you have sharper eyes, like you see more. You're starting to look more like a proper kunoichi but your mind still needs work."

"I've always been smarter than you," Sakura smugly admits.

"Memorizing text isn't what I'm talking about," Ino returns. "There's a boy in your head where you should be, so, in an effort to be the kunoichi I want to be, I'm going to offer you the chance to earn all the photos a lot sooner than I had originally planned."

Sakura leaps off the bed, asking, "how?"

Before walking to the door, all Ino says is, "by proving to me just how much you love Sasuke-kun of course." Ino opens the door, informing Sakura, "we're having a sleepover at my place, tomorrow, 8PM," before leaving.

NARUTO

The day turned out to be far more interesting than Naruto had anticipated…

…Not that he could think in the cold darkness of pre-dawn. Naruto didn't really wake up until his acute grogginess met with the reality of meeting Kurenai and Sakura at the crack of dawn. To his left is the pink-haired green-eyed love of his life, and to his right is a beautiful woman he actually has the supreme fortune of learning how to have sex with. He grew very anxious then, and slightly aroused at the sight of the one woman he has sex with and one he hopes to on the night of their wedding.

Standing before two of the most important kunoichi in his life promotes a never-ending sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach, like a queasy pulling of his intestines. Maybe if he wasn't such a slow learner he would've figured out everything there is to know about making a girl feel good—or at least not regret being with him—then he wouldn't feel like he's betraying his love for Sakura-chan. But how could he know the world of sex would be so large and complex?

He's gaining steady experience with Nai-chan, happily so—near to the point of addiction—enough to think maybe he could make Ino-chan feel good a few days ago, but clearly she hadn't liked what he did. Hopefully, he'll have the opportunity to ask her about Ino.

Noticing how beautiful both women look in the morning, it's enough to get his blood rushing, waking him up as Kurenai promptly starts as soon as she arrives. "Good morning, Team Seven," and Naruto effortlessly recalls her moans, sending more blood to his third leg. "I know it's early, but as I'll be with my team for most of the day, I wanted to connect with you both to explain how things are going to proceed while your Jōnin-sensei and teammate are away."

"Sensei," Sakura-chan begins to say as she looks around. "Shouldn't we wait for Asuma-sensei? Kakashi-sensei said he would be assisting as well."

With a short smile, Kurenai tells them, "Asuma-sensei will be assisting in a specific area of Naruto-kun's training. So he doesn't need to be here at this time." When Sakura nods, Kurenai continues. "I want you both to know that much of your day will not change. With or without a Jōnin-sensei, you will continue to train yourselves diligently. Kakashi-sensei has arranged for the Iryō Butai to assist you, Haruno-chan, in your medic training. Having looked over Kakashi-sensei's notes, I'm very excited to see your progress."

"Sakura-chan's the smartest one on the team," Naruto professes. "I know she's going to be the best Iryō-nin ever!" Sakura sighs and Kurenai's jaw tightens despite her smile.

"I'm impressed by your progress as well, Naruto-kun," Kurenai says, and his heart beats even faster before aching in the presence of Sakura.

"He's just a training freak, sensei," Sakura-chan easily asserts. "No need to waste too much effort on him."

Naruto chuckles lightly when Kurenai tells the two, "I rather disagree, Haruno-chan. Kakashi-sensei's notes mentioned Naruto-kun learned quite a few techniques before his teammates, and even recognized your potential as an Iryō-nin. Not to mention, as a Jōnin-sensei, I can tell you his current training is years ahead of his time. As I'm only a stand-in for your sensei, I wouldn't presume to tell you how to feel about your teammate, however, I would advise against allowing your opinion to obstruct your perception of clear facts."

Naruto didn't know how he felt or what to say. Sakura looked hurt, and it seemed to be by Kurenai. Instinctively, he wants to defend Sakura but Kurenai is one of the best sensei's he's ever had and he doesn't want to ruin that. It feels like he's being forced to choose between the love in his heart and love of a special person, splitting him right down the middle. Taking a stand Naruto begins to say, "ne sensei-"

"And Naruto-kun," Kurenai cuts him off. "There is nothing wrong with standing up for yourself. Don't think I haven't noticed how terribly others treat you. You are a valuable shinobi of the Leaf, you both are, and in my presence, I want you to treat each other as such. Do I make myself clear?"

Both Naruto and Sakura looked at each other a moment before nodding and speaking in unison, "hai, sensei."

"Good," Kurenai smiles warmly at them both. "Mission central opens in two hours. Before the day's end, I want Team 7 to complete three D-ranks-" Kurenai is cut off by Naruto's bemoaned groan. "I would now like Team 7 to do _**four**_ D-ranks- and if you complain further I'll add another." Aside from the audible gulp, Naruto remains silent. "Four D-Ranks for me to sign. I also want you alternating the leadership position on your missions. Two missions will have Haruno-chan in charge and the other two will have Naruto-kun in charge. After each, I want you to talk about what you did right and what you could've done better. After missions, you will continue with your special training. Naruto, you'll see me after. In the next few days, we'll discuss each of your training schedules for the month but that's all for now. Any questions?"

"Ah," Naruto hollers, recalling what he wanted to ask her the night before. "Kurenai-chan-"

"Don't use chan to address our sensei, Naruto," Sakura interjects. "That's disrespectful."

"But I'm not trying to be disrespectful," Naruto genuinely replies. "It means we're close, right?"

"You say it when you _actually_ have a personal connection, like a friend or family member," Sakura sternly informs him. "Kurenai-sensei probably doesn't want to hear that from you."

"While I prefer to keep conversation professional, I've made a special exception in Naruto-kun's case," Kurenai tells Sakura before turning to Naruto and asking, "though, I wouldn't be opposed to learning a little more about your relationship to the Sandaime." Naruto looks confused so Kurenai simplifies it, "why do you call our Hokage, Ji-chan?" Sakura turns to Naruto as well, very interested in what her blond teammate may reveal.

Naruto simply shrugs, answering, "because he's always been Ji-chan."

With a patient smile, Kurenai asks, "can you be a little more specific?"

Naruto squints his eyes looking deep in thought before answering, "Well, when I was just a kid, I met him in the forest. I was training—you know, hitting targets with rocks—and hunting for ninja tools-"

"Why would you look for shinobi gear in the forest?" a perplexed Sakura asks. "I hope you didn't think shinobi just leave their important equipment for anyone to find."

"I-" Naruto starts, only to stop himself and consider his words. It's not something he does often, but he doesn't want his teammate thinking he's weird by telling her the truth.

"Naruto," Kurenai softly speaks. "I've done a fair amount of research, and I know you've had a tough life. It's okay to tell me the truth."

Naruto automatically thinks about how she tricked him into telling her about Ino and smirks before saying, "I'm not falling for that again. If you know so much, you tell me."

Kurenai smirks cheekily before turning to a confused Sakura, explaining, " as an orphan, ryo is always a problem. There's a village issued allowance, however, that barely covered food, much less all the equipment needed to be a ninja. Without the funds to buy gear, Naruto-kun must've realized at some point that ninja die in some of the training grounds; Training Ground 44 for example. You went into the Forest of Death to scavenge for tools from shinobi who'll no longer be using them."

"You stole from dead bodies," Sakura cries in disgust. The tone of disgust alone made him want to cry, but her deep denial, like no one '_normal_' could ever do such a thing, made him want to crawl in a hole and take a suicide pill.

Kurenai immediately tells Sakura with authority, "Haruno-chan, it seems you don't quite understand the predicament your teammate lived through. While I don't begrudge you for having a stable home and fortunate finances, perhaps it's too difficult for you to understand since every material desire you've needed was more than likely met. Please recognize the fact that many other shinobi in this village, young and old, are not so lucky. Had my parents not left me a sizable savings upon their death, nor had I inherited my home, I can assure you I would've done the same thing Naruto-kun had."

Sakura looked stung, again, and this time Naruto was going to stand up for her. "Sensei, I'm not like that anymore, so it's okay. And you're right. That's how I met Ji-chan. I didn't know who he was. He was just Ji-chan. We camped, ate together, and talked—he told the best stories—and he… he was really good to me… the first one to really be good to me. We've been friends ever since. That's pretty much it."

"You make it sound like afternoon tea," Kurenai mumbles, mentally scratching that curiosity from her list before asking, "what did you want to ask me?"

"Ah, yeah, um, will you come to a Welcome to the Village party I'm throwing for Haku?" Naruto asks, surprising her with the unexpected question. "So far it's me, Hinata-chan, Haku, Sakura-chan, and if I can sneak out Iruka-sensei-"

"Naruto, do not take Iruka-san out of the hospital. He's a post-acute inpatient care, which means until they clear him, he remains where they can monitor him, understand?"

Glumly, he nods and Sakura tells him, "don't include me without even asking first."

"Sorry," Naruto chuckles. "I just thought you'd say yes. Come on, you like Haku right?"

With a shrug, Sakura just nods. Naruto turns to Kurenai then, with large, sparkling, hopeful, clear blue eyes, his has clasp together like in prayer. Kurenai very nearly regrets all her decisions up to this point when she feels a great pang of affectionate submission under such a cute onslaught. '_Ugh, really?_' her emotion-driven mind groan. It's just hard not to care about someone who cares so much. Add to that he's still spending time with Hinata-chan despite ending her genjutsu training with her ward. Kurenai rolls her red irises a bit before nodding with a small smile, which grew when he fist pumps in unrestrained glee.

Kurenai grabs a handful of leaves and turns to him. "Naruto-kun, I want a clone for this many. You know what to do."

"What?" Naruto complained, thinking about Ino and all the questions he has about why everything happened to her. He never got a chance to last night since she never came over. "But I was hoping-"

"Naruto," Kurenai says with such warmth in her voice and eyes, it's stunning. "I know you can do it. I believe in you."

Naruto feels like he found something he lost. Though he can't forget how important his training is, he knows he can get distracted, especially when it comes to Kurenai or the people he's hurt with his mistakes. He's literally standing in front of two of the most important people in his life and unlike them, he knows something bad is coming to try and take them away. All slumber and arousal are forgotten as he puts his fingers together and speaks, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

Naruto had never spoken so much to Sakura before. They've communicated necessary information before but never did they have long-running dialog. She was still a little sharp with her critiques of his style as mission leader but she also pointed out what he did well. Their missions were mundane but talking to Sakura calmly was fun. Naruto is looking for Kurenai to sign off on their fourth mission when he runs into Team Ten.

"Yo!" Naruto calls cheerfully, trying to act as natural as Ino seems to be. "Have you guys seen Kurenai-sensei? We need her to sign our mission scroll."

"'Fraid not," Asuma answers. "Try training ground four. Found her team using the lake there before."

"Cool," Naruto calls. It takes him a moment to break down and finally ask, "…where's Chōji?" Ino gives him a cold stare for a second before returning to a neutral look. Naruto was told to not do anything but he still wanted to talk with the boy he thought he knew. Certainly, Ino-chan looked fine but he was still worried.

"He's sick," Asuma states.

"Sensei," Ino calls out. "If you want to help Naruto find her, we can turn in the mission scroll."

Asuma looks at a smirking Ino who chuckles a bit before saying, "that might not be a bad idea-"

"Ah!" Naruto yelps surprising Team Ten. He turns around as if sensing the location. "Never mind, I found her." Naruto quickly turns and runs opposite the training grounds. A clone of Naruto's spotted Kurenai and Hinata walking out of the Konoha library, and it only took him ten minutes to find them walking toward the training grounds. After getting her signature, Naruto creates a clone to take the scroll back to Hokage Tower, asking them, "what time do I come over?"

"Before dinner is fine," Kurenai tells him all the while observing a slightly pink-cheeked Hinata keep her cool. That would've been impossible two months ago and Kurenai is supremely happy with the girl's progress. To keep Naruto around a little longer, she asks him, "Naruto, if you had the option, would you prefer to learn Genjutsu or Fūinjutsu?"

"Mmnn," Naruto hums, thinking about Naru-nii's suggestion. Playing it with a distasteful expression on his face, Naruto responds, "don't you need to read a lot for both?"

"Anything that's worth doing requires a lot of practice and research, whether it's in a training ground or in a library," Kurenai informs him.

"Well, if I had to pick, I guess Fūinjutsu," Naruto admits before adding, "does that mean you want me to learn Fūinjutsu while I'm training?"

"As you have the option to do so without injuring yourself, yes, that's exactly what I want," Kurenai affirms. "It'd mean a lot to this village and to your future to learn as much as you can."

"It's still a lot of reading," Naruto bemoans. "If I'm supposed to learn what my clone understands, it's not going to be much if he's staring at a scroll all day."

"Trust me," Kurenai asserts with a sweet smile. "I have a full-proof method of making sure your clone retains what it reads."

"Tha-that's an amazing skill, N-Naruto," Hinata shyly confesses.

"Hm," Naruto hums as if considering a new idea that he's already discussed with Naru-nii. "How about I learn Fūinjutsu if I can spar with Hinata-chan? I bet you have some wicked moves," he eagerly tells the indigo-haired girl.

Hinata is shocked by the proposition and instinctively hops back a step, twiddling her thumbs. "I-I c-c-couldn't!"

Naruto wonders if maybe it's too much, alluding, "I guess you'd rather not spar with me. It's okay, I just thought-"

"N-N-No!" Hinata hops forward, eyes wide and fearful like accidentally stepping on a dog's tail. "T-th-that's n-not it, N-Naruto-kun. I-I would like to… I-I'm just n-not g-g-good."

"So," Naruto points out. "That's why we train! So we can get super strong. So we can spar, right? Right?"

Hinata seems trapped and looks to her sensei for help. An easy smile on Kurenai's symmetrical face tells Hinata she won't get out of this and so, despite the tremendously rapid beating of her heart, Hinata nods, '_yes._'

"Sweet!"

"Leave a clone with me so I can get you started while you train," Kurenai tells him, who salutes her command before creating a clone.

Naruto is shaking off the worst of the throbbing teeth-clenching head pain. Having to dispel ninety-three clones with hours worth of training took an hour to do safely, and yet it still had him spinning. Laying down on Kurenai's couch as the raven-haired beauty and Hinata-chan prepare dinner, Naruto recalls his eye-opening conversation with Naru-nii.

'_**F**__**ūinjutsu is so much more than sealing,**_' Naru-nii explained during Naruto's break from his physical conditioning. While ninety clones try desperately to finally complete this stage of the leaf-cutting training, Naru-nii told him, '_**think of sealing, whether it**__**'s all sorts of objects, living beings, and or chakra, like the first stage of Rasengan; it's just the entry level of Fūinjutsu. It can be tough, sure, but there are even tougher levels after that, like using Fūinjutsu to create extra-dimensional pockets for all sorts of purposes. It's what I'm doing now. Then there's what I did to commune with Shinigami-sama or contract with super strong summons from other realms to help you fight. Then, putting all that knowledge together, you can do some super sweet stuff like Fūinjutsu that can manipulate space-time to teleport yourself anywhere you want in less than a second!**_'

'_That sounds INSANE_,' an achy and sweaty Naruto gasps, his large blue eyes shining brightly at the world his older counter-part just described. Though, it's also painfully sobering for Naruto to think about. If Naru-nii knows how to do all that and still couldn't stop the danger that's coming for the entire shinobi world, what's he supposed to do? It easily paints, with such clarity, how much farther behind Naruto truly is.

Moving past some of the bias and antagonism constantly leveled toward him, the energetic blond actually felt like he was getting stronger. He felt proud that the villagers and classmates who ridiculed him were all wrong; that he _does_ matter; that he _can_ be as great as he envisions… but Naru-nii's predicament can very easily be Naruto's future if he doesn't get stronger as fast as he can.

Naru-nii had then listed off the levels to mastery: '_**History, Calligraphy and Inscription, Chakra Mechanics within F**__**ūinjutsu, Seal Safety and Modifications, Seal detection and Identification, Seal Design, MPBC, which stands for Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry, Seal Disarming and Security, and Innovation.**_' Naru-nii also described some useful skills for a Fūinjutsu Master to have. '_**If you want, I**__**'d start with tailoring, you know, like stitching and stuff, that way you can create seals within the clothes you wear. Forewarning, that takes a LOT of practice to get good. Blacksmithing and woodworking would be cool too. Kenjutsu also helps with hand strength.**_'

'_…How_,' Naruto gasps. '_How am I supposed to learn all of that in a short amount of time? I feel like my head__'s going to explode right now._'

'_**Well, first, I**__**'m definitely helping you out**_,' Naru-nii asserts. '_**This is all stuff I wish I had help with so you can bet your ass I ain**__**'t going anywhere until you're the absolute best, unless I'm dead… and maybe not even then. Second, we have some time. We'll do as much as we can and hope for the best. And third, it's in your blood.**_'

'_What do you mean_,' Naruto asks.

'_**I already told you our family**__**'s crazy good with Fūinjutsu,**_' Naru-nii simply answers.

'_Yeah, but just because kaa-chan and tou-chan are good at something, doesn__'t mean I'm automatically going to be as good at the same thing,_' Naruto points out, thinking about his demoralizing Academy days.

'_**True, but this is somewhere between the Uchiha**__**'s Sharingan and the Nara's Shadow Bind,**_' Naru-nii explains. '_**Not quite kekkei genkai but a little more than hiden techniques. It**__**'s just our clan's jutsu.**_'

'_Our clan?_' Naruto repeats. '_I__'m part of a clan!?_'

'_**Yup! And we were wicked awesome too!**_' Naru-nii energetically asserts, and Naruto can just feel the fist pump. '_**It**__**'s sad, but, most of our clan were killed and the ones who survived disappeared a long time ago. I always wanted to reinstate the Uzumaki clan in Konoha but, well, with the war and all, I never got around to it.**_'

'_Oh__… do you think I could_,' Naruto cautiously asks, hesitantly fantasizing about being part of a clan in Konoha—just like the other clans—so he'd never be alone again.

'_**I hope so, Little-Me**_,' Naru-nii asserts. '_**I**__**'d definitely like to know more about Kaa-chan's people.**_'

'_Now I definitely have to be a F__ūinjutsu master,_' Naruto exclaims. '_So I can help the rest of our clan!_'

'_**Hell yeah!**_' Naru-nii calls. '_**And to be a F**__**ūinjutsu master, you have to know how incredibly flexible it is. The thing I think a lot of practitioners get hung up on—besides how much easier it is compared to the other levels—is Fūinjutsu means sealing arts, so they just think in terms of containing something, when they should be thinking in terms of extreme chakra programming. Sealing is a task. It's a simple framework for chakra to perform. If you create other tasks and frame them properly, Fūinjutsu will do those tasks just as easily as sealing. Like I said before, with enough time and chakra, I could've used Fūinjutsu to go back in time but that wasn't an option.**_'

It's why Naruto pushed himself so much harder; training all afternoon and even using more of Kurama's chakra than normal. He was so close to cutting a leaf with chakra alone, it felt hours away from happening, making his bones hum deliciously with anticipation. He even created another three clones to help the one he created for Kurenai to study Fūinjutsu in Iruka-sensei's home. Pushing himself with so many clones training and studying, it left him half-dead on Kurenai's couch and useless to help Hinata and Kurenai.

Near dinner time, Naruto hops in the shower. The blond genin was surprised he remembered everything he read on Fūinjutsu as clear as if he had been told. Kurenai had his clone copy the text repeatedly on Sealing Lore in order to help him memorize it but Naruto felt like that was completely unnecessary; he just took to Fūinjutsu like a fish in water. Simply put, his brain felt naturally engaged by the knowledge and he wanted to soak up every bit of information he could get his hands on. Honestly, it shocked as much as surprised him.

After his shower, a refreshed Naruto walks down to the dining table with a mild headache that'll likely be gone in the next thirty minutes and to his surprise, Asuma-nii is sitting at the dinner table while Hinata and Kurenai are setting the table with a nice spread. At the sight of them, Naruto is even further startled when his throat clogs up and his eyes heat with prickling moisture. The three people he'll be having dinner with is such a nice scene to not only see, but be a part of…

'_Dinner in a nice home, at a clean table, with three people who don__'t hate me!_' Naruto felt choked up and wondered how much longer Haku's going to be to further complete his happy home. It's been two days and he's missing his friend very much.

KURENAI

"Have a seat Naruto," Kurenai curtly states, feeling odd by the company.

The blond ball of energy hops into his seat across a shy Hinata, and though pink-cheeked, looking away from Naruto every once in a while, she's smiling the entire time. Asuma casually nods at Naruto with his bearded chin to which Naruto returns, "what's up Asuma-nii?"

"Since we're both Fūton users and Kakashi asked me to help your training out, so, I thought I'd come over," Asuma informs him. Kurenai walks over from the stove top to place a medium-done steak on Naruto's plate before finally taking her own seat across from her fellow, yet, curious, Jōnin.

"Are we training after dinner," Naruto asks, smiling at Kurenai for the perfectly delicious looking steak. Turning to Asuma's plate Naruto then asks a more important question. "Don't you like steak?"

"As I had no prior knowledge he would be here at this time, yours was the only one I made Naruto," Kurenai answers as she and Hinata load their plate with salad, nuts, and fruit.

Crestfallen, Naruto painfully offers Asuma, "um… I guess… you can- we can split mine… if you want."

"It's okay, Naruto," Asuma states with a mild chuckle, and Naruto heaves an exhale of relief. "Salad's good to have at least once a day."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto mutters as he starts cutting up his thick cut of well-cooked meat. Naruto moans in delight when that sweet cut of juicy meat aggressively delights his taste-buds, disqualifying him from proper dinner manners. "So, good."

Hinata laughs a pretty joyful sound, happily telling Naruto, "Naruto-kun, that's bad manners."

"Ah," Naruto hollers, turning to Kurenai. "It's really good Kurenai-chan. Thanks."

Considering how easy of a slip it is, Kurenai smiles and thanks Kami every time he doesn't say, '_Nai-chan._' Kurenai shakes her head good-natured, responding, "thank you and you're welcome."

"We won't have a full training session," Asuma starts telling Naruto as he assaults his steak. "I'd like to see where you're at in your training so I can know how to direct you from there."

"Sweet," Naruto says between bites. "With your help, I'm sure I'll be using Fūton jutsu in no time."

"Hey, now, I wouldn't say quite that fast," Asuma says eating his salad easily enough. "But I promise we'll make some headway before Kakashi's return."

"What? I want to be done before Kakashi-sensei gets back," a worried Naruto tells Asuma, feeling like he's making too much progress to slow down now.

"Naruto, you should know this isn't so simple," Asuma asserts. "It wouldn't be good for you to rush. You could end up making a costly mistake when you're in the field. Proper training in Fūton chakra is so you don't get yourself killed, and proper training takes time."

Finding the exchange curious, Kurenai wonders aloud, "has Kakashi mentioned the rate by which he learns?"

"Just said he's a Fūton user starting nature manip and could use some pointers," Asuma answers.

"And that's it," Kurenai sharply asks. While she's big enough to admit Naruto could benefit from a Fūton user's one-on-one instruction, she can tell—due to Kakashi's help—Asuma will likely split his attention between Naruto and using this as a legitimate opportunity for them to talk more.

She'll admit a part of her wants to go back to the way it was when it was just them, when it was simple. At the time, being a ninja was what a strong female did before marriage, after which a life at home taking care of the children was always where the path led to and Kurenai was happy to have that with him. But that's no longer the case. Since their last separation, she became the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha and a Jōnin-sensei. Not to say her achievements completely derail where she thought her life would end up—she cared too much about the future of the village to not have little shinobi of her own—but with two very important pupils sitting on either side of her, and her genin team to guide, she's not ready to settle down just yet.

'_Maybe in time,_' she mentally asserts.'_But definitely not now._'

When Asuma answers, "unless it's a mission, you know he's not much on details," Kurenai gets up, walks outside to grab a leaf and returns to the dinner table. She hands Naruto the leaf, asking, "how close are you?"

Naruto smiles broadly, super excited to show Kurenai the fruits of his labor. He takes the leaf and places it between his palms and at the errant thought Kurenai might reward him in some ultra-amazing mind-blowing way, Naruto concentrates as he's done hundreds of thousands of times, converting his chakra into his elemental nature and cuts completely through the leaf. He's a little more tired than he usually is but there's still plenty of steak to nourish him, so he grabs his fork as he casually hands Kurenai the cut leaf.

Naruto didn't notice Asuma's stunned expression or Hinata's prideful smile as Kurenai takes the leaf and shoots Asuma a, '_well?_' sort of raised brow. Hinata sweetly asks with only a small amount of stutter, "S-Sensei, is that why you t-tested us on our elemental natures?"

"I was aware Naruto was beginning his training on nature manipulation," Kurenai begins to explain to her ward. "However, I don't expect my students to rush their training to catch up to anyone. You have your own strengths and rate of progression. Learning your elemental natures is simply so I can integrate and customize your training to best prepare you."

"Mn!" Naruto hums. "What's yours Hinata-chan?"

"F-fire," Hinata answers.

"Mn, fire is weak against water but strong against wind," Asuma starts explaining to the genin like the sensei he is. "Lightning is weak against wind but strong against earth. Water is weak against earth, strong against fire. And wind is weak against fire but strong against lightning, which means, if all things are equal, your wind won't hold up against her fire."

Kurenai would've preferred if Asuma had more tact as she absolutely hates how upset Hinata withers to hear the elemental weaknesses. Kurenai understands Hinata is simply sensitive to needless competition, preferring instead if everyone got along, however the crimson-eyed Jōnin couldn't know that Naru-nii had explained to Naruto both of his teammates elemental natures and despite eating, Naruto casually repeats as he was told by his future counterpart, "I thought Wind made Fire stronger?"

Kurenai's chest swelled with pride for a quick breath, absolutely thrilled by his effortless response as the energetic blond puts the color and smile back on Hinata's face. Despite years of hate and assault in his own village due to what's inside the boy, Naruto continues to prove to her just how much he's inherited the Will of Fire.

It's wondrously stirring and though she initially felt weird having dinner with the beloved man, currently causing the ache in her heart, sitting next to the blond genin, causing the multiple orgasms in her bed, she's feeling more and more like seeing the blond tonight. Sitting across from Asuma's observant eyes, she has the most wicked thrill rush through her when she wonders if she should do some anal play with Naruto. Her lower body tingles, making her press her toned legs tighter together and her cheeks visibly color.

INO

Ino opened the door to her room, letting Sakura in after the pinkette greeted her parents. The Yamanaka has a plan. She's thought about it for a full day and became resolute when she saw Naruto earlier on. Though he acted perfectly normal, she could see his concern for her behind his casual eyes. After discovering why her life took such a drastic turn, Ino found it interesting to realize she didn't actually hate her fellow blond, blue-eyed genin. Naruto was simply in the wrong place and time… or maybe in the right place and time if she considers how lucky he got.

"Here, change into this," Ino orders, enjoying the stunned and curious look on Sakura's face when she tossed her some skimpy nightwear.

Though nervous about her plan for Sakura, Ino felt the clock now. Someday in the future, her mother is going to learn what happened to her. Her father will likely go ballistic. The Yamanaka and Akimichi may no longer be close friends or even allies afterward, and where would that put the Nara clan? Ino's certain it'll happen one day and she's determined to make a name for herself before it does. She will not be known or talked about as the slut who slept with the Dead Last because neither description fit them.

Using Kurenai-sensei as her guiding star, Ino is determined to be a respectable kunoichi and that begins with getting rid of the photos. However, she can't simply give them to Sakura. Despite everything they've been through, Ino still cares about the pink-haired girl and she can't imagine her former friend will ever wake up if she didn't help her now, regardless of how hard she's shoving. If her plan didn't work, then she'll live with that, but Ino has to try.

In her short purple hotpants and tight white tank, Ino walks out of her walk-in closet to find Sakura dressed similarly. While Ino may fill out the tank more than Sakura's B-cups, Sakura clearly has the rounder derrière as evidenced by the white cheeks she's attempting to completely cover.

"Don't you have anything less slutty?" Sakura asks, squirming to cover her round posterior.

"Not going to need it," Ino admits with a smile.

"Why," Sakura cautiously asks.

Ino pats the bed and they both sit facing each other cross-legged. While Sakura's sensuality isn't on Kurenai's level, Sakura does have her charm, and Ino appreciates that this won't be as hard as she was imagining it would be. '_I might even enjoy it,_' Ino thought without fear of what that says about her. After her conversations with Kurenai-sensei, Ino doesn't feel so corrupt about her odder quirks, and slowly, she's happily learning how empowering it is to be accepting of one's self. "As I said earlier," Ino starts. "I'm willing to give you all the photos earlier than originally planned."

"How?" Sakura quickly asks.

"I want you to prove to me your love for Sasuke-kun is truly strong-"

"It is!" Sakura cuts in. "You just can't see it because you're too jealous."

"And you can't see how wrong you are because you think nothing else matters as long as your love is indisputable, which is wrong!"

"Whatever, it's not like you could understand," Sakura asserts.

"Maybe, maybe not, but after this month, I think we're both going to understand more."

"What do you want?" Sakura tersely asks, "what do you want me to do? What's this master plan of yours?"

"You can keep the first one I gave you, which means I have nine photos left," Ino says taking one out. "Sporadically, I'll give you the option of earning one. I could offer you one this week, four the following week, none the week after that, or all in one day, but regardless of my giving you a photo, you and I are going to be meeting every day. And your earning a photo is completely dependent on my mood. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I'm not an idiot."

"You also have the option of backing out any time you want-"

"And prove you're right? Is that it? You're just going to make me do awful embarrassing things, making it worse and worse after each time until I give up? And this is the better kunoichi you want to be?"

"If you were a better kunoichi, you wouldn't be in this mess in the first place," Ino returns. "But you're lucky it was me and not someone else."

"Fine," Sakura calls. "What is it?"

"I want you to kiss me," Ino plain states.

"… wait, what?"

"I want you to kiss me," Ino slowly repeats.

"I… I don't- …but, we're not like that."

Ino shrugs, voicing, "so?"

"So?" Sakura repeats scandalized. "What do you mean- …wait, are you… are you a lesbian?"

'_No, I__'m definitely all about dick,_' Ino mentally sings, thinking of how great it feels when Naruto stuffed her wide and flooded her full. After a calming breath, Ino answers, "no, I prefer men."

Confused, Sakura asks, "then why?"

"Because that's what I want you to do," Ino serenely answers.

"…No," Sakura finally tells her.

"If you don't want to that's fine. Only now you don't get a photo at the end," Ino coldly deals, forcing the pinkette to quickly understand that her options will only ever go from bad to worse. "This is how it's going to be from now on, Forehead."

"I," Sakura tries, feeling stunted. "I don't want my first kiss to be with you!"

"No, you want it to be with Sasuke-kun but unfortunately for girls everywhere, Naruto stole his first kiss, so what's it matter?"

"That still doesn't mean I want to kiss you!"

"No shit," Ino hurls back. "You think I'm just going to ask you to brush my hair or sharpen my kunai for a photo?"

Sakura's chest grows heavier with suffocation "…Why Ino?"

"Why not?" Ino simply shrugs. "I'm presenting you with the option to end this nightmare so you can once again chase after Sasuke-kun. One month, nine photos and when Sasuke-kun comes back, you'll actually be able to flaunt about him of your own free will. But of course, if you don't actually love him- _Mnn!_" Verbalizing her goading ended in success when Sakura pitches forward, smashing puckered lips and against Ino's. The platinum-blond engages her core muscles so as to not fall backward as Sakura merely presses her lips against Ino's.

'_This is pathetic_,' Ino's first thought judges. From her ordeal with Naruto, at least Ino has enough experience with impassioned—if not sloppy—kissing to know this is basically like shaking hands but with lips. Ino grabs both of the pinkette's shoulders and pushes her back. After wiping her red lips, Ino comments, "if that's what Sasuke-kun has to look forward to, don't be surprised if he breaks up with you a second later."

"Why would it feel good when I don't love you!?"

"You think love is necessary to be a good kisser?" Ino sharply asks before sarcastically retorting, "no, sure, because everyone knows you can't love your parents, friends, or teachers unless you can kiss them properly."

Saddened, Sakura pleads, "Ino, please reconsider…"

"Are you scared," Ino bluntly asks. "Is your love so weak? I could've made you kiss one of our classmates, or better yet, some old fat-ass with a thing for underage girls, but I'm trying to prove a point. If you ever want to be more than a teammate to Sasuke-kun, you need these photos. In other words, if you love Sasuke-kun, you need these photos, right? So, what's it going to be?" With a slow, painful nod, Ino tells Sakura, "lay back." After Sakura shuffles to the center of the bed, laying her head against the pillow, Ino straddles Sakura's waist, surprising the submissive girl.

"One final touch and this is non-negotiable," Ino states, placing her left index and middle in the palm of her right. "Henge!" And out of the smoke, still straddling Sakura's waist is the exact physical features of Uzumaki Naruto. Ino, disguised as Naruto, stares contentiously, daring Sakura to complain further.

All Sakura weakly asks is, "why him?"

"Hehe," Ino perfectly mimics Naruto's voice and mannerism. "Because I'm willing to bet I love you more than you love Sasuke-kun."

Ino leans down slowly, so as to not startle Sakura but to also give her time to decide. Rather than retreat, Sakura closes her eyes, and Ino's fine with that. Less than an inch away from Sakura's face, Ino-Naruto's holds there, gazing at the green-eyed girl's features.

'_Sakura really is pretty in a unique sort of way,_' Ino-Naruto thinks, then feels her face flush at Sakura's warm exhale. Ino's lips gently brush against Sakura's, endeavoring all she can to be soft and non-invasive.

In order for her plan to work, Ino needs Sakura's mind to feel Naruto's constant proclamations, even if it's only a disguise. Ino would've used someone else but since Naruto is the only boy who so brazenly shouts his love for Sakura, it only makes sense to use his likeness and let Sakura's mind connect the boy's ardent words with Ino's affection. The platinum blond has planned many activities for the month that will sadly get her blood rushing, but, as long as Sakura questions what her love actually means in the end, then it'll be worth it.

Ino slightly puckers her lips and pecks Sakura's soft skin cushions, pressing in a bit and enjoying the warmth of them. Noting Sakura's face is nearly the same, Ino presses her affection more wholly across her former friend's lips, clipping Sakura's spongy pink flesh so Ino can suck and pull a bit. The disguised Yamanaka pulls and kisses Sakura's lips trying to coax more reaction from the girl. For several minutes, none is forthcoming, but Ino's patient.

Slowly, Ino lowers herself on top of Sakura's supple twin mounds as she's kissing and licking Sakura's lips. Weight pinning the pink-haired beauty, Ino shuffles forward, drawing delicious friction against the girl below her. Being pressed so fully against someone who's soft and warm felt pleasantly inviting and Ino slowly moves her warm weight up and down Sakura's warm softness. The pinkette's breath hitches and her mouth opens a bit, to which Ino quickly takes advantage, sliding her saliva-covered tongue inside the moaning girls mouth.

Ino moans into hot swirling saliva because she mentally admits, '_kissing her feels good,_' igniting not only a warm tingling sensation between her legs, but her memories of a certain blond boy who repeatedly brought her to mind-erupting pleasure. At the recollection of feeling him fully inside her, pumping hot semen into her depths, her inner thighs quiver against Sakura waist.

Ino's efforts are rewarded when she feels Sakura's nipple harden to stiff points poking at Ino-Naruto's chest. She continues her down-pressing grinding when she feels Sakura open her mouth further. Though she should feel happy with the progress, her thoughts weren't about how easy or successful her plan appears. It was about furthering the sensation that's beginning to be all that mattered. She sinks her hands into Sakura's mellow pink tresses and tilts her head to have more access to Sakura's warm mouth. Moaning in delight, Sakura cups her jaw and returns the heated kiss with more energy until they both needed to break apart for air.

Sakura slowly opens her eyes and is immediately disturbed to see Naruto over her. She looks away and Ino swears the pinkette is going to cry. Sakura _does_ cry and Ino dispels the disguise. Despite feeling hot between her legs, Ino shuts off the light and goes to bed with Sakura lightly whimpering beside her. If not for her own growing arousal, Ino felt this was a good first step.

'_Only twenty-nine more days to go_,' Ino mentally states, dreading the break down of her own will. She doesn't want to have sex with Naruto again—it scares her sanity to think about. Knowing he can give her the total satisfaction her body craves for, how many more nights with Sakura is going to leave her hot and aching for mind-numbing relief? How many more nights can she endure before she's knocking on his door? How many more nights before she's begging him to mercilessly scratch the itch away? Ino doesn't sleep much that night as she dreads the answers to those questions.

* * *

So, I really wanted to highlight how I view Fūinjutsu. This is going to be a substantial portion of Naruto's education moving ahead. On top of that, I've always thought it was weird that whole countries banded together to destroy Uzushiogakure because they feared their power, and Konoha just let that slide, like, "okay, I guess we were too late to help. Lets just move on with our lives." Like really? That's something I'm definitely going to address with my fic.

This chapter was a little slow in terms of activity, but it's set up for the month before the Chūnin exam. Lots of stuff will happen with my characters and I want it all to make as much sense as I can relay.

Thanks again, and have a great one,

-Grae

PS. This is something I want to mention for Sakura's character in response to some positive criticism. I, as the author of this fic, am using the canon-Sakura. I understand she can be difficult sometimes-trust me, I do. I'm not a big fan of a lot of her decisions or her train of thought... but I've only just started working on the Sakura within my fic. Ino has a plan and we'll slowly get there. All I ask is you give me the time to properly blow her psyche to kingdom come before I pick up the pieces and make something I think is bad-ass. If you all don't like her after she goes through her crucible, that's cool. I hope you find a better fic to read. I don't like useless characters or useless arcs, so if you have faith in me, great, I'll endeavor to do a Russo brothers instead of a David Benioff and DB Weiss, and not let you down.


	16. 16Bonds That Matter

Hey guys,

Not much to say other then, warning: Lemons

Enjoy!

* * *

KURENAI

Ever since dinner, Kurenai's body has been growing hot, yearning for attention. Despite her mind's imposing fortitude to regulate her arousal, her body's desire found cooperation in her intense heartfelt appreciation of Naruto. After Naruto and Asuma left, Kurenai had the most wonderful conversation with Hinata about her future and how she wants to train even harder so she can be strong like Naruto. It filled Kurenai with such a sensational glow of hope, that she grew wet with eagerness to repay the blond genin.

Hinata went to sleep early and Kurenai didn't hesitate to go to her walk-in closet and fashion herself into the sexiest black and blood-red lingerie she owned; a lace floral patterned bra, matching garter and ultra-low G-string with thigh high black stockings. Moist red lipstick, a hint of powder blue eyeliner, a couple of dabs of perfume she rarely wears, herbal oil in her lush dark locks and a black choker to complete the hypnotic appearance underneath her large travel cloak. Before leaving, she pockets a tube of Anko's favorite lube and locks the house behind her.

By the time she reached Iruka's, her walls were slick and her glutinous quim was aching to be fed with load after load of hot cum. Her nipples were hard and even her sphincter puckered, itching to be scratched. Despite the cold air, the anticipation in her wet core made her hot as she picked the lock, walked in and found Naruto in the living room. But for the one lamp next to the love-chair he's sitting in, the room is dark. He's wearing a simple black t-shirt, sleeping shorts, and his funny sleeping cap with round eyes and buck-teeth. He's reading a scroll and her heart aches with pride by the fascinated look on his face. In a trance, three gentle strides lead her to him.

In a low husky voice, Kurenai sang, "Naruto."

Startled, his blue eyes snap to her as she slowly undoes her large cloak. He couldn't get a word out before she drops the concealing outwear and steps forward with more sway of her hips. He large breasts jiggle in her lacy bra as her arms rise and rustle the majority of her long lustrous locks to her left shoulder, not bothering to eye him seductively just yet. '_Let him enjoy the show,_' she mentally hums as he drinks her form in. '_Let him warm up to the idea that tonight will be one of the most memorable nights of his life_,' she adds making her smile wider before she kills him with her own hungry red eyes.

At the sound of the scroll hitting the wood floor, Kurenai's sharp eyes find him stunned, wide-eyed, heavy of breath, and most importantly, fully erect. With the single lamp-light above him, his spiky hair draws long shadows over his forehead and his eyes are cavernous patches of darkness, carnivorously transfixed on her erotic, nearly nubile body. Enjoying her effect on him, Kurenai teases him by sweetly bringing up, "if you're too tired, I understand-"

Kurenai was fairly certain he used chakra to stick to the ground for more leverage to rocket off the love-chair and tightly snatch her around her pelvis. He has her by her middle and she grips his shoulders to stay upright and before she knows anything else, he's slammed her against the wall, edging her closer to sexual frenzy at the delicious thought of rough, passioned sex.

'_I__'m going to hurt tomorrow_,' her mind delectably revels with a smile as his gripping strength squeezes more womanly nectar down her thigh-high black stockings. Physically raising her up the wall makes his target clear as she uses chakra on her hands to lift her honey hole to his hungry mouth and his rough tongue is instinctively lapping up her sweet juices before she even realizes. "_Ahh!_" she moans as her mind yells, '_hot!_' She was already hot and bothered before walking into his home, but with his desperate tongue frantically voracious for her honey, spikes of pleasure shoot up her arched spine and heating her core to nearly an unbearable degree.

"Naruto! _MMNnn!_"

Her flushed face moans at the dragging contact of his eager tongue. He rips the thong to the side and probes her quivering honey pot, licking and sucking in an unrelenting frenzy, breaking all her focus on her chakra as she slides down the wall. His tight grip won't release her waist until he's had his fill so her head and shoulders are on the ground against the wall as her soaking womanhood is dined upon by a hyper-aroused boy.

"_Mmmnn!_" Kurenai moans as her aroused mind feels like it's being oral sucked on as much as her snatch is. Her jittery pelvis bucks as she moans, "yes! _MMnnn! Hah!_ Yes! Right there! Just like I taught- _Mm!_"

All Kurenai can do is moan, watch, sweat, and spasm in repeated tremors of pleasure as his long honey-coated tongue digs out as much pungent juice from her melting vagina as possible. She shudders when his swirling tongue drags against one of her erogenous spots, breaking any strength in her legs and vastly accelerates her first big gushing drop of the night. Squeezing her eyes shut, she kneads her soft pliant breasts, pinching at her swollen teats and when her wet mind ponders how many orgasms she'll likely surrender to tonight, her cushy chamber of arousal seizes ferociously at the double-digit number.

Fear of pleasure makes her grip his ankles for stability while her entire body convulses in mind-shattering ecstasy, moaning loud and deeply as her quim quakes rivulets of her gushing essence directly into his gulping maw.

It was only the first one and it was powerful enough to scare her about the rest of her night. As if on cue, he drags his soaked mouth over her puckered labia to the little death button saluting him and sucks on her throbbing clitoris. He grips her boneless body tightly as she spasms in the pleasurable fit of a second springing orgasm. Streams of her vaginal juices run down her ass-crack and perspiring back.

Heaving and mindless, Kurenai didn't understand why she was dropped to the floor until her legs are drawn back so her knees are pressed into her shoulders, her breasts balloon between her sticky thighs, and her throbbing quim is bare before him. Naruto could only suffer a second to marvel at the raven-haired goddess below him; Panting and whimpering, sweaty and hot to the touch, in super sexy lingerie, black choker, and black thigh-high stocking. At the sight of her luscious, red lips, Naruto wanted nothing more than to hear her moan loudly and continually for all of eternity. He aligned his thick pulsing rod at her beating center and effortlessly plunged his entire length into her soaking hot core.

"_OOOOHHH_," Kurenai moans, banging her aroused head against the tatami mat as a mini-orgasm seized and ruptures up and down her dripping body. Naruto took that as an invitation, leaning forward and taking her stiff nipple in his mouth.

Deep inside her hot wetness, Naruto feels like he's going to melt as her spasming lower mouth sucks him in. Sensitive as he is, pulling out—to their mutual groans—nearly did him in, but slamming back down with a loud '_shloop_' sent both their fragile minds into mild catatonia where only erupting pleasure existed. Every ounce of man-milk Naruto hoarded to excess was pressure-poured into Kurenai's pink furnace, flooding her uterus with potent cum and crossing her red eyes. Such liquid heat filling her so impassioned, Kurenai's rolls into her head as she's racked with wave after wave of a mighty orgasm.

She regains a bare minimum of awareness after an undetermined amount of time, feeling right away, hot, wet and repeatedly stuffed. Kurenai's in ecstasy at the mounting perfection of friction as she's being fucked and opens her eyes to find Naruto, dripping with sweat, rutting on top of her with the most satisfied strain of his face. They're still on the floor, though without the wall bending her at the neck and shoulders, and her legs are wrapped around his waist. Naruto doesn't cease his mad pumping, grunting with every thrust as Kurenai continuously moans ecstatically in tandem with the wet smacking of their aroused groins filling the sex-stenched living room with musk.

Less impatience in their passion, Naruto and Kurenai tighten that throbbing pleasure coil tighter and tighter with every slow thrust of his cock, rub of her body, squeeze of her tits, suck of her nipples, quickly building to their monstrous release.

"Nai-chan! Nai-chan! I'm almost- almost-"

"Yes! _AHHN!_ Fuck me Naruto! _Ahn! Ahnn!_ Do it," Kurenai commands. "Do it! _Mnn!_ Fill- _Ahnn!_ Fill me,_ mmnn!_ I'm- I'm _Ahmm!_ Cum_mmmmnnnn!_" Naruto stuffs her down to her cervix and breaks his balls deep inside, adding to the overflow of his white batter. His knot swells at her entrance linking them together and plugging any escape of his overflowing semen. Kurenai shudders in heavily vibrating pleasure riding the massive wave of her own earth-shattering climax.

High on the aftershocks of their descending bliss, they remain melded to one another, despite how stuffy the room is, until their incredible immersion settles to humming satisfaction. Kurenai knows it won't last long, he's flush against her soft body and still conscious. She knows it won't be long until he's hard again, and snatching the initiative, Kurenai runs her hands through his sweaty, now brownish-blond locks. His head is under her chin and so rotates his resting head to look at her.

The second his eyes land on her, she didn't expect him to kiss her, but she kisses him back with all the appreciation she could give a lover. As they make out, she thrills over the taste of her vagina on his mouth while he kneads and massages her sensitive mounds and perky teats, until she feels him stiffen from within her. She pulls away, breaking their kiss and confusing him before she speaks with a mildly husky voice. "I need to thank you, Naruto," she says softly as her slippery pink center grips his tender pleasure stick amorously.

"Huh?" Naruto asks, obviously confused amidst his arousal.

"This is a little hard to explain," Kurenai starts, feeling a tickle of nervousness at the pit of her stuffed stomach. "For many little reasons, I've grown content with you in my life. I want you to become strong; to become Hokage. One day, it would make me very happy to call you Hokage-sama, and I-" Kurenai is interrupted at the feel of his cock swell and steel faster than she ever felt before. "Wait, Naruto- _Mnn!_" Kurenai whimpers as her cunnie squeezes his exquisitely carved head. "The- The bed- _Ahn!_ Th- bed!"

They groan when he pulls out of her. Grabbing the squeeze container of lube from her cloak, she can feel the thick globs of his semen run down her leg as they hastily move to Naruto's room. Kurenai hops on the bed, and on all fours, she arches her spine as she injects the nozzle into the entrance of her anal cavity and squeezes the entire contents of the tingling lubricant into her bowls. It's Anko's favorite anal lube, and judging by the fast acting tingle and relaxation of her anal cavity, Kurenai can understand why.

"_Mnn_, remember what I told you about anal, Naruto," she conveys with an appetizing wiggle of her luscious full cheeks. Eying him warily, she gulps audibly at his ravenous stare. Tossing the empty container aside she rests her head on the bed and spreads her ass-raising legs for him. His cum slowly dribbling out of her sex, she reminds him, "I enjoy getting fucked in my ass but start slow," she informs as she relaxes her colon and ass as much as she can.

Every cell in his body heard her say, '_fuck my ass_,' and nothing else. Further inspiration wasn't necessary as Naruto's greedy hands spread her warm buttocks to gaze lovingly at her lubricated pulsating bunghole. Gripping his honey-soaked cock, his heart is beating rapidly as he aligns himself before he slowly inserts his diamond-hard erection into the Jōnin's very tight anus.

"Uaahhh," Naruto groans as goosebumps breakout across her sweaty skin when his head plugs her pouty bung and spreads her luscious cheeks. Her head bangs against the pillow and Naruto immediately loves the way his cock stretches such a small pulsing hole as her anal muscles squeezes the tingling lube coating his meat.

Kurenai bites her lower lip as he penetrates her slippery tight orifice bit by bit. With his girth sliding in her tiny hole, the lubrication is a Godsend as he stretches her rectum wider than anything she's every expelled. As his steel girth pushes her cum-filled uterus out of the way, her every inhale made him feel twice as big the more he slowly sheaths his entire length in her lubricated ass. Stuffed so completely, it's like Kurenai can feel him in her throat, somehow making her mouth produce more saliva than she can contain and stream out her mouth. Even her lungs vibrate when he yells, "it's so tight! Hot! Your ass feels so good! The best!"

While Kurenai would never choose ass over pussy, she can't say she doesn't enjoy getting plugged. For the raven-haired Jōnin, it's the delicious way her barely separated vagina flounders around every thrust. It sets her skin ablaze, feeling the dizzying lurch when he pulls out, jerking her sensitive vagina back in place before his next thrust rolls her sex organ like a massage. Kurenai squeezed her crimson red eyes shut as Naruto relished building a slow and steady rhythm. His large and shapely knob continuously rubs so completely against the split-ends of the pleasure nerves of her satisfied sex, it doesn't take Kurenai long to vigorously meet his ass-stuffing thrusts, focusing on losing herself more and more to the monstrous sensation building within her.

"_Ahhn, ahh, mmmn, yesss, yess, fuck- ahn!_"

Her moaning grows louder the more they soak the sheets and smog the room with the sweet stench of vigorous sex. To her wonderful surprise, Naruto grips a fistful of her luscious locks and tugs at her hot and sensitive scalp, sending delicious shocks down her neck to his thick thrusts at her spine's base. Her whole body trembles weakly as she bites her drooling red lips at the crackling tingle of energy overloading her nerves. "_MMmmmn! Oh! _I'm almost- I'm almost- Keep pullin_nnnnnn!_"

"Nai-chan! Nai-chan," Naruto yells, ending the build before the strong drop.

"_Anh! Uggh! Ohhh, yess, yesss, yess,_" Kurenai vocalizes. "Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuu_aAAHHH!_" Kurenai crows, feeling him complete encase his thick shaft in her twitching rectum before blasting a steaming flash-flood of semen in her quaking bowels. Feeling thick man-milk fill her from the bottom up, her head snaps back as shock after earth-shattering shock racks her body with unmitigated pleasure. Cumming together, Kurenai tears at the pillow she's face-first in just as Naruto grips her hips to adhere her rectum to his jutting crotch. When his heaving body falls on top of her sweaty buzzing form, she twists her torso with him still inside her and kisses him. Tongues swirl, lick and play amorously for several long minutes until they're both calmer and satisfied.

Now soft, he pops out before they rest comfortably. Though winded, she relays, "you did… _mmnn_… very good starting slow… building a rhythm. Always remember… the anus can't lubricate like the vagina can, so while it can still feel pleasurable, it can hurt without the proper preparation."

Catching his own breath, Naruto simply nods when a spark of thought has him ask, "um… Did I hurt Ino-chan? I mean, I don't remember having that?"

"Well, she was drugged so it's a little different in her case," Kurenai tells him.

"Did Chōji really do that," Naruto asks with a pained expression. "I just can't see him doing something like that to anyone, much less his own teammate."

"Chōji-kun didn't know," Kurenai reassures him. "He misunderstood how the medicine would actually affect Ino-chan. He gave it to her believing it would make them better friends and had no idea she would respond the way she did."

"So…" Naruto stays quiet long enough that Kurenai wonders if he'll speak again. After nearly two minutes, he reasons aloud, "so she never wanted to do _that_ with me."

"…I'm afraid not," Kurenai empathetically states. "You were, quite simply, the person with her when she couldn't stand it any longer."

"Does…" Naruto shifts around so he's closer to her face. Earnestly staring into her red irises, he asks, "does that mean you want to stop? I mean, I was- I thought of this because of Ino-chan. She made- …"

His hesitation alone is curious enough, and with great interest, asks, "she what?"

"…She made me start to think… differently," Naruto struggles to say. "It's always been Sakura-chan that made my heart… but I could be nineteen and she still wouldn't give me a chance."

"You can't know that," Kurenai comforts him.

'_Naru-nii does,_' Naruto thinks as he responds, "that's what it feels like. After everything that happened with Ino-chan, getting shot down by Sakura-chan felt a bit more final; it had more weight, so I didn't try quite so hard. It was even easier not asking her out all the time. I started thinking maybe… maybe Ino-chan… m-might like me." He shakes his head and chuckles, adding, "but I guess… it's obvious she'd never, huh? I was just-"

Kurenai rolls him on his back and straddles his waist, but rather than initiating anything sexual, she wraps her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Stunned, Naruto needs only a moment to feel her genuine empathy and support flush against him, and he hugs her right back, letting silent tears stream out the corner of his eyes as they hold each other.

'_He grew so accustomed to solitude_,' Kurenai thinks, easily understanding how daunting trusting a new bond can be for someone who's been hated on for long. '_It__'s probably why he latched on to Haku,_' she mentally muses. As she comforts him, she's surprised by how pleasantly good it makes her feel as well, forcing her to wonder, '_maybe I needed a hug too__…_' and they hold each other.

After a while, Kurenai leans back up, still straddling his waist and unhooks her shuffled-up, lace bra as she assuages, "our deal had nothing to do with Ino-chan." His eyes zone into her the pillow mounds of her gorgeous chest, compelling his heart to beat harder. She continues, "as I understand it, our bargain only ends when one of us feels it'll betray someone we want to enter into a relationship with." His hands run up and down her toned thighs, massaging the inner muscle of her legs as she leans behind her to stroke his essence-coated pleasure pole. "I don't want to stop, Naruto. Do you?" Despite the emphatic way he shakes his head, his erect thickness is all the answer she needs before she raises her moist cunny and once again spreads her slick, sensitive folds with his puffed-out knob and thick shaft.

"_MMNNnnn!_" Kurenai moans as she expertly rides his thick rod all while he kneads, massages and sucks her swinging tits. Minutes collect and grow as they slam their wet, pungent sexes repeatedly, moaning, grunting and groaning, all the while building to that fantastic peak. As connected and sensitive as they lovemaking is, it isn't long until Kurenai hoarsely screams as a groaning Naruto shoots another massive amount of thick semen into the quaking suction of her dripping glory. Heaving hot and sweaty, they hold each other until sleep takes them.

It's well into the night when Kurenai wakes up and rather than succumbing to slumber in his warm embrace, Kurenai extricates herself from his softened cock, only half waking him in the process. She gently peppers his slumbering face with kisses, coaxing him back to sleep before putting on her bra and exiting his sex-scented room. To her surprise, it's a lot colder in the hallway than she remembers, and to her utter dread, Kurenai finds her cloak folded neatly on the table in the living room. The lamp Naruto was using earlier lights with a click and seated in the same seat is a serenely smiling Haku.

The hackles on Kurenai's neck stand frightened as if an invisible hand seizes her pumping heart and squeezed. Her brain feels deprived of oxygen and her first instinct isn't to flee, but to kill. Kurenai's education springs to life and her training effortlessly instructs her to silence the witness. She regains her wits when Haku addresses her with, "good morning Kurenai-san."

Instantly, the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha rips out hand signs to disappear from his view.

"Ah, wait," Haku gently says, weakly standing on his feet and looking around the now empty room. "Please, don't misunderstand."

Her mind rushes from one plan to another in the few moments of silence. Watching the pretty, yet exhausted looking boy scan the room for her, Kurenai eventually asks from nowhere he can see, "misunderstand what?"

"With the thin walls and the open door, I heard everything-"

"If your train of thought is leading you anywhere _near_ blackmail-" "Kurenai-san please-" a tired Haku tries, pleadingly but without vulnerability. "It will not end well for you," Kurenai finishes.

Abruptly, Haku bows, asserting with a strained voice, "I have no such intention."

"Convince me."

Haku lets out a long humorous exhale, conveying, "for nearly three days, that's been your Torture and Interrogations Departments sole mission. I will tell you honestly, as I told them. I am Zabuza-sama's tool and he bid me to stay by Naruto-kun's side to bring about the better world he envisions. Even if that takes the rest of my life, I will serve this nindō."

Kurenai has no idea if he's telling the truth. She could ask Anko what she learned from him but he could cause enough damage with one conversation to the right person. Holding him against his will seems like the best solution. '_Naruto hasn__'t seen him yet_,' her mind reasons, and she only needs to ascertain if he's being honest. After that, she can bring him back before Naruto notices.

"I want to thank you, Kurenai-san," Haku states still bowing and breaking her out of her threat assessment and mission management. "In a short amount of time, I've been able to learn more about Naruto-kun from your conversation then I expected."

Rounding beside the bowing boy to see his reaction, though asking as if her voice was coming from the far end of the room, she grills him. "Is that how you satisfy your perverse urges? Is the village aware of your voyeuristic impulses?"

His expression did not change as he answers, "while Zabuza-sama was apathetic to my presence when he fornicated in our room, I'm not a voyeur. I slipped in silently so as to not wake Naruto-kun, and despite being made to stay awake for three days, I was unable to sleep and heard everything"

'_You could__'ve left when you realized what he was doing!_' Her mind yells before she considers what mild and prolonged torture Haku might've suffered for three long days. He's sweating feverishly, he has dark bags under his eyes… he looks horrendous in the most beautiful way possible as she states, "…The interrogation team had to be certain."

"They are."

"But I'm not," Kurenai practically growls.

"I can't make you trust me, Kurenai-san," Haku softly states in his strained voice, standing straight as he continues. "But even if I didn't hear about the understandable incident or your resulting bargain, I did hear your proclamation to Naruto-kun. Like myself, you also believe in his dream for the future. It must be difficult for you. After walking with you and Kakashi-san, I know your relationship with Naruto-kun isn't public knowledge."

"…No, it isn't," Kurenai confirms. "And I will make certain it stays that way. Do we understand each other?"

A pasty Haku nods, expressing further, "ordering me, his tool, to stay with Naruto-kun is the best gift Zabuza-sama was capable of giving me. I will not ruin that in any way by betraying either of them. You have my word, on Zabuza-sama, on Naruto-kun, I will not speak of this to anyone."

Though uneasy about a stranger learning of her jeopardizing relationship with Naruto, Kurenai observes his sincerity and demurely accepts his promise. She dawns on her cloak before dispelling her genjutsu, materializing again as she warns him, "if you ever do betray-"

"I'd sooner take my own life," the feminine boy interrupts with a genuine smile, before adding, "however, I'm well aware how genjutsu can trap a person's mind in an infinite nightmare from which there is no escape. I understand, Kurenai-san."

Tying her cloak tight, Kurenai nods, then notices all the evidence on the floor has been wiped clean. '_He aired out the room and cleaned the cum stains_,' she uncomfortably notes as she takes several moments to ease into the uneasy feeling that another person finally knows of her clandestine bedmate. Feeling her body's sudden drop in energy, the raven-haired Jōnin simply shrugs, telling Haku, "you should know there are many in the village, civilian and shinobi alike, who deeply dislike Naruto."

"I'm aware," Haku sadly responds. "They used his history in an effort to shake my devotion to him."

"Something along the lines of, '_why waste your time holding such conviction for the Dead Last of the village?_'" Kurenai ponders aloud.

"Exactly," Haku confirms the tactic. "Despite their assertions or what some slip of paper says about him, I've witnessed Naruto-kun, armed with his convictions, battle—not fight; truly battle—Zabuza-sama twice, besting him on his own the second time. I'll trust my eyes."

Nodding in agreement, Kurenai then informs him, "the interrogation of your interaction with him has more than likely been redacted, so be careful of what you say." Her pause lasts a second as she tries to explain in the simplest way possible why that is. "He's special that way."

"He would have to be," Haku agrees with a lovely smile. "Or Zabuza-sama wouldn't have done as he did."

Kurenai actually smiles with him, finally feeling a bit of security in her abrupt assessment of the long-haired brunette. Moving toward the door, Kurenai asks, "before I go, may I ask what you intend on doing now that you're a probational resident of the village?"

"In our travels, I've often sold medicine I prepared myself for ryo, food, and or shelter," Haku explains. "I've always enjoyed that work."

Kurenai nods once before asserting, "welcome to the village, Haku."

"Thank you," he responds with a nod before offering with a kind smile, "please let me know when I can cover for you both."

Kurenai's response is a tight smile before leaving.

HINATA

It's been one of the best five days of her life. Though considerably toucher, her mornings of training with her team and afternoons of missions hadn't changed, however, evenings and dinners with Haku-san, Naruto-kun, and Kurenai-sensei were enchanting. Hinata felt like they were her personal branch family, only made of spare parts no one wanted.

On her way to the hospital, every time Hinata recalls her sparring sessions with Naruto, she'd feel like a walking puddle of love and joy, as rainbows would burst from her singing heart. Though skipping and humming happily now, Hinata needed a lot of motivation and assurances in the beginning. She was certain he'd hate her if she struck him and the first time she tagged him clean against his liver, Hinata was sure the popping sound in her chest was her heart exploding. Reminiscing on it now, Hinata's sure she'll never live down the embarrassment of bursting into tears in front of Naruto-kun, Haku-san, and Kurenai-sensei…

…Though, when he comforted her by brushing the top of her head with gentle pats, her stomach did back-flips before bursting into thousands of fluttering butterflies. Amazingly the sun didn't explode, the earth didn't shatter, and Naruto was happy. That's all Hinata wanted; was for him to be happy.

At first, it was obvious her taijutsu was far superior to his Academy makeshift mix of close quarter combat. Initially, Naruto didn't grasp that her Jūken inflicts internal damage, and while she wasn't using her Byakugan to target his tenketsus, she doesn't even have to try hard to target his organs. Terrified as she was every time she landed a mildly strong hit, Hinata loved how Naruto wouldn't give up, wouldn't stay down, and ask for another round.

With Kurenai-sensei's permission, she instructed Naruto-kun on where he was telegraphing his attack and how they were easy to see with her eyes. To her great relief, Naruto-kun was amazed and she loved him all the more for it. Though Kurenai-sensei would only allow three rounds per day, by their fifth sparring session, he was keeping up with the speed of her technique. When Hinata had to actually _try_ in order to land a clean hit, it made her want to train longer and harder to make certain she was always helpful to him; a sentiment she was happy to learn she shares deeply with Haku-san.

The beautiful boy certainly threw her off. From his spars with Naruto, Hinata learned the beautiful brunette was a highly skilled shinobi. Yet, in a world where the best killers gain the most notoriety and monetary income, Haku—exceptionally trained in the killing arts—chose to heal rather than kill and that greatly touched her. Naruto also never mentioned how absolutely gorgeous he looked—but after a couple of hesitant interactions, Hinata's eyes could easily see his sincere loyalty.

It was as if their connection to Naruto made them fast friends and Hinata grew to enjoy her conversations with Haku-san nearly as much as her time with Naruto-kun, Kurenai-sensei, and her team. Their connection was so clear, Haku may say to her, '_I never thought I could embrace my purpose to this degree,_' Hinata was certain he meant to say, '_I__'ve never been so happy_.' Naruto's heart and never-quit attitude amazed them both—in Hinata's case, sometimes to tears—and she was further happy to have a partner in their love of Naruto.

Wearing her standard white and gray jacket and navy blue pants she makes her way to Konoha Hospital before Haku's welcome party. At Naruto's jovial invitation, Hinata happily accepted to see her favorite sensei and it warmed her heart to see how much Iruka-sensei and Naruto-kun cared about each other.

It was the very relationship she wanted with her father, and yet at the thought of her family, old familiar wounds rooted deep within her soul ached. It wasn't every hour that she thought of her family. It was hard to when she's constantly surrounded by her teammates, her motherly sensei, Haku-san, and Naruto-kun. They just wouldn't give her many moments to dwell on that ache, and though she felt guilty about it, she was happy to be away. Not that she would ever abandon her little sister, but at the very least, she knows Hanabi will remain safe as the favorite daughter.

"The best five days," Hinata whispers to herself, praying to kami she didn't jinx herself somehow. Her one regret was she hadn't learned if Ino-chan was seeing anyone. Aside from meeting Sakura-chan regularly, Hinata hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. She hopes Kiba-kun doesn't do anything too reckless at the party. Above everything else, she just wanted Haku to feel welcomed.

HAKU

"You train very hard, Naruto-kun," Haku mentions to Naruto after hearing all his clones grunt in unison. They are both having breakfast on top of the newly created water-fall Kurenai-san managed to set up for Naruto-kun. His welcoming party wasn't until noon and they still needed to meet Hinata-chan to visit Iruka-san before welcoming everyone who is attending the celebration. While clones of Naruto are attempting to split the heavy rush of water with chakra alone, Haku marvels at his life now.

After Naruto slurps his noodles, he answers his friend, "I have to."

"Why," Haku curiously asks. "I know you want to build a better world, but to nearly kill yourself every day to be Hokage… I wonder if there's more to your plan for the future."

"I wouldn't say more," "But it's a big world, you know, and I'm not really ready."

"What is it you expect might happen that you feel such need to be strong for,"

"Mmm, you're going to think it's stupid," Naruto asserts.

"I'm sure it's not stupid," Haku assures him.

After a deep breath, he replies, "I want us all to understand each other."

Curious, Haku asks, "who's everyone, and in what way?"

"The five nations," he answers and Haku feels lacking, as if he truly doesn't understand the scale Naruto-kun is operating on. Naruto continues, "I've been hated for as long as I can remember, but not a single one of those people ever took the time to understand me, and the ones that did, didn't hate me anymore: Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji, Ayame-neesan, Iruka-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, even the teme. And if you still hate someone after you understand them, then maybe you should fight. I mean, I learned everything I needed about you when we fought. I knew you were kind, and strong, and someone I could really care about. For some reason, I don't think it's any different with the five nations. We should all have that chance to understand each other like friends do."

Muling over Naruto-kun's philosophy, Haku asks, "and you would do this through strength?"

"I don't want to force them," Naruto answers. "Honestly, I don't know how I'll manage it, but I feel like if something really bad ever happens, all shinobi would come together to stop it. I want everyone to choose love and peace, instead of hate and war, so we can all make it."

"That does sound difficult," Haku admits.

"I know, but we're friends, so I know it can work," Naruto smiles. "I just have to be strong enough to show everyone that it's okay… to not fight? Which sounds weird I know, but… that's what I think."

"I think I know what you mean," Haku asserts.

"You do?"

"There's a saying in the Land of Water," Haku starts. "When Shinigami-sama whispers in your ear, '_you__'re not strong enough to withstand the storm_,' you whisper back, '_I am the storm._'" Haku enjoys Naruto's smile, claiming, "You're the storm, Naruto-kun."

With a chuckle that turns into a smile, Naruto clarifies, "I want everyone to tell death that." Haku nods as the blond finishes, "and I'll protect those that can't."

"So you wish to fight death on behalf of the world," Haku states with a small hint of jest. "As fierce as this world is, you'll have to be quite strong to be heard by so many. Fortunately you have me, Kakashi-san, Hinata-chan and of course, your precious _Nai-chan_." Naruto laughs with Haku before the girlish boy asks, "do you think the both of you might become a couple?"

"Uh, I doubt it," Naruto answers, thinking how happy he is to be able to talk to someone about this. Naru-nii, unfortunately, doesn't have the time for a lengthy conversation, which makes having Haku that much appreciated. "She pretty much said no matter what we do, that won't ever happen, so…"

"I see. I like Hinata-chan," Haku slowly tells Naruto inspecting his every physical cue.

Naruto smiles and agrees, "Mn, I like her too. Her Taijutsu is crazy good. She's showing me so much."

"I think she'd make a good wife someday," Haku states inspecting Naruto closely.

Naruto tilts his head before his mouth spreads to a big grin. "Haku! Kami, are you in love with Hinata-chan?"

Haku deflates at Naruto's obliviousness, clearly not grasping the unasked question. Haku simply shakes his head answers, "no, Naruto-kun. She's a sweet girl but ultimately, not my preference."

"Oh," Naruto states with a shrug. "Well, you gotta tell me when you find a girl you love so I can root for you."

"…Thank you," Haku smiles. "As your tool-" "Friend," Naruto cuts in while Haku continues. "I want you to find love as well."

Naruto smiles broadly while his thoughts not only projects Sakura's smiling face, but Ino's, Kurenai's, and even Hinata. Naruto knows there are many types of love so he doesn't understand, but it's his hope everything becomes clear soon.

INO

Walking up the stairs of the nearly empty residence of the Haruno home, Ino smiles wickedly. The pair of kunoichi had decided to meet up Saturday before going to Iruka-sensei's house, and she was early… an hour early. Entering Sakura's room, she's thrilled to hear the shower running in the connected bathroom. Ino removes her purple, lace-up crop top, matching wrap skort and thigh high black stocking. After removing her lace underwear, Ino henge's into Naruto and sneaks into the hissing and humid bathroom.

When Sakura senses a disturbance in the foggy atmosphere, it's too late. Ino snakes her arms under Sakura's to snatch up the Pinkettes lathered up breasts. "Too slow Sakura-chan," Ino in Naruto's face and voice calls.

"Ino! _Mnn_-" Sakura is cut off when Ino tweaks her hardening twin peaks between ample kneading.

"Ino-chan?" Ino-as-Naruto questions, letting the shower wash over both their bodies as she expertly massages the pink-haired girl's soft B-cups. "Where? Does she want to watch?" Ino plays as one hand sneaks down Sakura's taut stomach and just past her pink wisp of hair toward her warming sanctuary. At Sakura's '_MMMN!_' Ino plays, "does she want to join?"

"S-St-Stop, _Ahn!_" Sakura tries as she takes a step to move away. For the past week, Sakura and Ino—in Naruto's guise—make out, lick and suck each other. Sakura would always protest, Ino would always stop and ask if she wanted to stop. However Sakura only needed a few moments to recall what's at stake, and as if to prove to herself her feelings for Sasuke-kun are stronger, she would initiate kissing, licking and sucking all on her own. Exactly like in this moment, with Ino's Naruto-fingers pumping and probing Sakura's soaking sex. For the past five days, they've explored their sexuality, learning what Sakura feels the most, what doesn't work as much, all in Ino's attempts to make the pinkette cum as many times as possible.

"Who's touching you right now, Sakura-chan," Ino in Naruto's voice asks. Ino had surrendered a photo for Sakura to call her Naruto when they make out. Now, no matter what they do, she must call her Naruto… no matter how much that sexually frustrates the Yamanaka. Ino moves the pinkette front-forward against the slick tile wall of the shower, lightly pressing Sakura's face against it as she continues her ministrations of her budding pink nipple and wet pussy lips.

Sakura likes it a bit forceful, thrusting into the girl as her digits piston in and out of the pink-bushed girl. It was killer on the muscles of Ino's forearms, but hearing Sakura grunt grotesquely as she squirts her orgasm is always worth the burning lactic acid. Sakura ruts back into her hand and Ino knows she getting close, so she slows down as she roughly tweaks the girl's stiff nipple, asking again, "who's touching you, Sakura-chan?"

"_Mnn!_ Please, _ahh_, I… _mmn_…" Ino slows down further and she can hear Sakura whimper a bit before whispering, "…Naruto. _AHH!_"

Sakura yelps at the tight pinch and pull as Ino relays, "I can't hear you-"

"Naruto! Naruto! Naruto! _MMNNN!_" Sakura moans as Ino presses her own body against the bucking girl, resuming her intrusive pleasure.

"Who's going to make you cum?" Ino-Naruto whispers in Sakura's ears, pumping soaking digits faster until her forearm feels like it's melting.

Rutting, trying to pull away but also wanting more, Sakura loudly groans, "Naruto! _MMn_naruto! _AHn!_ Narutoo_ooohhhh!_" She yells loudly in her climax, gushing her love nectar all over Ino's hand as her quaking spine arches and her toes curl. Pressing her spasming head against Naruto's, Sakura shivers and quakes cutely against the disguised Yamanaka, who happily spins the girl around and kisses her, tonguing her with wide maw until they're both breathless.

"Naruto," Sakura moans in her pleasure haze and though Ino feels a sense of accomplishment, she also feels a tremendous amount of heat in her crotch and an overflow of her own throbbing sex. The heat of the water, steaming bathroom and her humid core is making her feel dizzy as once again, bone aching frustration sets in like an itch too deep for fingers to scratch.

Ino learned early on that her plan of enlightening Sakura was a double edge sword as the past five days seemed to be Sakura receiving orgasms, Ino being left unattended, frustrated, and thinking about Naruto, then feeling angry for feeling frustrated. Looking like Naruto, hearing Sakura call out Naruto's name never failed to force Ino to continually think about her own mind-bending, cum-gushing experience with the blond and Ino's biting her lower lip to control herself.

Yesterday was the first time Ino had ever given another girl cunnilingus. At first, she tried to emulate what Naruto had done to her, only to realize she was drugged at the time, so technically, anything he did would've felt good—as evidenced by her regular anal fantasies. Not only did she find out she didn't mind Sakura's pretty pink pussy, but she was pretty good at it.

However, despite giving Sakura several orgasms, Ino couldn't risk her strategy of horrible awareness by asking Sakura to return the favor. If Sakura is ever going to gain a comparative point of view between her love of Sasuke-kun and the loving affection she can still feel with someone else, Ino can't ask for pleasure to be reciprocated. Ino needs to shake the girl's obsession and see what comes loose, and so suspects the second their activity becomes about Ino's growing need, Sakura will use that as an emotional escape, rending all her efforts pointless.

Still, the only way Ino may get lucky enough to feel a plunging organ in her sex would be if Sakura asked to so of her own accord, which won't happen. It forced Ino to find her own ruptured bliss, only to then feel the ache of grief when she compares it to her time with Naruto. After she had eaten Sakura's pink goodness, a buzzed Pinkette then told Ino about Naruto's welcome party for Haku.

_"Haku?" Ino asks, unable to match a face to the name._

_"Naruto made a friend when we were on our mission," Sakura hums laying in bed with Ino before explaining what she's allowed to of what transpired on their Land of Wave Mission. "He's a very strong shinobi with a kekkei genkai, but you won't believe how beautiful he is. I don't mean beautiful for a man either. I mean he looks more beautiful than a lot of girls!"_

_"I'm surprised you want me there," Ino alludes._

_"Well…" Sakura grumbles to her self a moment before asserting, "look, I don't care if you go or anything, but if you do, maybe Asuma-sensei will too. I thought that would give him an opportunity to talk with Kurenai-sensei." When Ino-Naruto and Sakura aren't snogging for a long time, they stick to topics they have in common because talking about Sasuke-kun always ends in stubborn shouting. Safe topics such as their parents, flowers, medicine, and their agreement that Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei deserve each other can sometimes even make them forget why they're spending time together. _

_ Confused, Ino asks, __"I thought- wait, doesn't he see her every time he helps Naruto?"_

_"I don't think so," Sakura shakes her head. "Asuma-sensei really only gives Naruto tips and since your team is on hold, he only meets Naruto in the morning when Kurenai-sensei isn't around."_

_"Men," Ino curses rolling her pupil-less eyes. "He doesn't tell us anything. Alright, I'll make sure we're there." At the thought of being in close proximity to Naruto, Ino distracted herself by eating Sakura out vigorously._

Oddly enough, Ino is in Iruka-sensei's home, where Naruto's been living… with a former Kiri-nin. '_Uwah__…Sakura wasn't kidding! Haku may actually be prettier than me!_' What's more unexpected is the gathering in their former sensei's home. If Chōji and Sasuke-kun were present, the entire Rookie 9 would be in Iruka-sensei's home. It put her in a melancholy mood and she happily signed Iruka-sensei's Get Well Soon card. Ino found it sweet that Naruto would make a card for the caring Academy instructor… far too sweet.

After threatening Kiba with castration if he acted as anything more than an acquittance, she stayed clear of him and the only other blond in the room. However, despite keeping her hands busy preparing lunch with Hinata-chan and Kurenai-sensei, the lower half of her mind and body are completely locked on Naruto. His voice carried to her ears effortlessly, her eyes always saw him with such accuracy she felt like she had the Byakugan, and his infectious scent was everywhere. Ino felt a week's worth of heavy of frustration coursing hot through her veins, making her fear the second he touches her, her will might snap.

"How are you doing," Kurenai whispers close to her, cutting cucumbers as Hinata-chan walks over to Sakura and Haku to inquire about portion and preferences. Kiba and Shikamaru argue with Naruto about training while Asuma and Genma converse quietly. "He's stayed away," Kurenai adds.

"I'm feeling…" Ino instantly wants to withhold, as she's trained to do, however, Kurenai-sensei already knows everything and more than that, she trusts the raven-haired sensei. "I feel… hot, sensei, like too hot," she exhales deeply. Though Ino won't mention all her frustrating sessions with Sakura, she does admit, "it's more than the memories I can't stop thinking about. I feel sensations _i-inside_, echoing all over and it's driving me _crazy!_"

"Given the amount you ingested, that's perfectly understandable," Kurenai speaks directly into her ear. "Remember, Naruto is essentially a psychological stimulus, triggering, in vivid detail, those feelings from your experience with him. You're doing a great job controlling those urges."

'_…Blowjob_,' Ino's mind misheard, evoking vivid memories of bobbing Naruto's thick meat in her wet, sucking mouth when she was in Sakura's body. Ino's mouth salivates before she shakes her head of the images.

"Why don't you take a walk," Kurenai suggests. "There are a few things we need from my home; Iruka-san doesn't have enough dishes and utensils. If you can get them-"

"Sure," Ino quickly asserts, quickly wiping her hands before she sneaks away. When Ino is a safe distance away, she slows her frantic pace to a brisk walk. She's near Kurenai's home when she hears from behind her, "Um, Ino-chan?"

Whipping around, _he__'s_ walking toward her and her eyes take in every inch of him; slightly winded, tan skin, golden-blond hair, the clearest sky-blue eyes she's ever seen, and the shifting of his crotch. "Hey," he says stepping to her. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." She can taste his skin by his musk alone and Ino audibly gulps. "I may not deserve it, but I'm really hoping we can be friends after… you know," he nervously raises his brows.

'_I know_,' Ino's numb mind and body reverberate. '_I f_eel it."

"Feel what?" Naruto asks, shocking Ino to realize she said that last comment aloud.

"I- I- …" Ino takes a few deep, calming breaths, but with one look at him, she turns away and walks to Kurenai's front door. Though she hears his footfalls follow her, she can't tell him off while her body's grand urges and her mind's self-respect battle for her ability to speak. His male voice then thrusts into her ear, like a thick cock up her quaking quim, "Ino-chan? Are you okay?"

"I… I…" Ino states, still trying to escape as she grabs the handle to the door. Though turning the handle and stepping inside is what she expected to happen, the knob didn't turn and she didn't step inside, because it was locked, making a dazed Ino run into the wood barrier before Naruto bumps well into Ino. She felt the pressure of his strong chest against her back, his face—but more importantly—the rubber of his lips against her hair, and above everything else, his cock-housing-pelvis press just enough into the middle of her humid crack.

"_Mnn!_" She moans as everything jiggled deliciously and her nipples instantly stiffen. He steps back with a quick apology she didn't hear. Aroused, Ino's fragile voice softly calls, "Naruto…" Her body squirms under his radiating eyes and she tries to ask for anything but the very thick thing she craves. "Can- can you-" '_fill me up! Just say it!_'

"Ah," Naruto calls, snapping his fingers. "Of course," he happily says, exciting her with anticipation that softens her knees and moistens her center. He moves right beside her and she can smell him like no other scent existed. She doesn't even question why it is his chakra can unlock Kurenai-sensei's Fūinjutsu security as he opens the door for her and states, "there you go. Do you need anything else?"

Ino's mind gives up as her body grabs his sleeve and shoves him inside, closing the door behind her. She leans heavily against the door while he looks at her confused. The throbbing is so bad, her hands slowly move up to her platinum-blond ponytail and she releases a cascade of long silky hair so it drapes over her bare shoulders and partially covers half her flush face. Legs pressed together as she begins untying the strings of her lace-up crop top, asking in a breathy moan, "do you think I'm pretty, Naruto?"

Gazing at the sensual way she sways her hips and bends her sexy assets, Naruto had no answer but the feel of his cock thickening.

The flaps of her untied crop top fall and shows just a bit of her pink, stiff nipples. Her hand caresses her bare stomach before she starts at the knot at the left hip for her miniskirt wrap. "Am I pretty, Naruto," she moans. "Am I… do you think I'm pretty?" Her voice is breathy and she closes her eyes as her hypersensitive pussy builds to a large orgasm on arousal alone. She opens her eyes when she feels his radiating heat wash over her pushing her to within mere moments of glorious relief.

He's an inch away, obviously horny, yet has the presence of mind to ask, "did- did someone drug you again?"

Feeling pained, Ino grabs him by his ugly jacket and pulls him against her as she yells, "no, you idiot!" She's so close. Her quivering pussy is drenched, streaming continuously down her thighs and thigh-high nylons. She rubs her fleshy chest against him as she tells him, "I just need- I just need… Just fuck me Naruto!"

Cupping her jaw to force her to look at him makes her whimper as he asks, "but- but you don't love me, right?"

"I don't care about that!" Ino calls as she grinds her pelvis against him and though she can feel his raging erection, she can't reach the explosive state of nirvana she craves. "I- For now, Naruto," her voice and eyes plead. "Just help me with this for now, and I promise, we'll talk later!"

The look of sheer concern on his face, in his beautiful blue eyes, is so strong she nearly sobers up from her lunacy, until he leans in and kisses her. All thoughts immediately evaporate as her vibrating body comes alive with his warm lips and massaging hands. His kiss took her by surprise. He seems so much more confident than she remembered, the sure way he leans and presses but doesn't push or dampen the building feel… she happily lets him have his way in her submissive mouth. Deep-tissue kneading continuously stimulates and prod an ever-tightening knot of giga-pleasure at the wet root of her womanhood.

He abruptly pulls away and she whimpers, leaning forward to kiss more when he softly tells her, "move your panties to the side." One hand leaves her round ass cheek to unzip his fly and the concussive sound of his zipper caused her to panic. Ino realized she wasn't going to live through this when his other hand effortlessly moved her feverish pelvis closer to his. Her heart is racing in her chest, her skin is hotter than he is as he aligns his massive cock with her drenching, pulsing slit. Leaning against the door, her shaky hand moves the bit of flimsy material out of his way as the electric current crackles up and down her system in anticipation.

'_I__'m going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die_-' her mind constant assertions is dearly interrupted when he stuffs his entire steel rod in her pleasure sauna. Her neck snaps back, prying a strangled cry from her small throat as her body is flooded with rupturing euphoria, repeatedly ripping through her from end-to-end with the most mind-blowing orgasm she's ever felt.

"Kami, your pussy!" Naruto grunts as he holds her shuttering body to him. "So tight! It feels- _MNn!_ You feel- Amazing!" Her quaking pussy is a vice around his thick cock, sucking him in for more as her climax conquers all her senses for minutes.

When she finally feels like she may be coming down, Naruto's shapely cock head drags along the quaking walls of her love membrane as he slowly pulls out, unearthing more rippling pockets of pleasure the curl her toes and hug him tightly. He gives her a second, then slams back in. All strength evacuates her melting muscle as she climaxes, hard, for a second time.

Naruto pulls out before diving back in, and soon, he builds a steady rhythm, pumping in and out of her hot dripping cunnie as Ino moans, whimpers and shrieks in his ear.

"_Ahhn, ahh, mmnn, yeess, you__'re so great, yes, yes, yes!_" he was thrilled to hear.

Holding her legs up by her thighs and using his weight fully to pin her against the door felt delicious all on its own as Ino suffers happily through effortlessly earth-shattering orgasms. With his head resting delightfully against hers, he softly asks, "can I cum inside? Will ya let- I need-"

Her legs weakly wrap around his ass. "St-Stay," she manages between uncontrollable moaning. "Just- _AAHH!_ Just- _OOHH! _Stay inside!"

Gripping her right where her ass meets her thighs, Naruto pumps his rock-hard cock relentlessly inside her incredibly lubricated love tunnel, hitting a pleasure mine in her sex she didn't know she had and rockets to the high heavens. "I-Ino-chan!" was his only warning before molten liquid gushes through her cervix like a geyser, triggering within her yet another powerful orgasm and snapping what last shred of lucidity she had left.

HAKU

"So how was it?"

Naruto whips around to look at Haku's knowing smirk. They're outside in Iruka's backyard, testing the accuracy between a senbon, a kunai, or a shiruken while Sakura and Hinata are setting the table. Championing the shiruken, Asuma had taken Shikamaru to guide his student in the same manner Genma had taken Kiba to help his weapon, the kunai, win some sort of contest between the men. Haku and Naruto stand well away from them when Haku continues saying, "did she forgive you?"

Since Naruto defended him against a teammate as well as took him into his confidence when the blond filled in the details of what had happened with both Ino and Kurenai, Haku didn't need a party to feel welcomed. It's yet another reason Haku finds Naruto to be so singular. Rather than treating these woman like many men would, as just another notch on his bedpost, Naruto worries about their friendship, about their bond with him far more. Haku knows with complete certainty Naruto wouldn't be upset if the kunoichi decided to be friends rather than sexual partners and that tells Haku a great deal about Naruto's character, making him thank Kami and Zabuza-sama all the more.

"Um," Naruto tries to answer without being confused by sudden sex with Ino. "She said we can talk later, so I think that's good, but I don't know. She still seems off. I thought someone drugged her again but Kurenai-chan said that wasn't it. I hope she's okay."

"Me too," Haku adds. "And the qipao girl?" Haku is not a fan of the intrusive girl hounding Naruto-kun with ever increasing offers to purchase Kubikiribōchō, as if Zabuza-sama's sword were some collectible to be mounted on the wall of a wealthy person. '_Naruto-kun may not have the height to wield Kubikirib__ōchō properly, but Zabuza-sama entrusted it to him, and with Naruto-kun is where it will stay_,' Haku mentally asserts.

"Tenten?" Naruto asks. "Yeesh, talk about obsessed. But you know? I think she finally gets it's not just a sword to me. It means more than selling it." Haku smiles with satisfaction before striking the target dead in the center with his senbon, impressing the other four shinobi. "Told you," Naruto happily brags. "Haku's a damn surgeon with those things."

"I'm surprised you even know the word surgeon," Kiba laughs.

"Keep it up Dog Breath and you're going to need one when I get done with ya," Naruto hollers and Haku laughs, yet again, marveling at the absurdity of his life now.

INO

Sometime later, Ino woke up to Kurenai-sensei staring down at her. Ino felt like she was on a bed before realizing she must be in sensei's room. When she recalls what happened, the sensations flood her brain with a delicious buzzing, letting out an audible, "_mmnn_."

"No one but me found you, so that's one less thing to worry about," Kurenai begins to explain before asking, "how are you feeling?"

"The self-loathing hasn't kicked in yet," Ino answers with a small smile, feeling her scalp, breasts, nipples, back, thighs, toes, ass, pussy, and everything in between tingle with satisfaction. Not a moment later, her eyes snap wide open and she sits up in stark surprise. "Ah! I'm so sorry, sensei! Doing such a thing in your own home- I'm the worst- I'm so sorry-"

"It's okay, Ino-chan," Kurenai assures the girl taking her frantic hands in her own and rubbing them. "I know you wouldn't have if you were in your right state of mind."

With a long exhale, she looks around before asking, "where's Naruto?"

"At the party," Kurenai answers. "I told him to tell the others we'd be along shortly… that is of course if you're up for it."

"I'm feeling better," Ino responds honestly.

"Ino-chan," Kurenai states in a tone demanding careful attention. "Before we do anything else, I think we need to talk about this."

Finally feeling the shame and guilt mount her riding remorse, Ino weakly agrees with a resigned huff, "I know."

"I'm aware you take care of yourself," Kurenai gently states, and Ino blushes at the mention of her masturbation. "What I need to know is—to the best of your knowledge—do you think you can control your urges without needing, for lack of a better term, '_a fix?_'"

Though slightly offended, hating having to think the sentence, '_I__'m not a junkie for Naruto's dick,_' Ino can see how Kurenai-sensei might use addiction in this case, but the intelligent sensei is wrong. If it wasn't for the mounting frustration of dealing with Sakura, Ino knows for certain she wouldn't have needed a thorough pounding. However, Ino is too ashamed to tell Kurenai about her dealings with Sakura, making her wonder if her frustrations might get worse as the month progresses. After a single week of messing with Sakura, Ino was throbbing simply at the sight of Naruto… '_could I manage for another three weeks without another mind-blowing release?_'

Turning away from the kunoichi she greatly admires, Ino begrudgingly admits, "I… don't think I can… yet." Kurenai lets out a long, patient sigh and Ino feels pain in her chest at the thought of disappointing this beautiful sensei who's helped her so much, as if a woman of her caliber would never make such decisions.

Kurenai picks the blond's chin up, turning Ino to look into the woman's red irises before she responds, "it's okay, I understand. I know how difficult it is to be honest about our personal lapses in judgment but that's where we have to start if we ever wish to change ourselves."

Ino feels such relief to hear her says so and asks, "so, what are you thinking sensei?"

"I'm thinking I'd like you to try and control your urges," Kurenai answers. "Our options at that point are you struggle to hold out until the strength of the trigger eventually lessens, or you act on those impulses. If you're absolutely sure you may act…" Kurenai asks Ino with her eyes if that sentiment is still accurate. When Ino begrudgingly nods her head, Kurenai continues, "then, reclaiming complete control over yourself would mean making you stop with gradually declining increments; like weaning you off. That brings us to an important question." Ino waits before Kurenai asks, "are you truly okay involving Naruto?"

That is not what Ino was expecting to hear. Confused, Ino answers simply, "well, yeah. I mean, I'd rather not, but Sasuke-kun isn't ready for a relationship and, well, you know, Naruto's the trigger for my... _urges_, so it would have to be him, right?"

Kurenai nods before stating, "I ask because he's not quite as impersonal when it comes to connections with others. At the very least, it's unlikely he'll be as clinical about this as you are."

"So?" Ino blankly wonders. "He gets to have sex a couple- a few more times with—and I'm not being arrogant here—_thee_ hottest kunoichi in our year… no strings attached. You know how many guys would kill for that opportunity? I can't see him having a problem with this."

"Do you know why he had sex with you today," Kurenai patiently asks. When Ino tilts her head as if to say, '_shouldn__'t that be obvious?_' Kurenai shakes her head, '_no,_' and answers, "he said you asked for help. He told me you said, '_help me now, talk later_.' What do we know about him, Ino-chan?"

"… He had a hard life."

"And continues to do so," she corrects before quickly asking, "how many people genuinely cared about him?"

"Not many."

"Despite an entire village of people, a classroom of fellow students, he had two maybe four people who cared about him… all adults."

"So he's lonely," Ino agrees with a huff. "I get it, but if anything, that should make him more okay with this-"

"Not necessarily," Kurenai states. "Do you think someone like him would want a meaningful or a meaningless bond with someone?"

"…Meaningful," Ino begrudgingly answers.

"He knows two things about you," Kurenai interrupts. "One, you don't love him, and two, you were drugged when you were with him, which to him, is the equivalent of being tricked. Before he learned the truth, he hoped that you might actually have feelings for him," Kurenai shares with the surprised blond.

Ino has long since lost all barring when it comes to Naruto. She doesn't hate him or even dislike him as she used to. He seems to be a good, strong person, Kurenai seems to have a good opinion of him, and add to that he can make her feel really really good, it leaves Ino with deep and prolonged confusion. She never thought she would ever think of Naruto in a romantic way, but he's giving her less and less reasons not to.

'_Plus more sex,_' her vagina happily thinks as Kurenai continues. "When I explained to him you didn't have romantic feelings for him, he was genuinely hurt. Bonds matter a great deal to him and it hurts him that much more when he learns a connection he thought he made was actually a trick. When you were with Naruto earlier, if you had said you wanted to stop, no matter how aroused he was, do you believe he would've?"

"…hai."

"Despite what led to it, you both shared something incredibly personal. Asking him to be that level of intimate with you, someone he cares about, while telling him his feelings will not be returned… I don't like that any more than what happened to you."

"So…" Ino can't believe she's asking this. "So, what? You want me to date him? Even though I don't love him?"

Kurenai sincerely responds, "I want him to completely understand what it is he would be agreeing to and I want you to respect his decision if he decides not to go through that."

Ino recalls how he asked if she was drugged despite her lecherous display and she becomes morose at the thought that he might say no. Voted as the sexiest kunoichi of their class, Ino finds it so incredibly backward that she's actually wondering, '_how do I make sure the not-so-dead-last of our class agrees to have sex with me__… me!_' Ino snorts, mentally yelling, '_It__'s ridiculous! He should be on his knees begging to convince me!_'

But the Clan training within her can't discount his emotional scars. As the Yamanaka heir, she was made to study and discuss, at length, mind walking. She hadn't minded one bit at the time, as she had never-ending questions about Sasuke-kun's state of mind and learned a great deal.

Ino ponders on the primary difference between Naruto and Sasuke-kun's past. Sasuke-kun felt the love of family for a number of years before it was horribly ripped away. Naruto had nothing but hate and loneliness for the grand majority of his life until he found a few tentative bonds of affection. Ino couldn't answer who had it worse; having it and losing it, or never having it at all, but she knows it's terrible in either case.

Ino knew if the tables were turned and it was Sasuke-kun asking her for meaningless help, she didn't think she could do it and not fall in love. Maybe she is asking too much, though Kurenai interrupts her thoughts, saying, "come on. You don't need to answer right now."

TENTEN

"Tou-san," Tenten exhaustively calls. "I'm telling you, I asked! I literally said. '_name your price_.' He could've asked for a billion and I would've said yes, but he said the same thing he always does, '_sorry, Tenten-chan, I can__'t sell it to you_.'"

"There has to be something, Ten," her flustered father snaps. "I just heard from a former colleague in Tanigakure. The current market price for Kubikiribōchō is nearly nine hundred million ryo! With that much, we'd be in the top one percent of Konoha instantly!"

"Kami, that's a lot," Tenten gasps, before shaking her head of the money. Begging, she asks, "do we really have to sell it? It's a legendary sword, Tou-san! It might take me a while, but in time, I'm sure I could master wielding it."

While Tenten understands the importance of ryo as well as their family struggles, in her mind, this was too special of a sword to simply sell. The thought of selling it after they take ownership hurts to her very soul. '_I get how much the money would help us, but I want to be remembered as one of the strongest kunoichi this village has ever seen, and a legendary sword would definitely help!_'

"There are others," Dānyī easily dismisses his daughter's passionate plea to keep the sword.

"But this one's here now," Tenten bemoans to counter. "I know we're destined to have Kubikiribōchō, just like I know I'll be one of the best kunoichi ever. Don't you think the reputation that would bring us would help us more in the long run than the ryo will now?"

Dānyī lets out a disappointed sigh, eying his daughter sympathetically, before informing her with absolute certainty, "ryo is power, Ten; a clear tangible unit of power. The more you have, the more power you wield. Who is more powerful, the Hokage or the Daimyō? And if you're so naive to think the Hokage, simply because he's a shinobi, than remember, daughter, he serves at the pleasure of our Daimyō."

"But the Daimyō can't be the Daimyō without the Hokage," Tenten tries to point out.

"Violence is paid with Ryo to maintain power," Dānyī exasperatedly tells his daughter. "I thought I taught you better than this. Violence is always used to protect sources of money. Remember this well because I don't want to keep repeating myself: this world is not built on the backs of shinobi, but on trade. Ryo can make people disappear or it can build great things. The Hokage represents violence, nothing more, so please, stop. Is that understood?" Slowly, with clear sadness, Tenten nods to her father before he continues. "Now, rather than your reeducation, we need to discuss what to do about the Demon-Boy. There has to be something he wants."

Though upset by her father's staunch views on the world, Tenten sets her frustrations aside for the target range later, and focuses on trying to acquire Kubikiribōchō now. "It would have to be something big like giving him the store-"

"Please do not joke at a time like this," Dānyī huffs. "My old friend has a line on a potential buyer and is willing to facilitate the sale for us at a neutral location for only 12.5 percent, which is an absolute steal! All we have to do is give it to him and he gives us the ryo. Simple."

"I think I should do more recon on Naruto-kun," Tenten suggests. Even if the subject matter, in this case, is weak and boring, Tenten has always loved investigating. She easily recalls angering Neji when she uncovered, not only his seal, but the circumstances around it. No matter how many times she apologized, he didn't talk to her for a whole month and even now, two years later, he can still be very chilly towards her.

"We should also consider an alternate plan of action should he be unwilling to part with Kubikiribōchō amicably."

Tenten's eyebrows raise surprised as she cautiously asks, "what kind of backup plan?"

"There's no scenario in which that sword doesn't end up in our ownership," her father asserts with cold eyes. "I prefer the easy way, but it's not the only way."

"Tou-san!" Tenten whispers her yell, looking at him as if he's lost his mind. "He's a shinobi of the Leaf-"

"So am I," Dānyī responds.

"Retired!" Tenten corrects him. "He may be a genin but he's active shinobi. We can't attack him without getting in trouble ourselves and we definitely won't get Kubikiribōchō if we're fined to our eyeballs or in prison."

"Listen, you don't know this but that demon's been attacked multiple times throughout his life and no one has ever been fined or sent to prison… though some have died," her father casually asserts. "We'll be fine. But I'm serious about drastic measures if he won't part with it."

"Tou-san… I…" Tenten isn't comfortable with this degree of ambition; it feels like a line that shouldn't be crossed. Certainly, she's never thought anything of him but he's a fellow Konoha ninja, after all, and Tenten isn't sure she's willing to hurt him simply to take his famed property. Tenten has a sinking feeling it would be best for everyone if she figures out a way to get Kubikiribōchō from Naruto-kun. "I'll get it for sure. Just give me two weeks!"

Eying her warily, he simply nods, informing her, "I'll tell my friend the negotiation is still ongoing, however, I know that old mule. He'll simply say maybe he should be talking with the actual owner. After that, I'll be forced to respond that we're in possession of Kubikiribōchō whether we have it or not, or else, he may actually make his way here. You have two weeks. After that…"

Tenten isn't sure what her father would do, but she knows she doesn't want to give him the chance, mentally cursing as her father leaves. '_I swear he__'d lose the business if it wasn't for me._'

* * *

Yay, Haku! I hope you guys didn't think Haku would fade into the background. I always wanted him to be a partner in crime and a dear friend.

More Ino goodness to come.

Kurenai is inching closer to the big decision. There should be a little less lemon with her since Ino's going to partake. Though I don't think she'll do so well. Naruto learned a lot from Nai-chan after all. We'll see.

That's pretty much it. Thank you all for the support and your comments. I truly do appreciate them. As always, I'd love to hear from you all and have a great one,

-Grae


	17. 17Thick Comfort

Hey guys,

I meant to get this update out much faster but with Mother's Day and my vacation fun-time, it was difficult, so for that I apologize. My best guess for the future updates is two more chapters before our summer slaving begins. I'll try hard guys. Happy belated Mother's Day to all that applies.

Just so you guys are aware, I'm not going to focus too heavily on yuri scenes, that is to say, you'll know Sakura and Ino do stuff but I won't dwell too heavily on it... at least not until Naruto is in the middle :D 😍

11.5K. Enjoy!

* * *

NARUTO

'_**I think it**__**'s time for some stories**_,' Naru-nii tells an exhausted Naruto one afternoon.

SAKURA

Sakura looked it up. There's no way her curious mind wouldn't research this after experiencing so many.

'_The Human Orgasm_,' she recites in her mind. '_There__'s a gradual increase in all the regions of the brain leading up to orgasm. When climax is reached the brains light up like a fireworks festival. When sexual activity is initiated, genital stimulation sends a signal to your limbic system—the emotional control center of the brain—and hippocampus—which is responsible for memory and fantasies. Steadily increasing pleasure activate the anterior cingulate cortex and the insular cortex during sex, inhibiting pain sensations—though there is a lot of research supporting that profound orgasms can even be achieved through pain. Steadily increasing pleasure activate your cerebellum which is responsible for increased muscle tension, making strange contorted faces and curling toes under persistent sexual stimulation_.

'_All the sexual activity builds to a grand crescendo. During orgasm, the brain releases oxytocin, a hormone, and neurotransmitter produced by the hypothalamus. In many women, oxytocin can trigger strong uterine contractions that pulse along with their orgasms; suggesting an evolutionary imperative that makes the vagina suck in the penis and semen to produce offspring. _

_'The hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens produce the grand explosion(s) of rippling sensations across the system. The heart is racing, pupils are dilated, breathing is taxing, and like a full sponge, the vagina wrings itself in majestic bodily fluids; Cumming. Meanwhile, the nucleus accumbens or the reward center of the brain rewards the body for all the sex with a flash-flood of sweet mind altering dopamine. This area, activated by many addictive things, such as chocolate, drugs, caffeine, or nicotine, and makes the body crave sex more to repeat the brain's reward system._

'_It__'s biology_,' Sakura continues to think, though physically breathless. '_Oxytocin is the __'bonding hormone' or the 'cuddle hormone.' Research doesn't show that the hormone produces emotional feelings, so I don't actually love this Naruto-looking-Ino. It's simply an effect of many orgasms._' Of which Sakura has been experiencing bountiful waves of.

Laying down in her bed, trying to catch her breath after an intense orgasm, Sakura is vaguely aware of Ino in Naruto's disguise checking her vibrator. Sakura isn't sure if she broke it or it just ran out of battery but she didn't care. All she cared about were those photos. Again, her heart aches at the thought of her love, like something within her is that much closer to breaking, but she has no idea what it is.

She just knows the more of this she does with Ino-henge'd-Naruto, the worse it feels. Still, Ino's already given her two photos so far, and if Sakura has any hope of ever being with Sasuke-kun again, she has to earn the rest and put them to flame so she can finally put this all behind her… as well as some revenge on Ino. '_It__'s all that matters_,' Sakura reminds herself. '_It__'ll all be worth it at the end_.'

When Ino grunts in frustration, Sakura returns her sharpening attention on the blond-disguised-blond. Sakura watches as Ino dispel the henge and stuffs her hand in her hotpants. The pinkette's mind begins to ask, '_is she__…_' when it dons on her. Ino is masturbating in her bedroom, and like a ton of bricks falling on her, Sakura realizes Ino must be frustrated. Recalling the week and a half they've been fooling around, Sakura doesn't recall a single time Ino had her own orgasm. '_She must be super horny_.'

Sakura may have thought to return the favor, however, she had a rational suspicion the next task for a photo is taking the large vibrator in her vagina and Sakura felt her world be tarnished that much more by her former friend and rival. So rather than help her out, Sakura states, "okaa-san's going to be here any minute so, if you can leave, I'd appreciate it."

Sakura couldn't help the smile on her face at the despondent look on Ino's face. She looks crushed, not that it lasted for longer than a second as Sakura knows Ino has too much pride to appear weak. Ino simply stands and grabs her things as she casually states, "of course. Tomorrow at mines. Kaa-san's closing so be there at five. That should give us plenty of time," Ino tells her devilishly and despite her one true love, Sakura's body pulses warmly at the thought of continuing this. She's had one of the best orgasms ever, and she can feel herself heat up for more.

Ino Henge's into Naruto again and Sakura feels it's so stupid. '_Does she really think I can__'t separate her in a disguise from the real thing?_' Sakura will admit, in the beginning, training with the real Naruto after kissing the Ino version of him, was difficult. She was so distracted he landing any strike he wanted with ease. It was on the third day when her teammate helped her separate the two Narutos in her life. He was just so clueless. He may be a very strong shinobi of the Leaf, but he couldn't possibly know how to please a woman. It made her laugh at how dumb she's been acting and became normal around him again.

Still, laying flat on the bed, Sakura simply allows In disguised as Naruto to bend over, cup her jaw, and tongue her deeply for a long languid kiss. Ino departs quickly after, leaving a hot, sweaty, breathless Sakura laying in bed, bending and flexing her tingling toes.

INO

Ino rushes over to Kurenai's home, more than ready to have that talk with Naruto, and finds the beautiful Jōnin-sensei and Hinata-chan having dinner instead. At Kurenai's request, Ino tried to hold out, but she just used the last of her batteries to give Sakura multiple orgasms, leaving Ino in wanton wanting and why suffer when she doesn't have to. It's not like she'll be this horny after her time with Sakura is up. '_This is just for now,_' Ino's mind reasons, fully supported by her throbbing womanhood.

"Come in," Kurenai tells the girl at her door.

Rather than enter the comfortable home, Ino simply blurts, "I was hoping we could talk?" Ino hadn't thought of how mortifying it is to appear like a junkie in front of someone she admires a great deal.

It's evident to the trained Jōnin-sensei what Ino is talking about. '_Four days_,' Kurenai's mind notes as the girl's tolerance. "We can talk after dinner. Come in. There's plenty."

Ino doesn't hear any room for negotiation and weakly nods before entering.

"Good evening, Ino-chan," Hinata sweetly greets.

Ino returns a weak smile as she takes her seat, returning, "hey, Hinata-chan." Ino did her best to appear normal but the stubborn throbbing never left. Still, it was quite pleasant to be around a kunoichi she isn't blackmailing. The shinobi world may have women in it but it's predominantly male; her teammates are male, her sensei is male, it's the same for Sakura and many other teams. Hinata-chan is the only team that has a second female in it and it makes her wonder why the minority shouldn't get together more often.

"Sorry for borrowing your sensei, Hinata-chan," Ino genuinely says at the door and.

Hinata just shakes her head, affirming, "it's okay. I have a lot of reading I would like to do."

"It's good you're training so hard," Ino tells her, enjoying the idea of more strong kunoichi.

Ino enjoys how deep her creamy skin blushes as she nervously bows and thanks her. "I'm sure it won't take long Hinata-chan," Kurenai tells her ward before they leave.

"Take your time," Hinata-chan conveys before locking the door behind her with a blue flash of previously invisible Fūinjutsu seals. Ino finds it an odd thing to have as not many clans use Fūinjutsu for home security anymore; too much upkeep and not enough specialists.

HINATA

Hinata felt the choice creep up her spine like a sickness. On the one hand, this would be a good opportunity to help Kiba and learn who Ino-chan may be involved in. On the other, she would be betraying her sensei's trust and a good friend in Ino-chan. '_Sorry, Kiba-kun_.' Turning around she mentally apologizes to Kiba-kun and heads to the study to read on Iryō-ninjutsu through the use of a Dōjutsu, like her Byakugan.

INO

Walking toward Iruka's is a quiet affair and Ino feels like she's letting Kurenai-sensei down, but that's only because she can't explain the real situation. Kurenai herself seems calm, but that may simply be a mask as Ino can't imagine this would be an easy thing for a respectable Jōnin to facilitate.

'_A J__ōnin-sensei assisting two genin, who don't even love each other, in sex before marriage,_' Ino muses with mild trepidation. '_If it ever got out, we__'d easily be the talk of Konaha for years._'

After knocking on Iruka's door, the ever beautiful Haku opens the door wearing a pink and blue yukata and a pink and black apron to great effect. '_Aww,_' Ino's mind coos at how adorable he looks. Ino almost wished Haku was Naruto's wife… then immediately blushes at the thought of asking this fantasy female-Haku if she can borrow Naruto to have copious amounts of sex with.

"Kurenai-san, Ino-chan, good evening," Haku greets, to which they return before asking for Naruto. "He hasn't come home yet," Haku tells them with a bit of worry. "I even made his favorite," the older boy sighs, but Ino only sees the fantasy female-Haku and coos, '_Awwww!_'

"He must still be training," Kurenai quickly asserts to which Haku asks, "may I join you? I'd like to bring him a bento."

The understanding between student and sensei is to talk to Naruto in private, so Ino freaks when Kurenai answers, "that's fine."

When Haku excuses himself to prepare the food for eating out, Ino turns to Kurenai and quietly asks, "sensei, we could've brought Naruto his food. Haku-san doesn't need to come with us."

"I agree," Kurenai returns. "This may not be more than a hunch but rather than ask us to deliver it or have one of the clones deliver it, he asked to come along and that bugs me a little."

"What clones?" Ino curiously asks.

Kurenai opens the door and inside, Ino is stunned to find ten clones of Naruto all spread about the small home, studying books and scrolls or writing out seals. One clone is comically nervous as it practices stitching a quilt. "I hadn't learned about this until a few days ago," Kurenai tells the flabbergasted Yamanaka. "To my umpteenth surprise, he's—apparently—practically prodigious when it comes to Fūinjutsu."

"You're kidding!" Ino gasps, immediately thinking about the academy. "But he was- …the instructors' bias… After being told so many times he had no talent, he believed it."

"I had the strongest urge to hunt every single one of his instructors and torture their minds with never-ending horror for what they did to him," Kurenai murderously fumes, staring into the void and imagining making them pay. Snapping out of it, she adds, "for what they did as a sensei."

Slowly, Ino nods, adding, "I think I feel the same. How are they even allowed to continue teaching?"

"Naruto was the only one to receive this treatment, and," she sighs before finishing, "the Hokage believes the dye has long been cast. They've all received a letter of censure on their jackets."

"And that's it," Ino gasps.

"Even Naruto doesn't care all that much," Kurenai sighs.

Feeling murderous herself, Ino quietly voices with vitriol, "well, he should." Ino's anger shakes off the shock of witnessing hyper-aggressive learning. They all seem so focus and it truly makes her wonder what may have been if only one or two sensei were as nice to him as they were to her.

'_I may have even developed a crush on him instead_,' Ino happily muses, before realizing she's in a room with a lot of Narutos, and imagines all of them directing all their focus on some part of her body, touching her over and over, until she cums so hard she passes out. Hot and flushed, Ino rushes out of the room and house to inhale cool calming air and regains control of her hormones. She's mentally cursing Sakura when Kurenai steps close and asks, "would you consider speaking to a clinical professional?"

"No!" Ino shouts before regretting it. "Sorry. I mean, I know I'll be fine. I just need some time."

"Okay," Kurenai agrees and soon the three find themselves walking through the dark forest toward Naruto's training location. The trek is worse for Ino as they travel to the forest beyond Hokage monument, a fact that constantly reminds her about the first time she had sex with Naruto. Haku must've noticed how flush she looks because he cools the air around her with his kekkei genkai. After a grateful smile from Ino, it's not long until they find an odd waterfall.

The rapid cascade of plunging water is two stories tall and a quarter mile long with a wood platform at the middle for a line of Narutos. On the wood beam are a bunch of half-naked and wet Narutos double palming the rushing wall of water. Gazing at his wet muscular back… his glistening lower back… his moist, tense, powerful, lower back, and Ino immediately knows no amount of cold air from Haku is going to cool the aroused heat in her loins.

"…I think I should wait here," Ino cautiously tells an understanding Kurenai. Ino holds the food while Sensei and Haku meet the real Naruto. She can tell they're talking about something before Haku leaves, then Sensei and a dripping, half-naked Naruto walk over to her. None of the clones disperse as Naruto greets her with a wide grin, "hey, Ino-chan."

'_Fuck_,' Ino's horny mind cracks in gate-dropping surrender. Looking at his tan toned muscles glistening in the moonlight, a glazed-eyed Ino doesn't even bother averting her pupil-less eyes from visually drinking in his tight wet body, capitulating to her suffocating desire to fuck Uzumaki Naruto to death; that is until Kurenai snaps her fingers in front of Ino's face and asks with some amusement, "do I need to hose you down?"

Madly embarrassed, Ino shakes her head and gives Naruto his food before she begins. "Naruto, I need to ask a favor."

He's already slurping his flavor heavy ramen out of the extra-large container when he stops and replies, "sure, what is it?"

Kurenai remains near and quiet as Ino responds, "um, first, you need to think about it before you answer, okay?" He nods while he inhales his salty noodles. "What I want you to help me with is something that's normally done with someone you love…" Ino pauses to move past an especially maddening pang of lust. "And… and what I'm asking for can be a bad thing because I think about Sasuke-kun, and you think about Sakura. But I'm asking anyway, because… Because, for the moment, sometimes it's hard to get past what Choji did to me, physically I mean, and when that happens… when I get very _very_ excited, you're the only person that can help me get through it."

Setting his plastic bowl to the side, Naruto curiously asks, "is that what happened Saturday?"

Blushing at the memory of the second time they've had sex, Ino hotly nods, answering, "uh, yeah."

"So, you want to keep doing that… with _me_," he seriously asks. "Even though you don't love me?" Nervously, Ino looks from a reserved Kurenai to curious Naruto before nodding, '_yes_.' "Are you sure that's what you want? Wouldn't you rather be with someone you care about?"

"Of course I would," Ino answers with a bit of an edge, not exactly comfortable asking a guy to have sex with her as it goes against everything she believes in. However, she takes a breath and explains further, "love isn't really what this is about, though. It's basically asking a friend for help, only the thing I need help with isn't exactly decent. Not that it doesn't happen! Have you ever heard the term sex-friend?"

"Ino," Kurenai finally speaks, and she quickly realizes she's trying to sell him on the idea, which was discussed previously she would not do. Though unknown to Ino, Kurenai had already spoken to Naruto about the specifics of Ino's situation, and along with his worries for Ino's wellbeing, was his concern for his _Nai-chan_. Kurenai felt flattered he'd worry about her as well, however, she assured him this was only to help Ino, after which things would continue as before.

With a sigh, Ino continues, "look, Naruto, I don't hate you. I can't say I like you but that's only because I truly don't know you. The one thing about all of this I'm sure of is you aren't the sleazy sort of pervert who'd take advantage of me. You're a good person, and I don't know if we'll ever be real friends in the future, but… I _do_ feel safe asking this of you. I feel like I can rely on you… which is more than I can say about a lot of people, so, if you say no, I'll understand-"

"Okay," Naruto calmly answers. "I'll help."

"Naruto," Kurenai calls. '_I only just told you three days ago_,' she thinks as she verbally tells him, "you may want to think about this a little more. Sex comes with a lot of responsibility. As much as you may think it's strictly physical, there's always…" Kurenai shorts, momentarily dazed before she exhales and calmly finishes, "there's always the risk of incompatible personalities becoming emotionally attached to one another."

The blond genin regard one another before Naruto admits, "well, I can't say I know about all that." He chuckles as he adds, "I mean, you're both a hell of a lot smarter than me-"

"Says the Fūinjutsu genius," Ino retorts with a smirk.

Naruto chuckles. "I only mean, I do want to be friends, Ino-chan; real friends, forever if it's possible. And you're asking me for help." He grows pink in the cheeks as he adds, "I get this is more than just hanging out and laughing, and our emotions can make things confusing, but, I'm sure if we're really really honest with each other, it'll be okay. Oh, it's like in Fūinjutsu, you gotta plan a seal by breaking it down to smaller and smaller jobs with correlating redundancies, then connect the right numeral ciphers with the right arrays so the whole thing works out right, you know?"

Ino couldn't believe she isn't smart enough to understand what Uzumaki Naruto just said. '_Uzumaki Naruto!_' her mind yells. '_It__'s like learning about Shikamaru all over again!_'

"As in, the key to dealing with risk in missions, is honest communication," Kurenai simplifies with a smile. "The flashy moves aside, true ninja don't hope for the best. Success in every likely scenario is only possible if we communicate honestly about the good and the bad."

"Damn, right," Naruto whoops. "Ninja don't run from problems. No matter how hard it is, we figure it out. So, yeah, if I can help, of course I will."

Ino smiles at the ludicrous correlation between a field mission and sex. Humored, she remarks, "well… it may be proper etiquette for me to say thanks, but I think we can all agree you're the lucky one here."

With a tight smile, Kurenai informs them, "and Ino-chan will, of course, try to minimize the number of times you meet… so as to not risk any emotional complications."

"Hey, it's not like I'm the pervert here," Ino defends herself, acutely discovering just how weird this conversation is for her delicate views of real romance. "I'm only going to ask when I can't handle the urge. I'm sure I'll be fine once the month is out."

"Okay," Kurenai states with a nod. "If that's everything, I'm sure Naruto wants to get back to his training."

"Um," Ino interjects nervously, finding it extremely uncomfortable asking, "Is- is it okay… can we just… there's time, right?"

"Nope, not a pervert at all," Naruto smirks as he teases her.

More mortified than angry, a beet red blushing Ino lunges at him, repeatedly slapping his raised naked shoulders as he laughs. "Naruto-baka, I'm not a pervert! I'm suffering, there's a difference!"

Naruto laughs under her frail onslaught of embarrassed smacks and after a few moments, he expertly grips her descending wrist, twists her joint to force her into a spin and lock her movements while his free arm easily wraps around her soft chest, pressing her firmly into him. With one arm pinned behind her, rolling his semi-hard groin between her round twin cheeks, he whispers, hot in her ear, "and you need me to make it all better?"

Ino's entire body unexpectedly shudders at such an assertive move from him. Against his hot body, at his mercy to do with as he desired, he was less the blundering Naruto she remembers in the Academy and more the man who can bring her to a screaming orgasm. Her heart pumps blood outrageously fast and her sopping vagina was engorged with oven-hot arousal, twitching for him. Despite the Jōnin kunoichi she admires in front of them, Ino whimpered as her pert ass bucks against his rod on its own.

"Hey!" the three heard Haku's voice call from the tree line. The former Kiri-nin is walking toward them dragging a tied up Tenten behind him and Ino tenses.

KURENAI

"Until, we know more, I'm going to hide you both," the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha states before expertly using her highly tuned craft to hide Ino and Naruto from any senses of detection. Haku can see them disappear but as Tenten is being dragged, she couldn't and so asks Kurenai for effect, "where did they go?"

"Naruto's still training, and Ino-chan went home," Kurenai answers Haku despite visibly seeing Naruto still holding Ino-chan—she can tell he's rolling his forearm to massage Ino's ample bust. Kurenai isn't sure how she feels about this situation and that alone concerns her since she shouldn't be confused. She's already talked to Naruto about helping Ino in this capacity and she's seen plenty worse on missions, but the fact that this is Naruto with a younger girl is… confusing. The present anxiety comes from feeling like her head, heart, and loins are battling for supremacy of all future decisions.

'_I can__'t have romantic feelings for Naruto,_' she mentally asserts before hesitantly considering the perspectives of that certainty. '_I__'m… not emotionally ready for a romantic relationship. What we have is physical. Naruto is… available and… exceedingly effective at satisfying me, so it would be inefficient to find a strictly physical relationship with another man since I already have him. That's all. He's comforting… he's my thick comfort_,' a selfish side her mind voices.

A part of her analytical mind reasons if she were younger or he were older, there wouldn't be a problem, meaning the only real issue she has with him is his age and that makes her realize how far she's come. Several months ago, he would be too young, simple, and immature to even be considered as a possible first date, let alone love him. Now, he's just too young, and she gives him much more than a first date. It scares her how much further she may go with the boy.

As if exhausted by this continuous back and worth, her moral mind pitifully battles back, weakly yelling, '_he__'s too young!_' However, Kurenai entertains the possibility that the more time she spends with Naruto, the more he seems to impress her.

'_He just keeps surprising me_,' her mind argues, as if it's not her fault she's feeling confused. How could she know he would take to Fūinjutsu the way he did? How could she know his drive to learn was ravenous, and with his clones, he's finishing scrolls faster than she can supply them. The Fūinjutsu he practiced on her home security impressed her every time she or Hinata came home. Even she couldn't completely grasp some of the seal arrangements he used and it infuriated her to no end how Naruto may have discovered this talent for such a monumental craft if only one of his Academy instructors didn't simply fail him on purpose.

Now Naruto is pleasuring another kunoichi in front of her, and Kurenai hates to admit, '_this bugs me. It shouldn__'t and I truly care for Ino-chan, but this bugs me._'

"Tenten," Kurenai calls to give her mind something else to focus on. Some of her talks with Naruto have been about Tenten's fixation on trying to buy Kubikiribōchō and so she asks, "can I assume this is about Kubikiribōchō?"

"Can you please untie me," Tenten gripes at Haku. "The wires are starting to dig into my skin."

Kurenai nods and Haku simply flicks his wrist to undo the ninja cables as she asks, "do I need to speak with Guy-sensei about this?"

"No!" Tenten calls getting on her feet and brushing the dirt and grass stains from her perky bottom. Though focused on the bun-haired genin, Kurenai notices Naruto still hasn't let Ino-chan go and her pupil-less blue eyes are closed as she slowly grinds her ass against Naruto's crotch. '_Oh, Kami please not here__…_' Kurenai mentally begs. Despite seeing him every day, it's been three days since they've had a sex lesson and she's getting more and more restless. To now witness Naruto use his cock to remedy another girl's needs will only juice-up her own frustrations.

"I didn't-" Tenten tries before lamenting. "…Yes, it's about Kubikiribōchō, but I was only trying to gather more intel so I can come back with a better offer."

"Zabuza-sama has come across many trying to purchase Kubikiribōchō from him," an annoyed Haku explains. "They offered him millions of ryo, a harem of women, land and castles, and no matter how destitute we were, he never sold it. Just like Zabuza-sama, Naruto-kun will never sell, so please stop bothering us."

While Haku crudely chastises Tenten, Kurenai glimpses a somewhat forward bent Ino covering her mouth with both hands as Naruto's hand is under her purple skirt. Kurenai's nipples begin to harden when she realizes Naruto's fingering Ino in front of her.

Kurenai voices, "I'm afraid Haku is correct, Tenten," while trying to avoid staring directly at Ino's lustfully flushed face and lip-biting mouth. To Kurenai, teaching is the single greatest profession. After all, Jōnin know the true Hokage of the village are the future generations that will one day lead it, however, Kurenai had never thought she would feel a tentative thrill watching Naruto use sexual techniques she enjoyed teaching him on Ino-chan. Her relation with Naruto aside, it's her techniques putting that mindless vision of pleasure on Ino's face.

As a direct result of her sex lessons with Naruto, it's not a far leap for Kurenai to think, '_Kami, I put that pleasured smile and unfocused eyes on her face._' Kurenai felt her pussy grow humid as she continues. "You cannot continue to harass him like this. There isn't a price Naruto would willingly part Kubikiribōchō with."

"Please," Tenten calls. "Look, I know it's not just a sword to him, but it's not just a sword for me either. I'm a weapons specialist. I want to collect many of the most legendary weapons in all the five nations."

"While I sympathize, this is one weapon you will have to go without," Kurenai states as Ino moans gutturally deeply from behind her clamped hands as her powerful orgasm saps all the energy from her buckling legs. Naruto gently lays her down, whispering if she feels better, to which Ino lazily nods.

"Would he- Do you think he might let me train with it sometimes," Tenten tentatively asks making Kurenai absurdly wonder if Tenten wanted to train with Naruto's cock before realizing how unfocused she is. '_Calm down_,' Kurenai mentally commands herself.

"I'm quite certain he wouldn't have a problem with that," Haku states before adding, "but I would. I'd rather keep you from the temptation."

"He has a point," Kurenai admits before unexpectedly locking eyes with a very aroused and hard Naruto. She knows what those eyes mean and her heart races as her mouth salivates in thrilling anticipation. "It's fairly clear you only want his sword-" Kurenai snaps her head away from Naruto's round bulge and clears her throat as she continues. She ignores Haku's smirk as she clears her throat and tells Tenten, "if we catch you again-"

"Wait! W-Would he be willing to accept a challenge?" Tenten desperately asks.

"Zabuza-sama happily accepted those," Haku states fondly. "Any excuse to cut someone down."

"You want to challenge him for the sword," Kurenai clarifies. The Jōnin-sensei draws in her beautifully arranged brows when Naruto takes Ino's hand and leads the trembling Yamanaka flower around Kurenai until they're directly behind her. As she can't see them nor can she move, Kurenai is curious about his plan until she hears his zipper clear as day. '_Wait! Wait!_' Kurenai hears Ino whisper behind her. '_No one can see us_,' Naruto responds to which Ino quickly refutes, '_Kurenai-sensei can still- Mnn!_' "Ohh!" Naruto groans deeply, paired well with Ino's hand covered moan.

'_Younger, smaller, she must be tighter than me_,' Kurenai sadly admits right before she hears a dragging wet suction noise as Naruto pulls out. Kurenai feels her own love canal lubricate profusely as Naruto slams back in. "_AHHHNN!_" Ino moans before clapping her hands over her mouth.

Kurenai clearly hears muffled grunts and moaning in tandem with flesh smacking pumping as Tenten nods, answering, "if I win, I get Kubikiribōchō."

"Just out of curiosity what does he get if he wins," Kurenai asks, simply to ask anything. She can practically feel his rapid thrusts sloshing sharply in and out of Ino's tight drenched cunt. "_Ahnn! Mnn! Mmm, mmm, mmmn_," a rutting Ino moans despite the hands over her mouth. "_Amazing! Amazing, ugh, ugh, mnng!_" Naruto grunts right behind her as well as in her vivid memories.

"I…" Tenten pauses and it's evident that the girl hasn't thought this through. "May I talk to tou-san first?"

"If you really want him to accept the challenge, it would have to be a very good incentive," Haku states. "Do you own any spare houses?" "_MMNN!_" Ino moans loudly, losing any sense to stay silent. "_That__'s… your spot, Ino-chan… You squeeze me so tight… when… I… hit… right… there!_" "_Ahh! AHHH! Ohh! Kami, Kami, Kami!_" Ino continuously moans, escalating Kurenai's dripping yearning for her own deep tissue bruising.

Unaware of fornicating genin behind Kurenai, Tenten answers Haku, "aside from the apartment above the shop, we don't own any other property. But maybe my father can put up something good to offer! Please, just let me ask him first."

"While Zabuza-sama would be quite homicidal if Naruto-kun sold it, I don't think he'd mind if Naruto-kun accepted a challenge," Haku explains as Kurenai's ears are filled with Ino moaning and yelping in the throes of pleasure-smacking passion, "I'm going to- _Ahn!_ I'm gonna! I'm gonna! _Ahn!_ I'm cumming! I'm cumming! Cumming!" Kurenai gasps a bit, feeling her own wet sex tighten with Ino's own powerful release.

Sensing Naruto pounding away throughout Ino's full-body release to reach his own climax, Kurenai's incredibly aroused mind and sex rush to tell Tenten, "speak with your father and I'll do the same with Naruto. Haku-kun if you can make sure she makes it back to the village, I'd appreciate it."

"Of course, Kurenai-san," Haku says and Tenten bows before leaving. With one final grunt, Naruto unloads his first load of piping semen, dragging out another long orgasm Ino's feeble quaking form.

When Haku and Tenten are gone, Kurenai turns around to find Ino's face flat against the ground, knees spread and under her so her twitching and spunk-coated ass is raised enough for Naruto to take her deeply. Naruto is pulling his large, glistening cock from her sopping wet snatch, creating sticky webs connecting the blonds until he stands up, then eyes her carnally with hooded glazed over eyes. Kurenai's knees buckle under his starving hunger, happily asserting, '_once isn__'t going to be enough for him_.'

Kurenai stares back with what she can only imagine is the same hunger. Activating genjutsu to block a barely lucid Ino from hearing them, Kurenai still whispers, "I'll return Ino-chan home." Kurenai's eyes drop down to his throbbing, cum-covered cock and casually orders him, "don't wash off." Despite feeling extremely lewd, Kurenai couldn't bring herself to actually admit she wanted to lick their combined juices from the entire length of his thick meat pole. "You have twenty minutes to make your room completely sound-proof so I can scream as loud as I want while you fuck me into the mattress."

Both mutually driven for passionate satisfaction, they act like one mind. Naruto creates a clone—complete with raging boner—before dispelling it, sending the message to the clones at Iruka's to start on silencing the room. Kurenai cancels her genjutsu and helps Ino to her feet before cradling her princess style and sprints from the clearing.

Along the way, Ino, holding her twitching legs together and her trembling arms around Kurenai's neck, regretfully expresses, "I'm sorry sensei… first in your home and now doing that right behind you. I feel like I'm always apologizing to you for something."

"It was not very considerate of you both," Kurenai says with no animosity as she sprints through the forest. "But I'll forgive you this time. How are you feeling?"

"…too good," Ino blushes as she admits. Ino adds, "I feel like I'm floating and the world is made of flowers, chocolate, and puppies," making Kurenai feel bizarrely proud to hear—as proud as witnessing the achievements of any of her students. "I didn't think he would be so…"

"…so?" Kurenai tentatively asks, wondering if this is a train of thought she should really explore. Ino exhales cuddling deeper into Kurenai's warm embrace. The Jōnin-sensei reminds Ino, "this is the communication we probably shouldn't ignore."

"…Do you think it's possible to be in love with one person, but enjoy being with another?"

"'_Being with another_,' doesn't usually mean having sex with that person," Kurenai offhandedly mentions.

"I know, but," Ino starts then pauses before clarifying, "it's still a time and activity I'm enjoying that has nothing to do with the person I love."

Kurenai tentatively asks, "does it feel strange enjoying something so intimate that isn't with the person you love?"

"I guess so," Ino admits. "It could be the way Naruto triggers me, but…"

"If you and Uchiha-kun were in a relationship, then I'd say you need to have a frank discussion about where you are as a couple," Kurenai advises. "I do not, nor will I ever condone cheating. There is no excuse for betraying someone's emotional confidence."

"…But Sasuke-kun and I aren't together yet," Ino slowly admits. "And he may not be ready for a relationship like that for some time yet."

"I can't answer that question for you Ino-chan," Kurenai admits, thinking about her own situation in the same circumstance. "Acceptable loss and gains are different for everyone and only you can decide what you're willing to live with. Just think it through… even if it takes months."

They're close enough to the Yamanaka compound for Ino to walk the rest of the way and Kurenai sets her down. Before leaving, Ino admits to her in a low voice, "he's not bad, is he?" Kurenai looks at her curiously. "Naruto. He's not a bad guy at all."

"No," Kurenai agrees from deep in her own thoughts. "I don't believe he is." Ino is about to leave when Kurenai tells the girl, "write a diary, or log, or letter for your parents and seal it." At Ino's confusion, Kurenai clarifies, "should select people find out, he's going to catch hate faster than anyone in this situation. I'd rather he not be killed."

"Like a Black Scroll for my parents," Ino comments. Kurenai nods and they split up. She makes it to her home in record time, shamefully gives Hinata an excuse about a headache and going to sleep early, before grabbing a bottle of lubricant and escaping out from her bedroom. Rushing through Iruka's front door, Kurenai bids Haku a good night before closing Naruto's door behind her.

Kurenai finds him laying on his bed on his back, rubbing his temples. He must've dispelled either all or most of his clones. He had at least ninety training for half a day or longer. '_He must be in tremendous pain,_' she thinks. Rather than dispelling them one at a time, he did it in twenty minutes… '_for me._'

Kurenai walks up to him and he only notices her when she sits on the bed next to by his waist. Red irises admiring his clean, whiskered face, in his pain, Kurenai smiles sympathetically, a gesture he weakly returns, compelling her to lean down and kiss him for his efforts. Instead, she twists leans over his crotch and unfastens his orange pants as she softly urges, "just relax Naruto. Your sensei's going to make you feel all better."

A weak smile barely spreads his cheeks but his hand slowly reaches for the wall. He summons his chakra and activates the black Fūinjutsu seals he carefully painted on each wall of the small room. Blue seals flare in the darkness of the room, stunning her in awe. However, Kurenai wonders about the seal's effectiveness when she clearly hears Haku walk up and knock on the door, asking if everything was okay. Naruto, then, deactivates his wall covered seal and weakly tells Haku, "it's just the seal. It masks us."

"Ah," Haku happily says. "Please, enjoy yourselves."

"Night Haku," Naruto states and reactivates the seal again.

Kurenai can clearly hear Haku leave, and asks, "we can hear outside, but no one outside can hear us?"

Rubbing his aching head, Naruto weakly answers, "yeah. Just in case…"

Amazed by his forethought, she mentally gasps, admitting to herself, '_it__'s like I can't fuck him enough._' She slides down his pants and boxers, freeing her favorite organ of bliss from its confines. Kurenai then takes off her own red fitted, long sleeve tee and her athletic white shorts, finishing her strip at her sexy seamless thong and bra.

Naruto is never flaccid when she's between his legs and half-naked, but considering the pain he's in, it's understandable. Kurenai takes his semen-dried phallus in her hand and tenderly tells him, "you know, Naruto, the reason I didn't want you to clean up, was because when I put your cock in my mouth, I want to taste Ino's cum when I lick you clean and suck you off." His young giant swells in her hand and Kurenai massages his hardening member as she asks, "do you remember when I explained how Dirty Talk is a great skill to have between partners, whether to instigate sex or during it?"

"Uh," he groans rubbing his temple. Kurenai feels his pain and continues rubbing his half erect penis with carefully measured strokes, targeting the sensitive meat flaps of his crown in hopes of making him forget the pain for the pleasure she's oh so eager to give him. "Um, you said we'd talk about it later, but I don't think we did."

"I think this is the perfect opportunity to practice," Kurenai tells him before taking his gentle hardness in her mouth. She sucks on his the shapely crown a few times before holding the pressure and licking his spongy head. Swirling her strong tongue around him she takes him deeper into her warm moist mouth. Her excited mind registers the perverse mix of Naruto and Ino's dried cum and laps his rigidness up for several moments until he's risen to the typical majesty he always satisfies her with. With one final popping suck, Kurenai strokes his clean saliva covered hardness as she explains, "most stay quiet in bed because they're afraid of saying something that'll make them look foolish, but as you know, it's good to communicate during sex so both partners can feel present, in the moment, and connected to one another."

Naruto smirks a moment before asking, "you don't mean like how you always moan, or beg, or say, '_more,_' and, '_yes,_' and, '_you__'re the best,_' do you?"

He can't laugh at his soft verbal poke due to the pain, but he smiles weakly and though she doesn't wholly agree with his eye-rolling playful taunt, she just squeezes his moderately hard penis for a second, calling him a, "brat. But yes, it's more than that example. Dirty talk is a different form of connection that's very personal."

Rubbing his temple with his eyes closed, he asks, "so, what's the best way to talk dirty?"

"Above all else," Kurenai starts, circularly thumbing between the main two hardening muscle of the underside of his shaft; just playing with his appendage at this point. "We have to feel comfortable, no matter what we say. As an example, I could say I'm your Hokage now, and you must address me as Hokage-sama." Kurenai is happy to feel him get harder at that. She rewards his crown with lusty licks before sucking his head to a wet pop. "_Mnn_…Or you could make me beg for permission to cum. '_Naruto-sama, I can__'t hold it any longer! Please, won't you let me cum? You make me want to cum so bad!_'"

Though his brow is still drawn together, his smile is wider now as he asks, "can I call you a dirty name?"

In between licking, she asks, "like what?"

Nervously he answers, "like… a slut?"

Kurenai stops and turns to him, the length of his meaty thickness pressed against her perfectly attractive face. "Do you think I'm a slut?"

"No!" he answers sitting up. "No, I don't think that at all!"

"Naruto," she calmly says with a smirk. "This isn't about being shy or apprehensive- er, afraid. Those feelings have no place when talking dirty. You have to be just as confident as when you tell people you're going to be the Hokage-"

"_Best_ Hokage, ever," he clarifies to her wide smile and she's happy to see he's starting to feel better.

"Exactly," Kurenai happily acknowledges. "This is about being risky and accepting of one another's imagination. It's fantasy, like when you henge. We both know I'm not a slut, but in the moment, when we're both incredibly aroused and high on sex, it can be extra thrilling to imagine that I am your cock-hungry slut, who can't live without your cum. Or you're my pet who does what I want, when I want, how I want."

"…Fantasy," he mutters looking deep in thought, as if the word sparked something in his memory banks.

"It's a great way to reach a new level of erotic intimacy."

Naruto takes his shirt off. Moving away, she watches him arrange the pillows before laying back, so he's elevated enough to see her without having to strain his neck. Though his head still ached with obvious discomfort, Naruto's face changes as his voice commands, "Nai-chan, come here." A little taken by his calm yet staunch directive, an amused Kurenai slowly advances, making certain her breast dragged from thigh to chest. When her head is an inch above his, he commands her, "you're not naked enough, Nai-chan."

At the sight of his thick mast rearing to go, Kurenai smiles and plays along, slowly removing her seamless panties and bra before straddling his crotch.

"Where does my cock go, Nai-chan," he confidently dares her. Smiling wider, her humid palm takes his extremely hard shaft by the base and she lines him perfectly with her sodden snatch. His countenance is half pained and half aroused as he gazes her beautifully nubile body slowly descend on his long thickness, spreading her slick line into a wide oval. Kurenai shuts her eyes tight as his striking crown kisses her cervix, and still, there's more length to his girth. Naruto takes her forearms and pulls her to him, bending her at the waist while she tightens deliciously around him.

"Mnnnn," Kurenai moans as his left hand massages her reactive scalp while his right traces her jawline, caressing her cheek and neck. They so close when she thinks to kiss him, he roguishly asks her, "when I was all the way inside of Ino-chan, like how I'm deep inside you now, I did what you taught me."

Smiling despite half her focus on his pulsing and jerking prick, she dares him to be perfect at talking dirty on his first try by asking a daring question. It isn't the first time she expects him to be perfect right at the beginning because Kurenai understands this is how he learns. He makes mistakes once maybe twice before he gets better, and though it may not be romantic, it's fortunate for them this relationship doesn't depend on romance. With a bit of a pout, she asks, "was she better than me?"

To her surprise, he smiles but he doesn't answer right away. Instead, he rolls her over so he's on top of her before gripping the underside of her knees and raising them, gradually adding to the moist tightness, then hooking her long toned legs over his shoulders. Deep inside her tight, sodden, hot, center, he flexes his raging hardness, and as if by some command, her moaning body softens even further, taking the rest of him in as Kurenai groans loudly through clenched lips.

Face to face, the tip of Naruto's nose presses against Kurenai's when he finally answers, "that's the wrong question."

"_Mnn_…" Kurenai moans feeling the vibrations of his words as her eyelids flutter open. With her legs flush over his shoulders, his hands have free reign to massage and knead her pliant round orbs, manipulating her soft tissue to add to the pleasure of his intimate stuffing. '_Kami, I__'m so fucking wet_,' she mentally yells as she fights his bone-deep heat and her heightening arousal. Kurenai asks in a breathy and shaky voice, "then- _mmnn_, w-what's- the um_mnn_, right question?"

Rolling her stiff pink nipples between his middle and index fingers as he massages her fleshy chest languidly, he softly asks, "you want to know?" And she can feel his breath on her flush cheek, eliciting goosebumps to travel down her neck and back.

"MMn-hhmm," she moans, eyes closed and rubbing her face against his, adding clearly, "yes."

He moves his face away, withdrawing his thick rod as he gazes at her flush figure below him and demands her to, "beg."

"Please, Naruto- AAH!" Kurenai groans as Naruto slams back into her with ease, stuffing her completely.

"Please, Naruto_-__**sama**__,_" he demands as he pulls out and pistons back in.

"Please," Kurenai tries again as he starts zeroing out of her before completely filling her creamy nook again. "Naruto-sama, _ahn_, _haah, MMN!_ Tell me- _uhn_, teach me what the _ahn!_ Right question is_szz!_"

Picking up his pace, Naruto can feel himself become mindless to the hyper-pleasant feeling taking over as the ledge of his penis-head vibrates incredibly against the slick ribs of her hot tightness. His abs and inner thighs tingle as he nears release, yelling out, "such a good girl, Nai-chan!"

"_Aahhn, aahn, ahhh!_ I'm your good girl, Naruto-sama," Kurenai moans as her hands find his nipples and playfully rubs at his hard nips.

"The question," he starts as he builds the buzzing pleasure of wet hot friction. "You should be asking… is was her pussy… made for me?" He struggles to speak as he pounds deep into her amazingly wet center with long angled strokes, moving closer to forgetting this lesson in favor of happily releasing his eager man milk inside her.

"_AHH_, Naruto!" Kurenai moans loudly as the power of his thrust increase, making her once again marvel at his crazy staying power. Pulsing powerfully, her muscle tense and quiver as she meets his every thrust eagerly. Neck, jaw, trapezius muscles begin to spasm up and the taunt curvature of her back and down her toned legs burn in anticipation.

Losing his higher brain function, Naruto can barely demand, "ask- _haah_! Ask me- _uooh_, if her pussy was made for me!"

"_MMn!_ Was her tiny pussy- _Ahn!_ Made for your- _Ahhnn! AAhhnn! AAhhn_\- Magnificent cock- _Kami!_ Naruto-sama!?" Kurenai feels her leaking walls shaking and her toes start to curl under the monumental anticipation of a powerful release. "Was her pretty pussy _AHH_, made for you?!"

"Not yet!" he grunts. "My pretty little Nai-chan… needs to teach her how to please me! Mng!"

Kurenai recites her own prayer before her kingdom cums. "I'm almost- _AH!_ Naruto-sama, I'm almost-"

He yells, "say no one wants my dick more than you!" as he feels the fuse has been lite. Naruto is witless as he rushes to his monumental climax.

Kurenai feels like she's going to suffocate in pleasure as she bangs her sweaty head against the pillow, screaming, "no one wants your dick more than meeeeeee!"

"…this pussy belongs to me!"

Th- Thi- thhiisssss pussssy be- belongs to- to- _ah!_ You!"

"Say… my cum… belongs in your cunt!" Naruto slams forward diving in as deep as he could go before his balls lurch tightly before rupturing monstrously inside her.

Kurenai tries, "your cum_mmmm AAHN_ belongs in- in my cunnnnnnt," before her enormous pleasure coil snaps. "CUMMM, CUMMING, CUMMING, CUMMMMMMIEE!" Feeling his massive amount of molten baby cream hasten to fill and drown her pink cavern, her loud wails chokes to silence with her wide tongue-out mouth in raptured pleasure and her midnight mane is matted to the sweaty feverish skin of her pleasure contorted face. As her quaking quim wraps and pulls in his massive semen spewing shaft, their bodies, wrecked with waves upon waves of mind-altering euphoria hold each other for dear life.

It takes them many minutes to finally come down from their amazing high to which a huffing Naruto can only comment, "wow!"

"That… _haah_, was a very good start," answers with a satisfied grin as she catches her breath.

"The research I tried to do before you agreed to teach me was more like that," Naruto admits. "There's a lot of that bossy kind of stuff in those books I read. I guess they came in handy after all."

'_Kami I hope it wasn__'t a little orange book,_' Kurenai thinks, preferring not to ask. "Well, don't be afraid to push it further. Remember, it's only a fantasy between two consenting partners."

"Fantasy," he repeats with a soft chuckle. At her curious red eye, he takes her in his strong arms, brings her even closer and answers her silent query, "Nai-chan, you're the hottest, smartest, most caring woman I get to have sex with… I get to cum inside of… I get to kiss and hold. Who cares about fantasy when real life is a thousand times better!"

Touched to the point of being tongue-tied, Kurenai struggles to say, "…Thank you… Naruto."

"Shesheshe," he chuckles. "You don't have to thank me."

"No," Kurenai abruptly declares, staring deeply into his baby-blue eyes. "Thank you for not being a horrible person… for being a wonderful student, for asking me to be your sensei. I know this isn't love, but every day I grow just a little more… _blessed, _I guess, to have this with you."

Though his lips rush to meet hers, his haste was only to close the distance. Once his nose is beside hers, Naruto slows to just before their pillowy soft flesh meet. Kurenai can feel his presence like a second skin; his heat, his breath, his sweaty musk mixing with her own. He was suffocating and when his moist lips finally pressed fully against her, the emotions behind them felt like she could breathe. He opened his mouth against hers, pushing all the while until she rolled to her back, opening her mouth to happily surrender all the moist access he wanted.

In that moment, she gave him everything, but Kurenai also returned just as much affection, just as much tongue, just as much heart all the while his right hand found a home in her lush ebony locks, massaging and gripping, pulling her head in or tilting her the way he wanted with a slow yet vigorous need for more. His left hand ran up and down her body, kneading and massaging her breast to her mewling delight as her own hands' massage and hold him flush to her. Her toned legs spread and wrap around his ass, ensuring he doesn't leave her.

Though he was rock hard and throbbing against her protruding love button, the lovers were content to build this affection with the deep kissing and skin-to-skin adhesion. Kurenai can feel how different this union was than all the others. It felt more intense with emotional vulnerability. The intimacy was more than just physical and she knew how much more when he breaks their slow kiss to gaze affectionately in her red irises. He didn't break eye contact for even a moment as his hand descends, takes hold of himself and slowly guides it to her sodden entrance.

Naruto was so slow and so wholly connected to her, Kurenai grew scared—his eyes felt like looking directly at a sun made of affection. Kurenai was scared and when he slowly spread her tight sex, she shuddered, like expelling a cold breath on a hot day. Her eyes prickled with moist heat as his thick rod slowly spread her small sodden closure wide. Kurenai gasps breathlessly as he rearranged her quivering insides, and despite being fully inside her, they never break eye contact, even when tears flow down the sides of her face. He looked so fascinated to see her, and in defiance of her fear, she couldn't look away.

Pulling out added to the building emotional pleasure. His throbbing manhood already brings out the highest peak of physical satisfaction, and now, Naruto—the person—is within range of her sensitive heart. It's beginning to feel like more…

Impassioned by the depth of their connection, Kurenai's drenched womanhood instinctively sucks him in when he drives back to her very core, making him grown as her tight pussy memorizes ever vain of his pulsing thickness. The sex was gentle, yet passionate, making them breathe and sweat just as heavily as any other of their vigorous sessions. His every thrust felt so near to loving, a tearful Kurenai could only squeeze him with arms and cunt as her overly sensitive pleasure system shorts and snaps with system-wide bursts unconditional bliss.

"Na- Naruto… _AHH! AHNN!_ I'm about cum! _AHn!_ You're going to make me cum! _MMMN!_"

"Let- Let me see…" Naruto asks, gripping her sweaty face with both hands while his hips continued his languid pumping. He gazes at her lovingly, begging softly, "let me see," as his contorted face confesses his own raw pleasure. It was his clear, sky-blue eyes staring deeply in her red eyes that did her in and he was right there with her. Her convulsing vaginal walls snapped around his fully sheathed shaft as they climax powerfully together, rocking and jerking as they desperately hold one another. Impossibly, it was new heights of euphoria made all the more perfect when she feels him unload his enormous load of hot semen in her quaking womb.

They rest in satisfied embrace until their breathing evens and then longer than that when they hear a knock at the door. Neither move, though they pay attention as Haku exits his room and opens the front door of Iruka's home. Kurenai isn't as surprised as Naruto is when they hear Haku lead Tenten into the living room.

They hear Haku state, "it's rather late Tenten-chan."

"Where's Naruto-kun," Tenten asks looking around.

"How do you know where Naruto-kun lives," Haku asks.

"I said I love investigating," Tenten says by way of answer. "I followed him once. I wasn't expecting him to live in Iruka-sensei's home but I guess it's better than that crap apartment that's about to be foreclosed on." Though Tenten is proud of her detecting skills, Haku remains silent and disinterested. "Earlier you asked about any property and I'd already checked his home address and found- Anyway, I talked with my father-"

"Naruto-kun hasn't decided whether to accept your challenge or not," Haku interrupts.

"Well, I wanted him to know as soon as possible," Tenten starts with a passion. "My father and I are offering to be his personal shopper for all his market needs. So rather than going to shops who overcharge him, I'll do all his shopping for him, and we'll even cover fifteen percent of the cost."

"Seventy-five percent," Haku sweetly counters.

"Tch," Tenten sputters. "Twenty-five."

"Seventy-five percent," Haku coolly maintains.

"Hey now," Tenten calls. "You can't expect us to cover seventy-five percent of _all_ his market expenses for the rest of his life over one wager."

"In fact I can Tenten-chan," Haku says. "The only way Zabuza-sama accepted a challenge is if the challengers, or the proxy they paid to fight in their place, put their life on the line. In that way, he could delight in feeding Kubikiribōchō their still-warm blood. Naruto-kun will likely be opposed to killing you, and since he's not a materialistic person, there's very little you can offer him that he would truly need. So, seventy-five percent."

Tenten is silent for several long seconds, long enough Kurenai and Naruto hear Haku move to the door when the bun-haired kunoichi calls out, "fine! Seventy-five percent! But if I win, Kubikiribōchō is mine!"

"I will pass along your challenge and stakes to Naruto-kun," Haku politely tells the clearly irate girl. "If that is all…" After Naruto and Kurenai hear Tenten leave, Haku stops just outside of Naruto's door. Naruto deactivates his Fūinjutsu and they clearly hear Haku ask through the door, "if she soured your time together in any way, we can make her pay."

As if recalling what they were doing before Tenten's arrival, Kurenai can feel Naruto's cum coated cock stiffen from within her as Naruto calls out, "she didn't."

Kurenai holds in her moan as Naruto's incredible cock swells magnificently, stretching her sensitive and slick walls to her golden limit while Haku asks, "will you be accepting her challenge?"

"Mmnn," Naruto hums in thought as leans up. "Naruto, _mmn!_" Kurenai's whisper is cut off when Naruto pulls out of her. He sits on the bed and pulls her to straddle his soaked crotch as he asks, "when Zabuza-jiji comes back, won't he just fight whoever has his sword?"

Leaning up as he props himself up on his arms, Naruto has a wonderful view of a glistening, sexy, thoroughly debauched Kurenai straddling his hard dick. Her knees are bent against the mattress, allowing her to lift her round ass and impale herself on his pulsing member if she wanted, but until the seal is reactivated, she won't do it. Naruto engages his core muscles to steady himself so he can take her soft breasts in his hands and mouth as Haku answers, "yes, I'm sure he will."

Kurenai's hands hold his shoulders, unsure if she wants to push him away so he can finish his conversation with Haku, or stay quiet while allowing the pleasure of his sucking and thorough ministrations to continue. Naruto's mouth pulls her breast with the strength of his suction alone until there's a wet pop as the pressure seal of his lips unfastens around her stiffly throbbing teat and her perfectly shaped mammary jiggles back into its perky place. Naruto asks around Kurenai's withheld moan, "and probably kill them?"

"Yes, I expect he would," Haku answers.

Naruto considers what that would mean for anyone possessing Kubikiribōchō as his hands continue to lavishly massage the silent Kurenai's soft, pliant globes, until he finally answers, "I guess I'll accept the challenge, but rather then the shopping stuff, I'd prefer she never challenge me for the sword again. I don't know if I'll win but I definitely don't like the idea of her facing off against Zabuza-jiji."

Naruto pinches Kurenai nipple making her shut her eyes tightly and hold in her moan as Haku returns with clear amusement, "your decision isn't surprising. I understand. Have a good night Naruto-kun, Kurenai-san."

"Night Haku," Naruto calls, drawing chakra to his free palm, but before he activates the seal, he looks at a silently heaving Kurenai. Naruto tilts his head toward the door, as if to say, '_say good night too_.'

Kurenai rolls her eyes before capitulating. "Good nigh-KYAAHH!" she shrieks after Naruto pinches and pushes in her pert nipple, jiggling her whole breast in tandem with the pinch just like she taught him.

"_'Kyahh_,_'_ she cries," a surprised Naruto happily guffaws.

Incredibly embarrassed, a much more girly Kurenai cries, "Naruto!" she calls smacking him in his defensively raised shoulders as he laughs. " Don't! Embarrass! Your- _Kyahh!_" she screams as he pinches her perfect butt.

"The great Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha can '_Kyahh,_' just like all the other gorgeous girls," he playfully mocks as he laughs during their playfully battle in bed.

In her soft ire, Kurenai bemoans cutely, "_Moh!_ Don't expect me to forgive you for thi-" she's cut off when he grips by her elegant neck and lowers her to his happy lips. "Mnnff!" she moans, and he doesn't let up until she sinks farther and farther into the sweetness of it all, kissing him back just as happily.

At some point, he activates the Fūinjutsu around the room and she hopes it was before he started thrusting into her, ripping out loud moans as she rode his wild cock. Kurenai was happy to spend the rest of the night rutting on her back, on her knees, and against the wall, filling her spectacularly in either rectum or womb to more and more orgasms. However, in spite of the copious amount of semen inside her, Kurenai eventually leaves Naruto's bed, feeling lighter than she's felt in some time. It was more than a physical bliss. There was serenity as well. What she has with Naruto may not be accepted, but it gave her peace and that's worth defending.

TENTEN

"Well," Dānyī asks as his daughter settles down next to him at their workbench.

"He'll tell him," Tenten tells her father as she takes a shuriken from the bin ahead of them and helps sharpen them to practiced perfection.

"Wonderful," he happily calls, sharpening with more energy.

"But…" she pauses when he stops. Tenten can already feel his disappointment when she takes a deep calming breath before informing him, "I know you said don't go higher than thirty-five percent, but I had to, or Haku-san wouldn't take it to Naruto-"

"How much?" He cuts her off, setting the sharp object down.

"…Seventy-"

"Seventy!"

"Five," Tenten weakly finishes.

"Seventy-five!" Dānyī yells, pushing off his stool to move away from his daughter. He whirls around, calling in disbelief, "Ten! How could you do something so stupid!"

"Tou-san," Tenten tries, standing to meet her disappointed father. "We aren't in an optimum position to bargain. They know they don't have to trade with us, which means we have to do whatever we can to bring them to the table. If Naruto accepts the challenge, all I need to do is win, and we get Kubikiribōchō free and clear."

"You better," her father warns. "Because I have no intention of honoring such blatant theft, especially with that fucking demon!"

"I'll win," Tenten emphasizes with a hint of desperation. "You'll see. Guy-sensei believes we're ready for the Chūnin exams and I have a year over him. I think I can beat a genin a few months out of the Academy."

Dānyī turns to his daughter and for the first time ever, unleashes his killing intent on her, asking with seething hate, "can you kill him?"

Despite eying her father, a shaking Tenten takes a step back, voicing through the stunting fear, "I- Tou-san… I… _hah_… don't… need to kill him."

Seemingly satisfied, Dānyī lowers his long-unused killing spirit, stating, "this is your last week, Ten. All that time you spent investigating, did you happen to learn why he has Kubikiribōchō?"

Breathing a little easier, Tenten slowly answers, "no. The log for that day showed seven teams entering the Hokage tower but only six missions were logged for public record. Which of course doesn't make sense since all missions are logged, whether successful or not."

Looking out the window, Dānyī roughly replies, "that simply means something happened that we don't know about."

"If it did, it was more than likely because of Uchiha-kun," Tenten argues. "I know that Kakashi-sensei and Uchiha-kun left for some special training. If I had to guess, it has something to do with his eyes."

Turning to face her daughter, with hard eyes Dānyī rigidly asks, "then why does the demon brat have Kubikiribōchō?"

Feeling slightly crushed under the displeasure of her father's little eyes, Tenten weakly postulates, "the only thing I can think of that makes any sense is Uzumaki and Haku stole it, but without asking them, it's only a guess."

"We've struggled every day since the Kyūbi attack. Rather than stay, and put in the hard work it takes to rebuild our destroyed business from the ground up, she left. Your mother left because she'd rather live the easy life." Dānyī eyes her with such vitriol, Tenten wonders if he even sees his own daughter before him. Dānyī warns her, "don't do the easy thing and hesitate, Ten." His eyes are hard and she can't shake the feeling that he's suffering in some way because of her. "I don't care if you kill him, just don't hesitate for a second," he finishes.

"I- I won't," she replies earnestly and he leaves her to finish sharpening the boxes of the shuriken on her own. Alone with her thoughts, a placid Tenten doesn't think about her woes. It's because she's spent a year with her three impressive teammates, that she discovered her one true concern, and it had nothing to do with her mother, her father, and the business.

It wasn't her mother. Tenten had already spent a good amount of her youth shooting at targets thinking of the woman who birthed then left her. However, after learning of Neji's family, she eventually came to the conclusion that this woman who apparently looks like her, quite simply ran away with another man, and as callous as it may sound, the fact is, her mother wasn't coming back. After learning of Neji's family, Tenten couldn't help but ask herself, '_why dwell on a woman__'s who's not coming back?_' The bun-haired brunette didn't need to consider more than that rationality to move on.

Tenten doesn't think about her father; not truly. Stress and anxiety in the body throws off her pinpoint accuracy, which she will not allow. While it's upsetting that he's so upset with her, she also knows everything will be alright after she wins Kubikiribōchō. So, since it's pointless to waste energy on useless, round-about what-if scenarios, she focuses on winning. Attaining that sword is the only solution she will give any thought to.

Tenten wasn't worried about the challenge either. Though she's very curious how he managed to gain the legendary weapon, Tenten doesn't spend much contemplation on Naruto-kun's skill level. He's a rookie genin and she's sparred dozens of times against Lee-kun, Neji, and Guy-sensei by this point. '_He__'s a close-range fighter who's probably never dealt with a long-range type before._' At least not a long range of her caliber.

As she sharpens the shurikens to perfection, she instead wonders, as she often does, about her place, not only within her team but within her village as well. It's the constant and reoccurring source of wonderment for her. Despite not having any ability in ninjutsu, Lee-kun knows exactly what his goal is and works harder than anyone she's ever seen to reach it. Though dour, Neji is simply a genius who obviously doesn't share her concerns. Even her sensei is a major threat. Tenten is so different from her team, from her village, it's often left her wondering if she's trying hard enough, or worse, if she's even good enough.

She'll never admit how childish her dreams of rescuing whole villages or kidnapped Daimyō with her impressing skills as a kunoichi are. It's not that she isn't confident in her ability, but she can't help but feel the reality of her skills don't align with her fantasy, and that very concern is always at the forefront of her mind. Every day, among her teammates, she can't help but wonder, '_am I good enough?_' Kubikiribōchō can change that. Kubikiribōchō can change her. To be better—to be the best—is all she wants; for her team, village, father but more importantly, for herself. It's the very reason why she won't hesitate to beat Uzumaki-kun.

* * *

Emotionally, Kurenai is closer. Ino is behind her but following in the same direction.

Tenten has always struck me as a kunoichi in a similar position as Sakura(stronger teammates and wanting to be stronger), but I always liked her. She didn't seem bitter, or unkind, but she wants to be one of the strongest kunoichi in history, and I can admire that. Since we don't know much about her family and she never mentions them, I reasoned her need to prove herself might've come from her own personal drive, possibly an extension of a less than stellar home rather than a wonderful and stable home environment. Like someone who only has their job because nothing else fulfills them as much.

Oh, Haku, you confusing cutie!

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you so much for all your support and comments. Have a great one,

-Grae

PS. I didn't want to mention this at the beginning of my notes but another reason for the delay is Game of Thrones really gutted me. I was all about Season 8, ready to proclaim to all how amazing the season finale was... now I feel so sad and horribly depressed. I couldn't even write. If you still love it, I think that's great and I'm jealous, but, I just can't anymore.


	18. 18The Month-Long Cost

Hey guys,

This chapter gets us to within a few days of the Chuunin exams. I blocked out my ideas on Scrivner and I've written some of it. There's still a lot to write, but I feel confident I can get out two more updates before the summer demands all of my time. I'll definitely do my best to get at least to the second task of the exam.

I want to thank you all for supporting this fic and taking the time to comment. I truly do appreciate your point of views and they truly do help me become better, so thank you.

Warning: Lemons.

This chapter took a while to get right. It's 12.4K words. Enjoy!

* * *

KURENAI

Observational Log: W:11 D:02 67/?…

…Personal Notes:

I can't say that it's entirely due to Summer Fox's request, but I've been having a lot of anal sex. At first, it was simply about instructing him on the finer points of having safe and pleasurable anal intercourse, since then, it's morphed into… more. I can't blame him too much. I've always liked getting stuffed from the back and he's a good student; always eager. I may have to repeat instructions at times, but once he gets it, he does it to perfection… and of course, the thing that he's doing to perfection is making me cum from taking it in the ass.

Now we both enjoy it when he floods my ass with no less than two loads of his hot cum. He knows how to play with my sphincter during vaginal intercourse, how I like my ass cheeks kneaded and pulled, how to angle his thrusts so it rolls the thinly veiled neighbor that is my sexual organ as his cock draws out the best friction, how to man-handle my body by the neck, ass cheeks, or using my arms for leverage when he's pounding my rectum into the mattress; how to tug on my hair until my entire body just feels like a gigantic erogenous zone made for his pleasure. So, yeah, I really can't blame him for teaching him how I loved to be fucked.

Of course, I explained to him the importance of lubrication and the one I use not only aids in preventing tearing and other injuries from the rapid pumping, but also eliminates infections. I made sure he understood the different types of lubricant and that anal sex should only be done after proper preparation or the risk of injury and infection is high.

His knowledge base on sex is also getting better… It's getting to the point where I'm just… it's not quite practice, nor is it quite lovemaking, or even just fucking… I feel like he sees me now… intimately. Kami, how did I get here?

NARUTO

It's Saturday morning and despite having to face Tenten for Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō later in the evening, Naruto crosses his paired index and middle fingers before him, concentrating on amassing every ounce of Chakra he can feel within him and bringing it to the precipice of his tenketsus. As he builds the acidic influx of raw power to painful heights, he holds his raging spirit-energy there. Crouched as he was crying out gutturally in Iruka-sensei's backyard until he couldn't stand the pain any longer, he emphatically activates, "Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Nearly the entirety of the large back yard and even parts of the roof erupt into a massive puff of thick white smoke. There's so much puffy white gas it takes nearly two minutes for it to clear with the wind, unveiling at least two hundred clones of Naruto. Though proud, a weak and depleted Naruto lets out a gasp. Since he distributed all his chakra equally, he knows he's not actually out of chakra, but it still feels _far_ less than what he's accustomed to. Like every morning since Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-teme left, the large group of Narutos all search the seal within for the power of Kurama's chakra.

While not an exact science, splitting his entire reserve with this many clones makes Naruto feel like thin glass, easily broken with a single punch. However, when he calls on Kurama's outrageous amount of chakra to replenish twice what he used, he and his nearly two hundred clones feel twice as strong as his base level. Though he still hasn't seen this red tail of chakra Naru-nii told him about, Naruto does take a moment to enjoy the morning, feeling excited by his training regiment and the results he sees every day. Looking around, he spots a few clones with red eyes and fierce whiskers, but not a single clone loses himself to the chakra.

"All right," Naruto calls out once he's fully reinvigorated. "Everybody on this side, head to the waterfall. You know what to do and good luck!" There's a slurry of shouts and, "ossu!" before two-thirds of his clones all take to the trees.

"Now, I want all of you over here to keep studying Fūinjutsu. I opened all the scrolls about Fūinjutsu in Iruka-sensei's house, so if you don't have a scroll to study, head over to the library." Normally, telling any Naruto to read would prompt a disgusted look on his face, however, Fūinjutsu was different. It didn't feel like reading. It felt like remembering something he'd simply forgotten. He just understood it like nothing else and couldn't get enough of it.

"Mnn," Naruto hums looking at the remaining twenty-five. "Ten of you get to that sweatshop in the civilian sector and keep learning how to be a pro tailor." "Ossu!" they cry before rushing toward the fashion district of the civilian sector. "Don't forget to henge as a civilian!" Naruto shouts at the ten versions of himself rushing away before turning to the remaining fifteen.

"The rest of you, we gotta work those jobs we got if we ever want to buy a pair of Asuma-nii's chakra blades. While Sakura and I do D-ranks, one of you go back to the janitor job at the theater, three to the three restaurant jobs we got as a dishwasher. I know they suck but after a few months of that, we could be promoted to server—don't forget to tell them where the best ramen in Konoha is. Ah, and that one gig collecting garbage. The rest of you look for more work. With the Chūnin Exams coming up, a whole bunch of shops are looking to hire for the rush of people coming in. You already know cash jobs are the best so make me proud!"

"Ossu!" they yell before they head out.

Alone in the early morning sunlight of Iruka's wooded backyard, Naruto chuckles at the idea of commanding his clones like the Hokage commands his shinobi, then settles to a serious demeanor. While the clones can transfer back physical experience, like muscle memory, they can't transfer back physical strength gained in the repetitive experience. Naruto has to gain physical strength on his own, and so, despite facing Tenten later in the day, Naruto starts his physical conditioning.

Naruto meets with Sakura and they train together.

SAKURA

Like Sakura expected, Ino—henge'd as Naruto—used her large orange toy to bring her to orgasm, though the size took some getting used to. Sakura had asked Ino why she bought such a large vibrator, going so far as to even cite a few studies she's read on her newly found sexual awakening that points out how little size matters. "Penis size doesn't necessarily affect sexual function like orgasms or sexual drive. It's the expectation's of penis size that drives anxiety and dissatisfaction more than physical function." Ino may have agreed but she gave no clear answer as to why she bought a vibrator that's on the larger side.

Even with a kunoichi's mastery over their body's flexibility, it took Sakura a week to become accustomed to the size before she can enjoy it as much as everything else Ino's done. It's not that Sakura enjoys this activity with Ino-Naruto, but what else can she do without the photos. She's earned five and in the two weeks before Sasuke-kun's return, there's only four more to go. Sakura knows Ino's whole plan is to make her feel so good she'll admit that she doesn't need her love for Sasuke-kun to feel good. Sakura knows Ino is diluting her love for the last Uchiha using Naruto's face, but it won't work.

Though Sakura has to compartmentalize quite a bit to separate the Naruto Ino henges as with the Naruto she trains with, she's intelligent enough to do it. It helps that training with Naruto is so grueling, making it nearly impossible to combine her teammate Naruto, with the Naruto she moans with every orgasm. She will admit it's a little tougher not to think about the sexual activity she's done with his look-a-like when he's sweating and heaving.

'_It can__'t be helped,_' her mind comments. On top of Ino using his face and making her say his name when she orgasms, Sakura trains with him every day. They've been training together for months now and in that time, Sakura is happy to learn that she doesn't hate him, or even dislikes him. He's so focused on becoming stronger and getting better every day, she can't help but admire that about him.

'_He beat a J__ōnin_,' her mind constantly reminds her in disbelief. No matter how it happened, that felt like the most unexpected moment in shinobi history. How can Sakura see her teammate and hate him as she once had after the Wave mission? He can set her off sometimes but training with Naruto has become such a normal part of her life and she doesn't mind it one bit. It's even easier when Kurenai-sensei is around.

It's clear to Sakura that Kurenai-sensei isn't put off by Naruto in any way; even when he asks dumb questions. Sakura had tried to apologize once on his behalf, but when the beautiful sensei responded, '_why would he need to apologize, Haruno-chan? I__'m a sensei and he's a student. Obviously, I want to answer anything he's unsure of so he, and his team can always return home safely._' Sakura was blown away by something so simple. To Kurenai-sensei, Naruto was just a fellow leaf nin; not someone annoying who is an impediment to her love. Just a ninja like everyone else. Kurenai-sensei simply wants Naruto to be his best. '_No, she wants everyone to be their best. And that__'s all that matters to her._'

As the raven-haired Jōnin is more verbose in her attention to them, Sakura has really enjoyed the moments Kurenai-sensei is with them. Unlike Kakashi-sensei who allows Team 7 to make mistakes before he voices how they should change it, Kurenai-sensei asks for their thoughts during missions, actions or decisions before suggesting other possible choices and how they might develop. She also talks about the history of techniques and how they've evolved through the years as well as what techniques to expect from specific regions. Sakura always knew the shinobi world was large, but reading it in a text manual and hearing it from a first-rate Jōnin were two entirely different things.

Sakura now understands why Ino admires this woman so much. Aside from being beautiful, Kurenai-sensei is a strong positive role model who genuinely believes in the future generation that will inherit Konoha's Will of Fire. After two weeks with Kurenai-sensei, Sakura earnestly enjoyed identifying with a woman so much stronger than her. It's why nearly all the kunoichi look up to Tsunade-sama of the Legendary Sannin. In such a male-driven world, it can be amazing to witness proof that kunoichi can be just as strong if not stronger than shinobi. Tsunade-sama may not be in the village, but it's also wonderful to look up to Kurenai-sensei.

It makes Sakura more attentive and train to her limits every day, which is never hard with a teammate like Naruto.

Before they split up for their specialized training, Sakura asks Naruto, "are you going to use that technique on Tenten-chan? I get why you don't want her to have Kubikiribōchō but please tell me you can win without shredding her muscle fibers like you did with Zabuza's."

Naruto turns to her as they walk down the dirt path toward the market. It's a beautiful day as he gazes at the blue sky and answers, "hopefully I won't have to but I won't know until we fight. I've gotten pretty good at making it stronger or weaker though."

"I suppose it'll be fine with Kurenai-sensei there," Sakura mentions before asking, "you spend time at her house, right?"

"Yup," Naruto answers her with a wide grin.

"Have you ever seen Asuma-sensei there?"

Naruto tilts his head like he does when he's thinking before answering, "in the beginning, sure. He had dinner with us once—that was pretty nice—but he hasn't been over since. Why?"

"Um," Sakura voices, before wondering if she should inform Naruto of her's and Ino's intention of getting Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei together. '_It might be beneficial to include Naruto if he__'s always over Kurenai-sensei's house_,' her mind points out. "Never mind. It's nothing," she tells him, realizing he would probably ruin such a delicate situation somehow.

"If you want to come over, I can always ask," Naruto suggests with hopeful glee.

Though tempted, she shakes her head, "maybe next time." To her surprise, he just leaves it at that and when they split up, she meets Ino in her home. Though she didn't leave with a photo, she did leave with a wide smile and a nice tingle throughout her perky form. Sakura has taken to returning some of Ino-Naruto's attention just to frustrate Ino further. Leaving Ino hot and bothered is her only avenue of rebellion and she does it every day now.

INO

Even if it was slower, running through the forest was easier than the chakra concentration necessary to hop from tree branch to tree branch, but an aroused Ino finally made it to the half-mile-long waterfall. As she expected, she found a bunch of half-naked Narutos training in a way that was never explained to her. She can clearly see a splash of water every time they all cry out in unison but in her horny state, she cares very little about his training and more about his sexual organ.

Ino walks on the water's edge before nervously calling out, "uh, hey! Naruto? I mean the real one," she clarifies looking from the left of the Naruto buffet line to the right. One calls out, "Ino-chan?" Then her name migrates from one clone to the next until finally, one Naruto jumps down, naked but for his shorts with his wet muscles gleaming in the afternoon sun. The rushing sound of the waterfall is as hypnotic a sound as the sight of his bare-chested tanned body, making frustrated Ino throb between her legs.

"Hey, Ino-chan," Naruto starts with a bright smile. Ignoring her state of arousal, he comments, "I heard your team is back together," and Ino sobers some at the mention of her team. After nearly two weeks away, Chōji rejoined Team 10 a week ago. Despite how much he tried to act as if nothing had changed—despite his credible clan-related excuses for his long absence—he couldn't fool Shikamaru, Asuma-sensei, or her. He was far more aware to resemble that lovable fatass he once was. He looked like he survived a traumatic experience and the world just wasn't what it was anymore… a feeling she can easily relate to. While Asuma shrugged it off, it clearly bothered Skikamaru.

Ino had her mask so she wasn't worried about giving anything away, and the way he was acting, it didn't seem like he would say anything either. It took a few days, but when they were finally alone, he immediately begged—hands, knees, and forehead on the ground, begged—for her forgiveness.

_"I didn't think- You have to believe I never wanted something like that to happen… never to you," Chōji cried. "You're like family to me and I… I just… I'm so so sorry Ino-chan! From the bottom of my heart, I'm so sorry!" _

_ Ino wanted to cry along with him, but thanks to Kurenai-sensei, she truly felt past it. Kurenai-sensei helped her get better, so she told the crying prostrating boy to get up. __"I'm not sure when I'll forgive you, Chōji, but I don't hate you-"_

_"I hate myself," Chōji interjected but Ino quickly responded, "well, you're not allowed to! I'm the one who was hurt, and I refuse to add a teammate who hates himself on top of that. If you want to do right by me then train. Train hard and don't let this happen again."_

_"It'll never happen again," Chōji assured her. "You have my word."_

"Are you okay," Naruto asks, bringing her out of her thoughts to see he was worried about her.

Though he didn't need to, she still thought it was nice of him to ask, and answers, "I'm okay, thanks."

"If you want to talk about it, I'd listen," Naruto offers, moving a step closer for emphasis, and making her recall why she came out here in the first place. Though the urge had dulled, Ino reasoned there was still enough; '_plus, I already ran all the way out here. It wouldn__'t make sense to go back just because I'm a little calmer._'

"Thanks but I'd rather not," Ino tells him with a reassuring smile. "I just want to move on with my life."

"Yeah, I totally agree," Naruto happily conveys. "You can't ever let bad stuff keep you down, you know? Or else they win."

"Is that how you got through it? All the bad stuff, I mean," Ino asks, thinking of all the hate he sees every day.

"Mnn," he hums with a nod as he adds, "that, Ji-chan, Teuchi-jiji and Ayame-nee-chan, Iruka-sensei and training."

Looking up at all the clones erupting splashes of water from the rushing cascade of water, Ino asks, "is that what all this is? Training?"

Nodding, Naruto wonders aloud, "didn't Asuma-nii tell you?"

"Asuma-nii?" Ino quirks her brow.

"Yeah. He's been helping me with my training. I thought he might've told your team."

"No, I knew he was helping, I just didn't know you called him Asuma-nii," Ino explains.

"Oh, yeah," Naruto says with a shrug. "I'm really glad you came by. Um, do you think it would be okay if I came to see you sometime, like at the flower shop or somewhere else?"

Smiling, Ino easily detects an opportunity to play and asks, "Naruto-kun, are you asking me out on a date?"

"Wha? No," Naruto stutters, unsure if he should or shouldn't. "No, I mean- not that I wouldn't- Well, I uh, was thinking-"

"Because as a rule, I generally expect the men who ask me out to bring flowers and or chocolate, and be fully dressed," Ino jokingly stipulates. With sad brows and a pout, she asks, "don't you think I deserve flowers and chocolates?"

"I," Naruto tries to backpedal, searching his brain for reassuring words. "I, yes! I mean, of course, you deserve men- I mean, flowers! And chocolates!" Ino holds in her bubbling laughter as he nervously adds, "I was only- because you remember we liked it- friends, I mean. I mean, we would like it if we were friends!"

Ino lets her laughter free and a fatigued Naruto lets out an overly worn exhale, mumbling, "Ino-chan…"

"Sorry, sorry," Ino says, clear the corner of her eye. "I was only teasing. Yeah, we can hang out."

"Really!" Naruto lights up. She nods with a satisfied smirk, to which he adds, "Sweet! I'm training right now but maybe I could ask Kurenai-sensei if you can come over for dinner. Or you can come over when Haku and I have dinner! We eat together all the time since he likes to make my favorite-"

"Are you guys _ever_ going to kiss!" Both blonds hear yelled over rushing water from the wood ramp above. All the clones stand huddled, spying, and one clone yells, "we're tired of waiting!"

Ino is suddenly aware of the audience as Naruto yells with a pointed finger, "who said any of you can take a break!"

"Ah, come on boss! Don't be so stingy and show us how it's done!" They yell and laugh.

"Whoever said that, don't make me come up there!"

Turning to Ino, Naruto says, "here, follow me." Without a word, she follows him as they run over the water, getting wet for several minutes by the waterfall's splash-back. In that time it made her remember the last time they were together in which she was following him. '_He was fully naked by the end of that trip,_' she thinks, and quite forcefully, those memories along with her earlier sexual frustration re-ignite her sex. '_We were both completely naked_,' she vividly recalls, picturing him plowing her walls and painting them white.

When he stops suddenly, she nearly runs into him. If her hand hadn't gripped his shoulder, her sensitive chest would've definitely pressed wonderfully against his strong back. Instead, one of his arms takes her around the back while the other scoops her up by her knees and she's suddenly held against his warm strong chest, princess style, before he jumps through the rushing wall of water. Panicking, Ino wraps her arms around his neck with the expectation they would hit a solid wall, however, they splash through the torrent of water and he lands confidently in the moderately sized cavern behind the waterfall. Ino opens her eyes to the privacy of the simple circular cave that looks like it's been scooped out by a large ladle. Behind the rushing waterfall, in a darker cavern, a hot and hard Naruto is half-naked and holding her to him like a princess…

'_Yeah, I__'m triggered… I'm triggering… fuck_,' her hazy mind states as her body heats up, softens and lubricates. Ino can't think but for the vivid memories of their amazing times of incredible pleasure, growing more aroused. '_I know this scent_,' she recalls his intoxicating aroma along with the pounding motion that mixed their secretions. Alone, in his arms, hot and wet, she looks at him dazed, and dumbly reveals, "you made me wet."

It's as if Naruto only realized then that jumping through the waterfall would make her wet. His profuse apology is on the tip of his tongue until he notices her flush cheeks, lidded eyes, her bitting her plump, lower lip, and her relaxed squirming. Naruto felt his dick twitch and swell. He can feel her heartbeat and the way she tightens her legs, he answers instead, "I know how to fix that."

'_Oh, Kami does he_,' her body screams. Suddenly feeling flush and soft, Ino holds him tighter, pressing her face beside his, wondering, '_he__'s so warm._' Feeling her juices trail back to her bottom cheeks, rather than voice what her nether region is aching for, Ino simply nods, '_yes,_' against his face as she breathes him in.

Naruto walks further away from the rushing water to the rounded end of the cavern. He sets her down but he doesn't let her paper-thin knees fold as he holds her against him. His hands keep her steady as they run hungrily up and down the silhouette of her figure. Her nipples stiffen to stone teats as her lean presses her bosom against his hard chest.

"Ino-chan?" he softly calls.

The heat and hunger of his strong hands cull all the stress in the arc of her lower back and love handles and patiently spreads a hyper-pleasant tingle up her spine and down her trembling legs as she answers, "y-yeah?"

When his hands skillfully drag and distorts the firm bubble of her butt before grabbing her cheeks, pulling her flush against him, feeling his raging hard-on against her humid crotch, Naruto kneads her pliant cheeks over her skin-tight shorts as he asks, "don't you normally wear leg bindings under your purple skirt?"

With his grip, he easily grinds himself against her rapidly drenching vagina as she mindlessly mumbles, "_mm-hhmnn_."

She knew why she wore her white, elastic fit, athletic shorts and clearly he does as well as he whispers in her ear, "these are much easier to take off." His impregnating words in her ear is all her mind and sex need to flood her hot contracting quim with excessive lubrication. Ino was burning for him now, and couldn't help the whimpered moan before she pleads, "Naruto… I need…"

"Ino…" He moans as his hand dips inside her elastic white shorts. Just feeling his hot hand cup her dilating labia and erect clitoris, her knees buckle and her arousal rockets to fearful heights. Driven by vivid memories of the past and certainty of how this will end as well, all reason is lost and her wet need was as great as it was near at hand. "Narutooooo…." Ino moaned fearfully, wondering if she might survive the rupture of her ever tightening pleasure coil.

Naruto wanted to taste her juicy snatch but she was blushing humidly, breathing quickly and he couldn't resist the nearly painful look on her beautiful face. She holds on his shoulders as he peels her white shorts enjoying the sight of her juices glazing the entirety of her inner thighs. She trembled when she felt his large head press against her sodden center, ready to spread her wet pink line into a wide dripping O.

"I missed you Ino-chan," Naruto whispers into her ear, gently peppering the side of her face with kisses in hopes of calming her down as he slowly slides into the buttery warmth of her juicy love glove. Though he wanted to calm her down some, when he whispers hotly in her ear, "I missed my Ino-hime," her brain melts as she instinctively squeezes his meat in. Ino moans gutturally as his imposing crown feels like it's burrowing in every one of her pleasure zones at once, beautifully stuffing her wet heat deeper than she felt space for until he was fully inside her tightness.

"My pretty little Ino-hime is so tight for me," Naruto moans in her pregnable ear and her trembling arms squeeze his neck tighter as he slowly withdrew every inch of thick meat from her sensitive snatch, making her head swim in euphoria and eyes cry. Ino shakes her head no, as he stops at her entrance, thinking, '_I__'m not going to make it, I'm not going to make it, I'm not going to mak_-' "KUH!" Her head snaps back at his full thrust, stuffing himself completely as her quivering quim snaps shut around him. Her mind explodes with undiluted euphoria, seizing and shocking her entire body in boundless pleasure. She's vaguely aware her climax squirting on Naruto as she suffers happily in his embrace.

Ino wasn't sure how long she came for but other than her buzzing fatigue, nothing changed when she regained awareness. They were still inside the round cavern behind the waterfall, Naruto was still throbbing hard and he was still inside her. Glazed eyes turn to his affectionate face, looking at her adoringly before he takes her pink lips. He kisses her deeply and her giddy mind returns it just as happily.

'_He__'s so good_,' she thinks as he plays masterfully with her mouth, sucking and biting perfectly to entice but never crossing the line of too much. It amazed her before she saddens when he pulls away.

She only had time to pout before he asks, "can I finish inside my beautiful Ino-hime?"

His brows are knitted in withheld pleasure and she can tell he's been enduring it this entire time, reflexively squeezing him a bit. She leans in and though scared for her sanity, she fearfully rewards him as she whispers, "fuck me Naruto- _AAHH!_" she yelps, cut off by his deep thrust. Leaning back to balance their combined weight and for more leverage, he pumps into her repeatedly ripping a mewling moan from her hoarse throat with every thrust. The pleasure ring at the pit of her stomach expanded frightfully fast and before she could tame her expectations, her taut tank of pure bliss ruptures, over-saturating her entire system with electric ecstasy.

Despite her moaning bliss, Naruto keeps pumping his large fiddling member, keeping her in euphoric paradise until the mercy of his climax plunged her into cognitive darkness, illuminating it to pure white. Ino only felt the moment a massive amount of his hot seed flooded her quaking walls before her pupil-less blue eyes roll back and she passes out.

Eventually opening her eyes, a tingling Ino feels warm and safe. She's still clothed in her purple high neck crop-top blouse and purple apron skirt but her white shorts were around one ankle and she's resting comfortably atop of Naruto, her head cozily under his and on his chest. Despite the now oddly falling cold water beside them, she was toasty warm against him, feeling completely at ease in the world. She could go back to sleep but knew she needed to get back. With great effort she extricates herself, waking him up, but rushing away with a quick goodbye kiss, she's jumping through the unevenly falling water. Looking behind her in her sprint away, the water looks like it's being broken apart somehow by the clones.

HAKU

"May I see you tomorrow, Yuki-kun," the polite boy asks.

With an easy smile and consenting bow, Haku leaves the helpful silver-haired boy to meet Kurenai-san. It hasn't been long since his welcome party and Haku is in awe of his life now. He's meeting with Kurenai-san in the market to buy a few ingredients for dinner with their endearing blue-eyed blond and they're nearly done when a relaxed-looking shinobi with brown hair under his bandanna, brown eyes, and a small senbon between his lips walks up to Kurenai-san. Though the man was very subtle, Haku didn't like the way he gazes at her.

'_This is Naruto-kun__'s lover_,' Haku mentally asserts as Kurenai introduced him as Shiranui Genma. Haku inclined his head slightly before taking a territorial step closer toward Kurenai-san, a move both jōnin notice. When Kurenai-san asked for a few minutes and to go ahead without her, Haku simply states, "I'll wait for you just up ahead, Kurenai-chan," eying the ever collected Genma before he leaves.

It isn't until they're both in the privacy of Kurenai's home, putting away the groceries before preparing dinner, that Kurenai asks him, "what was that?"

Haku doesn't turn to her as he takes Naruto's steak out of the freezer to thaw before asking, "what do you mean?"

"Don't even try that on me, Haku-kun," Kurenai sternly tells him. When the beautifully feminine boy turns to her, she asks, "please, explain yourself."

Haku sheepishly admits, "at first it was simply for diversionary purposes. If others assumed I was interested in you, they would be less inclined to believe you were spending time with Naruto-kun. And if you deny anything going on between us, you wouldn't be lying to your friends."

Stern red eyes never waver as Kurenai nods before responding, "at first?"

"I ultimately felt I was protecting Naruto-kun's love-"

"Naruto doesn't love me," Kurenai quickly asserts.

"Doesn't he? It isn't outside the realm of possibility," a composed Haku returns. "But forgive me if I have it wrong. It's just you both seem-"

"We are not anything more than what we are," Kurenai quickly responds. "It isn't one thing or another. It just is."

Haku eyes her just as genially as he is enchanting before asking, "then, would you be opposed if he dated Hinata-chan?" At her surprised look, Haku adds, "it's quite clear the girl is in love with him, near the point of worship, which I approve of, and with some more emotional maturity, I'm sure he may grow to love her as well."

"Haku-kun…" she groans with mild agitation. Kurenai rubs the bridge of her nose as she explains, "that can't happen." Kurenai briefly explains the Hyūga clan and the hard situation Hinata-chan was born into. "The clan, especially her pig of a father, would never allow their union. I'm asking you not to do anything that would hurt her needlessly. Facing the truth at some point in the future will be horrible enough; giving her too much hope for feelings that will never be will only hurt her that much more."

"I see," Haku solemnly states. "To be clear, I simply want Naruto-kun to be happy. At the moment, you bring him the most joy, as he seems to bring out the same in you." Kurenai doesn't say more and Haku hopes she's replaying his words in her mind… but the boy couldn't be more amused when the subject of their conversation runs into Kurenai's home.

Well before dinner, an obviously aroused Naruto rushes into the kitchen and when Haku assures Naruto he can handle dinner preparations alone, Naruto carries a blushing and weakly protesting Kurenai-san upstairs. The rhythmic creaking coming from Kurenai's bedroom brings a smile to Haku's face as well as a boy with round glasses to his mind. Having seen the lengths Naruto trains for those he deems his precious people, Haku knows he can't fail him. Because failing Naruto-kun means also failing Zabuza-sama. And that he will not do.

NARUTO

While laying on Kurenai's couch, Naruto dispels his clones three at a time, thirty seconds apart and uses that entire time to listen to another one of Naru-nii's stories. For the past few weeks, his future counterpart would recount some of his missions or talk about the things he missed the most, his Godfather, his teammates, and his friends. Shikamaru was a complete surprise to Naruto, and it was weird to hear Naru-nii describe someone Naruto knows as the laziest person in the world, as a genius and a very caring person.

He's heard a bit about how amazing his friends are—Sakura's crazy training, Kakashi-sensei's wicked eye, how unbeatable Sasuke becomes—a bit about Kakashi's old teammates, but Naruto has also heard some about the deaths Naru-nii wasn't strong enough to prevent. He already knows exactly how Haku was supposed to die, alongside Zabuza-jiji. Learning how Ji-chan died at the hands of a former student nearly did Naruto in with panic, followed by extremely reckless training. He was only comforted by Naru-nii reminding him it hasn't happened, and things are changing so there's no reason to think that it will either.

'_But what if it __**does**__ happen_,' Naruto mentally yells.

'_**Then you do what you always have, get even stronger so you can stop it next time, because trust me, there will always be a next time. You become the strongest so you can protect those you love with everything you have.**_'

Naruto couldn't understand how anyone could be so evil as to kill Ji-chan and it took Naru-nii several days of thirty to forty-minute sessions to explain his thoughts on evil.

'_**It took me a while to learn how to look underneath the underneath,**_' Naru-nii admitted.

'_Kakashi-sensei says that all the time,_' Naruto mournfully points out.

'_**Well, he**__**'s right**_,' the older Naruto chuckles. '_**Every time I come up against someone really crazy strong, and learn why they**__**'re being so inhuman to others, it's always because of something sad, like they lost someone they really loved, or a family, a clan, and they couldn't bear it. Like us, they got really strong because of it, but unlike us, they wanted to make others feel their pain; to make them pay. The problem with that is innocent people have nothing to do with it, and it's like they're in the way of the things these bad people desire, so they just remove or kill them, which breeds more hate and pain, pushing more people to do really horrible stuff and that cycle just continues.**_'

It's how Naruto currently finds himself, laying on Kurenai's couch as his clones dispel a triplet at a time while Haku and Kurenai prepare dinner. Focusing on Naru-nii's voice instead of the headache, he listens to the third part of a long story: The Pain and Loss of the Uchiha Clan, along with the details of the noble clan's downfall.

Naru-nii told him about the suspicion that befell the Uchiha after an enslaved Kurama was forced to attack Konoha; About the planned coup d'état to overthrow Ji-chan; About Itachi, Shisui, and Shimura Danzō's part—Danzō, in particular, seems like the person who wanted all of this to happen. With care and respect, Naru-nii explained Itachi's sacrifice and deal to make sure his little brother would always remain safe. He explained Sasuke's misdirected desire to kill Itachi. And all of it took Naru-nii nearly three sessions to finish explaining it.

Unclear, Naruto asks, '_why did Tobi tell you all that, then just leave?_'

'_**He thought he was defending all the bad stuff Sasuke was doing,**_' Naru-nii replies. '_**Like I would understand Sasuke more if he explained how little Sasuke is actually in control of his destiny.**_'

'_Did you_,' Naruto questions. '_I mean, it doesn__'t really sound right._'

'_**Mnn, well, more stuff made sense, for sure, but Tobi didn**__**'t truly know Sasuke, so he missed the thing that mattered the most.**_'

During many of these story sessions, Naruto understands Naru-nii like he understands Fūinjutsu, so he's more confident when he picked out what mattered most to Sasuke—mattered like the way Nai-chan, Ji-chan, and Iruka-sensei do. Even if he and Sasuke clash and rival, Naruto always felt the avenger's loss, so with reasonable certainty, Naruto mentions, '_…he loved his brother more than anything._'

'_**Exactly**_,' Naru-nii chuckles. '_**I know you want to be the one to reach Sasuke, just like Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei want to be the one to reach him; to save him from his hatred**__**… but I learned the hard way that there's only one person who can reach him, and that's his brother, Uchiha Itachi.**_'

'_Tobi gave up_,' Naruto thinks in blocks, like building a seal one segment at a time.

'_**Yeah,**_' Naru-nii agrees.

'_So, he only sees through the eyes of someone who__'s given up,_' Naruto continues.

'_**Yeah.**_'

'_But we don__'t give up,_' Naruto adds with a small though genuine smile.

'_**Hell no**_,' Naru-nii emphasizes. '_**We don**__**'t run and we don't go back on our word.**_'

'_Ninja build_,' Naruto adds happily. "Because that's our Nindō."

'_**Damn right**_,' Naru-nii proclaims. '_**I**__**'m almost out. We'll pick this up next time.**_'

'_Sure thing Naru-nii,_' Naruto bids before quickly thinking of tonight. '_Real quick, how do you think I should fight Tenten-chan?_'

'_**Hehe**_,' Naru-nii laughs. '_**I have faith in you,**_' is all he answers before leaving and Naruto smiles. He didn't need more than that. No accurate fortune could possibly be better than feeling Naru-nii's faith in him. The way Naru-nii just gets him, is patient, and always believes in him, fills him with confidence. There's no better inspiration and Naruto strives every day to get to that point faster… to make Naru-nii proud.

After an immensely satisfying dinner with three people he cherishes, Naruto gets ready to meet Tenten-chan, her father and her sensei in Training Ground 3. Though reeling from dispelling so many clones, some time to heal and food helped to reduce his head pain to a mild headache that's gradually going away.

"Here comes a worthy opponent, Tenten-chan!" Until that moment, Naruto had forgotten how weird her sensei was, but Naruto couldn't say he disliked the man. He just had too much positive energy not to like. "We haven't formally been introduced, Naruto-kun. I am Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey, Maito Gai!"

'_Huge eyebrows!_' Naruto mentally yells, before calling out his own, "my name is Uzumaki Naruto, the future and greatest Hokage there'll ever be!"

"Oh!" Guy calls with tight explosive fists as he shouts to the night sky, "let the power of our youthful lives explode!"

"Sensei…" Tenten mumbles embarrassed and Kurenai mumbles an equally embarrassed, "Naruto, don't- don't encourage this."

Kurenai greets her fellow Jōnin-sensei, laying out the rules of the challenge. "Should Genin Tenten win, Kubikiribōchō will be hers. Should genin Naruto win, Tenten is to be his personal shopper covering seventy-five percent of all his market needs-" Kurenai puts her hand up, cutting Naruto off before he can assert how little he cares about that. "However, rather than covering his market expenses, Naruto would prefer you never challenge him for Kubikiribōchō again. He's explained his reasons and I find them to be sound."

"What reasons!" Dānyī calls, eying Naruto with a curled lip of disgust. Though Tenten seems mildly startled, she smiles and shrugs as if fine with the amendment while her father continues, "my apologies, Kurenai-san, but I find it incredibly unprofessional to change the wager after it was agreed upon. This is unacceptable and an affront to good business relations!"

"I see," Kurenai coldly states, taking a firm stance over the shorter weapons merchant. "Well, as Naruto doesn't even want this to happen, you are more than welcome to leave."

Dānyī then asserts, "if we leave it's because he broke the rules of the wager and should forfeit Kubikiribōchō as recompense."

"You have two Jōnin who would disagree with you," Kurenai counters with an edge without actually confirming with Guy-sensei. "And if you truly feel slighted, you are more than welcome to take it up with Hokage-sama, as the civilian council will have no say in this wager between _active_ Konoha shinobi. So what'll it be, Dānyī-san?"

Dānyī huffs and turns in acceptance. Unsealing the great buster sword from a flashy orange and blue scroll, Naruto hands Kubikiribōchō to Guy-sensei before he and Tenten-chan walk to the middle of the field.

"You know if you want to practice with it, I don't mind," Naruto begins to express to her when they are alone in the middle of the grass field. The night air whips around them and Naruto adds, "but I can't let you have it."

Smirking, she responds, "that's nice of you, but once I beat you, I'll practice with it whenever I want."

"End it quick, Ten," they hear Dānyī yell, before Guy-sensei calls out, "begin!"

Tenten hops back a fair distance as he hears the rubbing metal of shuriken, making Naruto hear Kurenai's voice in his head asking him what she's been trying to beat in his head for the past three weeks, '_did you analyze? Is the attacker long range or short-to-mid range? Does the attacker want to trick you?_'

'_Long range_,' Naruto thinks as he dodges shuriken she accurately shoots to keep him from closing the distance. When she lands many paces away, she immediately takes out two scrolls. Unfurling them so they spin around her, she unseals a multitude of projectile weapons—to his evident surprise—before sniping him with pinpoint accuracy. Whipping out his kunai, Naruto dodges and parries a hail of sharp weapons being perfectly shot at his chest. Even as he runs to the side, she's perfectly marking him and going all out from the very beginning. Without the time for Kage Bunshin, Naruto sprints for the nearest tree while parrying her attacks with his kunai.

Ducking behind a tree that's quickly stuffed with the puncturing '_taps_' of at least twenty weapons, he calls out, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" and fifty clones armed with kunai billow out from behind the tree, sprinting around to catch her from multiple angles.

Though not necessarily surprised by his shadow clones, having already seen them on the waterfall, watching them try to outflank her from the left and the right all with kunai felt very different. Feeling the pressure, Tenten pops a squad of clones automatically as she easily punctures them repeatedly with her pinpoint accuracy. Though she questions why his clones haven't sniped her with their kunai.

One clone unseals a Fūma shuriken and tosses it to another clone right before she pops him. In one motion, the Naruto clone catches and throws the larger shuriken perfectly at Tenten-chan before that clone is popped as well. Tenten smiles as she dodges the large weapon while simultaneously decimating his clones, calling out, "you're going to have to do a lot better than that-" until she hears a pop behind her. Rotating her head to the extent of her neck's range, she's surprised to see the Fūma shuriken was a henge of another clone before it launches a non-lethal kunai strike right to her thigh.

It cries out, "gotcha!" making her smile confidently as she narrowly avoids a major injury. Though the kunai cuts into her leg a bit, it's not deep enough to hinder her attack and she pops that clone as well before returning her lethal focus to the original…

…Who she had no idea was thrown in the air by his remaining clones and coming down on her, fist cocked, just as her face turns to him. Naruto lands a powerful, gravity-assisted punch across her lovely cheek, spinning her whole body twice before she hits the grass floor face first. Tenten-chan is knocked out with one, brain-rattling, punch before landing sprawled on the floor.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto," Guy-sensei calls.

"Fuck!" Dānyī yells. "He cheated! That damn demon cheated!"

"Dānyī-san, calm yourself," Kurenai orders him as Guy checks on his student.

"Why!" He yells, "he obviously can't be trusted! There's no way he could've won!"

"Regardless of your daughter's impressive mastery over weapons, Naruto located and exploited her weakness of multiple fronts of attack," Kurenai states. "He did not cheat."

"I agree," Guy states as he carries Tenten over to them with Naruto beside them.

"She's crazy accurate," Naruto proclaims, extending his arms to look at his torn jumpsuit.

"You fought splendidly," Guy notes as Tenten-chan starts to come around. She winces when she tries to talk and realizes she's been struck in the face nearly as hard as Lee-kun does. "Wha-" "Be calm, Tenten-chan," her sensei tells her. "We can talk about your strategy later, however, Naruto is the victor of this wager, but you shouldn't feel ashamed! Your amazing and beautiful sensei has also lost many battles in his youth, but I never gave up and neither should you."

"Yeah," Naruto adds. "You almost had me a bunch of times."

"No," Tenten bemoans through her sore jaw, turning to her father. "Tou-chan…"

He simply shakes his head in undeniable disappointment before turning away from her. The weapons dealer observes Haku sealing Kubikiribōchō in the orange and blue scroll before leaving his daughter behind. Tenten hides her face in her sensei's shoulder. Naruto stomps forward to yell at her asshole of a father for making her feel sad but Kurenai puts her hand on his shoulder and he refrains from chasing the man and punching him.

"If she needs a place to stay, please bring her to my home," Kurenai offers.

As her father wouldn't allow her to enter her home with the shame of her loss, Guy-sensei did bring Tenten to Kurenai's house that night. Though Naruto couldn't spend the night, he was happy Nai-chan cared enough to help Tenten.

Despite how much stronger Naruto felt, he was still nearly done in by her impressive accuracy, so rather than go to bed right away, Naruto and eleven clones practice the next step of creating the Rasen-shuriken. He wanted to know who his parents are and more than anything, he wanted to be strong enough to fight against the worst out there, because Naru-nii, said the ninja world is big and there's a lot of weird fighters out there.

KURENAI

"You're welcome to stay here for as long as you need," Kurenai tells a glum Tenten with a bandage over her cheek. Tenten enters the spare bedroom without a word. "If you need anything, I'll be down the hall."

Finally setting her duffel bag down, she asks, " why does he have Kubikiribōchō?"

"I'm sorry Tenten-chan," Kurenai starts. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that. It may be hard, but trust in your sensei-"

"Please," Tenten calls emphatically. "I lost to a genin fresh out of the Academy. What has this whole year and a half meant if I can lose so easily… I…" her voice fades when Tenten realizes Kurenai-sensei has no reason to answer her; to help her make sense of her loss.

But Tenten didn't know Kurenai's a strong inheritor of Konoha's Will of Fire and leans against the door frame as the beautiful Jōnin states, "this has less to do about Naruto and more to do with you. It seems to me you expect a lot of yourself and while that's not a bad driving force to have, it can lead to adverse effects if you rely too heavily on it. The only thing you are responsible for is training every single day to extend your limits."

"But I do," Tenten replies. "It's impossible not to with a Sensei like Guy."

"I can't fault you there," Kurenai muses before stating, "maybe ask Guy-sensei on ways to round out your abilities. I wouldn't be the Genjutsu Mistress if I only knew how to manipulate one of our five senses. I need all five perspectives to be masterful and you are more than one thing. Taijutsu, Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, Fūinjutsu, Iryō Ninjutsu, and on, and on. The shinobi world is large and as Guy ultimately means to say, never give up, because Naruto surely doesn't."

INO

Ino has a problem.

Sex, lovemaking, fucking; Naruto is a lot better than she ever expected him to be and he consistently makes her pass out from mind-bending pleasure. His kisses, the way he whispers in her ear, the way he holds her, his all-around impressive manhood and the way he uses it on her… '_either he__'s a natural at sex or my psychosomatic trigger is working overtime to suffocate me in raw pleasure. Maybe it's a bit of both?_' her mind reasons.

Since they made their deal, she's had sex with Uzumaki Naruto at least twice a week, and every time, she's only able to make it to his first orgasm before passing out. They generally tend to have sex in that ever-widening cave behind the waterfall, but they've also had sex in her room when he visited her, his room in Iruka-sensei's home, and even in his old apartment. The only time she ever survived two of his orgasms was when he fucked her in the ass first.

'_It__'s so humiliating_,' Ino mentally groans, as she's always taken delight in her effect on men. Certainly, it can be annoying when some men don't understand when she's not interested, but at the end of the day, she'd rather have the attention than not. After all, it isn't the flower's fault for being so magnetic.

Naruto is not the most attractive man she's ever seen; especially standing next to Sasuke-kun or Hyūga Neji. Naruto's slightly above average in looks but nothing to write pages about. '_I should be dominating him_,' her mind yells. '_Wrapping him around my little finger. Under normal circumstances, if I even gave him a chance to date me, he should be thanking me for spending time with him!_' And yet, Ino's knees automatically wobble whenever she sees him. Her breath quickens, her nipples stiffen, her womanhood steadily grows drenched, and her memories stuff her deep into heavy arousal.

Certainly, Sakura hasn't helped the irregular acuity of her arousal in any way. Since the pinkette's been returning the attention every day, Ino always finds herself debating finding Naruto to relieve her heavy ache or not. There's so much that goes into that decision; many questions that all center around her fear of why Naruto makes her feel so good when she doesn't love him like she does Sasuke-kun. Yet, every time Ino leaves Naruto, she's thinking about him, about herself, about possibilities, and about what she thinks she knows about real love. Her mother had once confessed she preferred the phrase, 'life-partner.'

'_While romance is most certainly an important part of love, it__'s not the only part that matters, nor is it the __**most**__ important part if you want to have a long loving relationship_,' her mother once told her. '_Your father, the love of my life, is also my very best friend, and there are many times when a friend matters more than romance._' Young as Ino was—with her fantasy life as Sasuke-kun's future wife—she easily disregarded her mother's thoughtless comment, but Ino isn't so innocent anymore.

With Sasuke-kun returning in a few days, Ino's finally ready to end this plan for Sakura and possibly think of something more honest with Naruto… a friendship… maybe more?

'_I must be going crazy_,' Ino mentally groans as she roughly rubs her symmetric face in frustration for her Naruto Sasuke-kun dilemma. While it's true Naruto isn't who she originally thought he was, sometimes he still feels like it. In many ways, he's still the same as she remembers, but in a lot of other ways, he's more…

The knock on her bedroom door brings her out of her thoughts as she hops out of bed. In her purple hotpants and tight top, Ino opens the door for Sakura and though she smells clean, Ino can see her pink-haired former friend and rival looks exhausted.

'_In one study or another, she probably trains all day now,_' Ino thinks as she comments, "you look nice."

"I look like crap," Sakura mundanely corrects.

"But nice looking crap," Ino adds with a smile.

"Shut up," Sakura simply huffs.

Ino hops on her bed and sits with her legs spread before patting the bed and adding, "come here." Sakura removes her outerwear for her red hotpants and tight pink and white tank underneath. It's not the pinkette's favorite style of clothes but Ino traded a photo for her to wear it for the entire year and it was the easiest photo she ever earned. Sakura takes a seat between Ino's legs before the platinum blond begins giving her a much-needed massage. Sakura doesn't even care when she moans in delight.

"So, with Sasuke-kun coming back in a few days, I thought I may as well tell you how to earn the last two photos. As you can imagine, it'll be harder than vibrator-sex with yours truly."

"Let me guess," Sakura starts, dreading to say aloud, "you want me to… have sex with Naruto."

"Who's my smart little girl," Ino jokes. "When did you figure out that's how this ends?"

"…A week ago," Sakura sorrowfully answers.

"When you asked if I could henge into someone else…" Ino recalls. "I assume you thought I was preparing you mentally for him, so it'd be easier…"

"It's not going to work, Ino," Sakura heatedly returns and Ino feels the pinkette's muscles tense. "You can force me to be raped by anyone and I'm still going to love Sasuke-kun no matter what!"

"Since I know how much you love to declare, '_no matter what, no matter what,_' we're putting that theory to the test. You're going to have sex with Naruto and as always you are more than welcome to back out, even though you've already had sex with me multiple times."

"Fuck, Ino!" Sakura nearly yells, trying to move away from Ino, but the Yamanaka wraps her arms around the pink-haired girl and doesn't let go. Frustrated Sakura weakly adds, "I- … I was really starting to not hate you again. Then you do shit like this!"

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't like you-"

"Is that why you're raping me?"

"It's why I'm the one willing to hold up the mirror," Ino responds. "Because no one else will!"

"And Naruto?" she asks. "I didn't think it was possible but we're in a pretty good place. He can be annoying sometimes but I actually have a good opinion of him. Whether you can believe it or not, I like being his teammate. Having sex with him is going to ruin all that."

Ino can believe it but it's not as if they talk about Naruto a lot and so she answers, "first, remember you don't have to do it-"

Fed up with that empty platitude, Sakura asks in frustration, "why do you keep saying that like this isn't blackmail? You always say that and guess what? It doesn't make it any less demanding."

"You do have a choice you idiot," Ino calls, feeling her own edge. "And I may want you to have sex with him, but I want you to do it in a specific way."

Pulling up short, Sakura slowly asks, "…what do you mean?"

"I want you to convince him it's goodbye sex."

"What?" she calls incredulously.

"Kind of like a goodbye kiss, but with sex-"

"Yeah I got that, but I don't understand how you want me to-"

"Listen," Ino interrupts. "I want you to tell him- no, to _convince_ him that you can't, nor will you ever, return his feelings, but you would like to give him something special in return. Make him understand that this is so you can both move on. You know you'll hurt him by rejecting his feelings, but because he's going to be a part of your life, it's only fair you give him something special."

"But that's not fair! That makes no sense!"

"Keyword, Sakura: Convince," Ino points out, regardless of how much sense it makes. "If he believes this is what you truly want, regardless of what you actually believe, then why would he doubt it?"

"He'll never fall for that," Sakura points out defensively.

"Try!" A frustrated Ino pointedly asks, "Kami, how many times have you rejected him? How many Sakura?"

"…I don't know," she slowly answers. "Hundreds, I guess."

"How many times have you hit him, and he keeps asking you out," Ino then asks, to which Sakura shamefully answers, "…a lot-"

"That's my point," Ino argues. "It's not exactly normal behavior. I'd almost say he's obsessed," Ino says, though she knows it's not as severe as Sakura's obsession. "Even if you tell him it's over, how likely is it that he'll believe you more now, then before?"

"So your solution is giving him my virginity?"

"Don't pretend I didn't claim that land before him," Ino asserts. "Remind Naruto that the earlier he begins to accept it'll never happen between you two, the quicker he'll eventually start noticing other girls." Ino's heart beats a little faster at that. Despite, noting how much this plays in her favor, Ino convinces herself it has everything to do with Sakura shedding the last vestiges of innocence in hopes that what's left will react better to the final prong of her plan. Almost thinking aloud, Ino then asks, "what if Naruto misses out on the real love of his life because he's pinning after you the entire time?"

Her face crunches in confusion as Sakura asks, "why the hell do you even care about his love life?"

"I don't," Ino defends. "Th-this is just to convince him, is all."

Shaking her head at the crisis before her, Sakura shakes her head in abhorrence, citing, "for days, I watched Naruto thinking this has been your plan all along… To force me to fuck the person Sasuke-kun hates the most. Even if you promise not to tell Sasuke-kun, and of course, I deny it to my grave, what's to stop Naruto from telling everyone?"

"Just make him promise not to," Ino answers. "He takes those pretty seriously."

"How do you know," Sakura asks, tilting to look at the blond.

"I was with Kurenai-sensei when she talked with Iruka-sensei about Naruto," Ino answers honestly.

"…Fine," Sakura sadly agrees, feeling hollow in the process.

"I'll be around if you-"

"What are you forcing me to do for the last photo," Sakura sadly asks.

"I want you to ask Sasuke-kun a question for me," Ino plainly answers before they both go over various possibilities of how to go about convincing Naruto.

NARUTO

'_**You cut the entire waterfall in half and you**__**'re already practicing Rasenshuriken?**_' Naru-nii awes, as he asserts, '_**it hasn**__**'t even been that long!**_'

'_What can I say,_' Naruto hums in happiness before adding, '_I__'m just too awesome._' Naruto is atop the waterfall, taking a lunch break with Haku as his clones continue to practice below. He's seated crossed legged with his eyes close, seemingly meditating, so Haku doesn't find it weird.

'_**Yeah, yeah, mister Awesome,**_' Naru-nii chuckles to hear himself. '_**Yeesh, I really can be like that. Tell me how the new technique feels and where it might be tough.**_'

'_Ne, before that can you tell me who my parents are and who my Godfather is?_'

'_**Well, I said after you learn Rasenshuriken,**_' Naru-nii hums to himself. '_**…but you have been doing super amazing so how about I tell you half?**_'

'_Half?_'

'_**Yeah,**_' his older self answers. '_**And I**__**'ll tell you the other half after you learn Rasen-shuriken. Deal?**_'

'_Deal!_'

'_**Cool. So, our surname name, Uzumaki, comes from kaa-chan**__**'s side of the family, as well as our clan.**_'

"Uzumaki Clan," Naruto mumbles and he realizes he spoke aloud when the more patient eater, Haku, asks, "what was that, Naruto-kun?"

"Ah!" Naruto coughs with an artificial smile. "Nothing. Just thinking about… about starting my clan, actually. Don't mind me." Once Naruto closes his eyes, he asks Naru-nii, '_sorry, Uzumaki clan, huh?_'

'_**Yeah**_,' Naru-nii answers, happy to hear Haku in Naruto's mind-echo. '_**Kaa-chan**__**'s name is Uzumaki Kushina, and we're a lot like her, except she has long tomato-red hair.**_'

'_Uzumaki Kushina__…_' Naruto mentally repeats, trying to hold in his emotions and keep from tearing up. '_I bet she__'s a total badass!_'

'_**Oh, man! You know it,**_' Naru-nii asserts.

'_And tou-chan?_'

'_**Sorry, Mini-me**_,' Naru-nii cuts him off there. '_**After you learn Rasenshuriken. But, your Godfather**__**'s name is Jiraiya. He's like a super strong legendary shinobi, but he's also a super legendary pervert! He should be in Konoha after the second stage of the Chūnin exams**_.'

'_Jiraiya-jiji_,' Naruto mentally laughs. '_Sweet! I can__'t wait to meet him. This is like the best day ever!_'

SAKURA

Sakura and Ino rehearsed for far longer than Sakura felt was necessary. For nearly two hours they planned for different responses but Sakura felt the blond idiot gets to have sex with her. '_It__'s the luckiest day of his life,_' she weakly thought. Ino pointed out to her he probably wouldn't understand it as being lucky enough to have sex with the love of his life and further explained he prioritizes emotional bonds over his own physical gratification. Sakura couldn't understand why Ino was so certain but it never hurt to be prepared.

After a very deep exhale, Sakura knocks on Iruka-sensei's front door and after a few moments, the ever shockingly beautiful Haku opens the door. With a warm smile, Haku tilts around a bit and calls, "it's Sakura-chan," before they both hear a yelping, "Sakura-chan!"

"We were just having dinner," Haku asserts, and Sakura blushes, wondering if the beautiful boy knows how adoringly domestic he sounds.

Rushing to the door, Naruto adds, "you want to have dinner with us?"

Smiling weakly, she simply shakes her head, but thanks them before adding, "Naruto, can we talk."

After his quick, "of course," Sakura leads him to his old apartment. The building is dark and for the most part abandoned, however, between floors two and three, Naruto actually had to kick out some thugs who were harassing one of the last remaining, elder tenants. "Don't let me catch you back here again!" Naruto yelled to the stumbling half beaten thugs. The unexpected one-sided fight between Team 7 and the four thugs actually put her in a slightly better mood, until they reach his old apartment. Once inside, Sakura was surprised to see how clean it all was.

Fortunately his couch, and after she checked, his bed are still there as Naruto asks, "why are we here?"

After much thought, Ino and Sakura had decided on his apartment because it was the last remaining solution to all her stipulations. To mentally get through having sex with Naruto—a thought that sent an unpleasant shiver down her spine—she couldn't do it in the privacy of her own bedroom because she'll always be reminded of it every time she's there; or in Iruka's home, because not only is it wrong, she doesn't want to remember that if she ever has to go to Iruka-sensei's. A hotel room wasn't an option either because she didn't want to pay in any way for this, nor did she want to risk the possibility of being detected either going to or coming from a hotel. And lastly, it's highly possible the building will be razed to the ground, removing the location of this event forever.

"We came here to talk," an evenly breathing Sakura starts.

Luckily it's dark enough she doesn't have to clearly see him if she doesn't focus her eyes, and hears him respond, "you're acting kinda strange. Is everything okay? Is it…"

"…Is it what," she wonders aloud.

"Well, I know Sasuke'll be back soon," he sullenly states, making her wonder when he stopped using '_teme_' to refer to Sasuke. "I can tell you've gotten stronger so I was thinking… well, I thought maybe you didn't want to train with me anymore." It's a sad expression on his face that makes her focus.

'…_That__'s right!_' Sakura's mind yells in realization. The entirety of her mind was so eclipsed with mental preparations to get this heinous act over with as fast as she can in order to forget and return to her Sasuke-kun, that not having to train with Naruto escaped her notice. Aside from the buzzing satisfaction of her many orgasms with Ino, training with Naruto was the most positive aspect throughout this entire enslavement.

"Well, maybe it'll be good for us to switch it up a bit," Sakura responds. At his weak smile, she tries to cheer him up by pointing out, "come on, we'll still be teammates, Naruto. Team 7 is finally reuniting. That's a good thing."

"Yeah," Naruto states with a larger smile. "You're right. Was that all you wanted to talk about? We didn't have to come all the way out here for that… even though I do kinda miss this place," he adds looking around happily.

Growing nervous, anxious, and combative at the same time, Sakura clears her throat before saying, "no actually. There's something really important I want to say."

"What's up?"

"… I know you love me," Sakura starts shocking the rapidly blushing Naruto.

"Wha- Lo-love? Sakura-chan, I-"

"Save it," Sakura calls. "It's pretty obvious. I already know, so, you don't have to pretend, but it's like I said, Team 7 is finally reuniting, and we're here because I don't want you to have those feelings for me anymore."

Naruto shifts from one foot to the other, before he nervously asks, "uh, do you really know?"

Shocked, Sakura asks, "did you actually think you were hiding it?"

He slumps before slowly asking, "I… uh, don't get it… I stopped asking you out and everything, so it's fine."

"It's not fine, Naruto," Sakura asserts. She takes a deep breath before communicating, "I actually like training with you, but I don't want to if you're going to continue harboring romantic feelings for me. I just want to be friends and teammates and nothing more."

She can see him swallow and step away. His fingers flex as he claims, "but- but we can totally be friends and teammates and I don't have to-"

"But you want more," she challenges him and he balks. "I know you're in love with me, and since we're teammates spending every day together, it'll be hard to outright reject you… so… I- I thought of a solution." His confused eyes make her gulp nervously. "Come morning, you have to stop loving me. It'll be hard, but you have to start and really try getting over me."

"No," he retorts on reflex.

"You will," she insists before adding, "and I'll give you my virginity." That completely takes him by surprise, so much so it's nearly comical how much his eyes bulge. "Don't think of it as a trade," she tries, defending the idea from his outright rejection. "Even though I know that's how it sounds like, it really isn't. I don't know what I'd do if someone asked me to stop loving Sasuke-kun, but that's what I'm asking you to do, so, because you do matter to me, I want to give you two things."

"Sakura-chan you don't-"

"One," Sakura continues, cutting him off. "Is something precious to me that I only want to share with someone I care about, and two, the emotional freedom for you to move on. In this way, after tonight, I think we can move forward."

"I can't," Naruto plainly states, slowly shaking his head and stepping away.

"You can," Sakura asserts, grabbing his hand to keep him from leaving. When he tries to say, "you don't have to-" she cuts him off, staring into his night eyes. "I'm doing this for myself as much as for you. I'll feel… _content_ giving you something I'll never be able to give anyone else. Let me give you this one night, then we can move on and our team will be better for it. Sex isn't love, so, I won't feel bad when Sasuke-kun and I eventually get together, and you'll be free to fall in love with a girl who'll actually love you back."

"This isn't you!" Naruto yells. "Who are you and where's the real Sakura-chan?"

"It's me Naruto-baka," Sakura states, rolling her eyes.

"Prove it!"

"…You only told me, Haku-san, and Kurenai-sensei where the real Kubikiribōchō is."

He pulls up, before defending, "th- that doesn't prove-"

Sakura interrupts, "I know you used a special technique and chakra we're not supposed to talk about during our Escort Mission to Wave." Close as they are she saw in his eyes that did it. Sakura takes the bold step of ending this by moving toward the bedroom, but he stops her just before entering the door.

"… I don't get it," Naruto pleads, though he doesn't outright yank his hand free from hers. "Why?" He asks, "why do this?"

"I've already explained why," Sakura asserts. "This is the only way."

"That doesn't tell me anything!" Naruto calls. He takes a step closer as he hollers with conviction, "those sound like excuses to me!"

Hoping to put him on the defense despite how accurate she feels he is, Sakura asserts in her fiery way, "well excuse me if how I feel isn't genuine enough for you!"

"Sakura-chan," he calls with desperate attention. "I can't stop loving you… I won't. Not until you make me understand this."

"How many times have I said I won't go out with you," Sakura accuses. "How many times have I hit you? And you still don't get it?" She doesn't let him respond as his wide eyes try to realize where he might've erred. "Naruto, this is what I want to happen and like always, you're not using your head."

"That's because my heart isn't in my head," He casually responds before his face crunches in pain. "What you're asking me to do hurts…"

Gulping in horror of the hurt on his face, Sakura fights the prickling heat in her eyes that lead before the tears and states, "fine, but understand this… if you don't do this… I will hate you."

"WHAT?"

"I'll hate you," Sakura repeats.

"But-But that makes even less sense!" Naruto calls. "How can you hate me for not making love with you."

"I'll h-hate you," a weakening Sakura just repeats.

"Pl-please, don't," Naruto begs. "You can't! We're teammates!"

"I'll… hate you," Sakura repeats, ignoring the way her voice croaks as she mentally curses Ino to the seven levels of hell.

"I don't understand! I want you to be with the one you love!"

Sakura yells back, "I want that too!"

"We don't have to do this," Naruto assures her. "I can wait- I'll wait! Even if it's for the rest of my life! I'll wait!"

"It won't happen, not now, not ever…"

Instead of allowing himself to be led into the bedroom, Naruto pulls her to him for a fierce hug. Feeling broken, he just hugs her and cries. '_He really loves me_,' she weakly cries herself, "Naruto…" '_Oh Kami, if you cry, I__'m going to cry too._'

"Please, Sakura-chan… Please, don't ask me to stop loving you…" he begs, hugging her tighter.

When she thinks of how Ino is hurting them both, a tear streams down her cheek. When she thinks about the month-long cost of her love, more tears stream down her face. Naruto can be annoying, but she never wanted to hurt him, and yet here she is, forced to break his heart so her love can live. "I'm sorry, Naruto." Sakura wonders why this has to happen as she mechanically continues, "I'm sorry I couldn't love you the way you love me." Her hollow voice adds, "I wish I did, but sharing this with you is important. It's the end, and it's what we both need."

After many moments of painful silence and sniffing, his voice is so detached when he asks "will you give me some time?" It actually startles Sakura how lifeless he sounded. She feels like she gutted him and there's nothing left. "An hour," she tells him before moving into the bedroom. "I'll wait for you here."

* * *

The story time Naru-nii referred to in the beginning of the previous chapter was a lot of what happened to the future Naruto that the past Naruto needs to know about for the upcoming Chuunin arc.

I believe Naruto's love for Sakura-while not as bad as Sakura's obsession for Sasuke-is a mix between infatuation and rivalry. Kishimoto couldn't be convinced to evolve his character until a movie at the end of the series, that's fine, but I'm breaking his heart now 😢

Ino does still have a final step to her plan and you'll see what in the next chapter. If you guys feel she crossed a line again, I totally get that and I assure you she knows as well. I'll write her character as so. But I, as the author, literally could not see another plausible way Naruto, who constantly asks Sakura out, even though she regularly hits him, would give up chasing her... unless, she gives him a hollow version of the thing he truly wants. Game of Throne Season 8 taught me when something you thought would be amazing, isn't, the disillusion can help you let go pretty quick. At least we still have the books.

Haku is phenomenal and I'm going to have so much fun writing him. Also, I needed to have Choji apologize to Ino. He's a teddy bear.

Naruto is progressing with his training right on schedule and he's really starting to branch out with his clones. There's some other stuff I set up as well.

As always, I'd love to hear from you all and have a great one,

-Grae


	19. 19The Burden

Hey guys,

This is the chapter I tend to have 90% done and waiting before a final edit and post. My usual process is finish a chapter and shelve it for however long it takes for me to write the following chapter, then, go back and re-edit for the final draft before publishing. Taking my mind away from the chapter helps me come up with a fresh perspective later when I go over it again. However, at the moment, I don't have a lot of time and I want to get one more chapter out in the five days before my oh so crippling "Endless Summer of Entertainment" BS starts at my job. So, in order to minimize the stress later, I'm just posting this one now. This means I can do one more before a two to three month gap. I know that sucks but, such is life.

Warning: Lemons

This is one of my more larger chapters, but I don't think it drags. 15.7K Enjoy!

* * *

NARUTO

"So you really want this?"

"I do," she answers.

In his old apartment, in the dark, Naruto and Sakura face each other in his nearly empty and cold bedroom. They don't need more than moonlight streaming through the window to see each other. Naruto's sad eyes don't detect any doubt in Sakura's stern determination.

"You want me to touch you everywhere?" Hoping she might back down in order to retain a shred of his innocent heart for her, Naruto adds for unnecessary clarity, "your breasts, your ass, your pussy?"

Sakura hadn't expected him to be as crude as he is straightforward. '_While technically accurate names, he could still tone it down and say my flower, bottom, or chest._' Still, Sakura answers, "y-yes."

Taking a commanding step forward, he asks, "and if I kissed you?"

Thinking of her month-long training with Ino henge'd as Naruto is the only reason she's not panicking. Sakura couldn't believe she actually gained practical experience in kissing Naruto as she confidently answers, "I'd kiss you back, obviously."

"If… if I kiss you like I love you?"

"…That's why we're doing this," Sakura voices delicately. "For a better tomorrow, a better team, I want you to have this one night. Tonight will be y- _our_ one lifetime…"

Fighting the log lodging in his throat, Naruto weakly concludes, "…and then… it's over."

"Then it's over," Sakura repeats, finding it hard to stomach the hurt projected on his baby face.

Naruto's feet move with reserved purpose and he enters Sakura's personal space. His right foot lands between her feet so she can feel his hot thigh between hers and his right-hand rests on her waist while his left-hand digs into his pocket to retrieve an item. Naruto hears Kurenai's voice in his mind guiding him not to rush stimulation and to allow his partner to become used to the idea for a better connection, a better engagement, and overall results.

Sakura stopped breathing for a couple seconds as she hadn't expected him to be so assertive. Considering everything she's done with Ino and how hurt he is, Sakura was expecting to hold his hand throughout what her analytical mind calculates to be a short two, maybe three pump experience.

'_He feels really warm,_' her nervous mind notes before realizing, '_I__'m actually letting him touch me! …What's that_,' her mind finishes as Naruto pulls a moderately sized squeeze tube from his pocket.

"There's no running water so I brought a bucket of water and a washcloth for cleaning," Naruto informs her as he shamefully delights in the warm sensation of her against him, despite the grand insufferable ache in his breaking heart. "I want you to use this," he states showing her the squeeze tube he purchased. It's the level above the one Nai-chan likes to use. This version has a relaxing agent for first time anal players.

"What is it," Sakura curiously asks tilting her head to read, '_Oil-Based_,' and, '_Bottom Butter_.'

"Lubricant," Naruto answers. Still hoping she might back out, he adds, "for your butt."

Humored, Sakura wryly informs him, "Naruto, I don't know if you know this but that's not where you have sex. It's actually more toward the front- You know? Don't worry, I'll show you."

Naruto blandly assures her, "I know where it is. This is for your ass because I don't want it to hurt if we have anal sex too." Naruto was bluffing of course. If she asked for it, he would, of course, oblige, but, if anal sex doesn't scare her into stopping, he isn't sure anything will.

Sakura thought being so close to each other with his firm hand on her waist and his leg between hers was shocking, but her green eyes bulge at his mention of anal sex. "You- you want to put it in my ass?"

Staring achingly at the spoiling love of his life, Naruto answers, "you said you'd give me your virginity."

Aghast with clear shock, Sakura yells back, "yeah, the front, not the back! That's- That's disgusting!"

"I don't want to stop in the middle if we go that far, Sakura," he states, squeezing her waist for emphasis, making her breath hitch.

"Wha-" Sakura grasps at any coherent thought in her brain and attempts to ask, "I- really, Naruto? _That_?"

Naruto shrugs, offering her a way out, "or we don't have to do this."

Sakura's jaw tightens as she sternly stares at his sad eyes. Thinking of her photo, her Sasuke-kun, she tries, "but in the butt? Are you some kind of pervert?"

Naruto can't muster more than a non-committal shrug before expressing, "the only thing I want you to do is be vocal. Tell me if I do something you like, tell me if I do something you don't like, and ask if you want me to do something, including anal. That's it."

"But… in the ass?"

Turning his neck to look out the window, Naruto wonders if this will truly be their entire lifetime… one night to love and lose Sakura-chan. If this is truly what she wants, then this is all the time he'll ever have to express his love for her, and so he tells her, "we don't have a lot of time."

"It's not even that late," Sakura mentions just to say something normal that had nothing to do with fucking her in the ass. "Midnight isn't for another three hours." '_That should be more than enough time for him to get two maybe three shots before she can go home, shower, and be one photo away from finally returning to how it was_,' she thinks.

SAKURA

Sakura can't believe she's actually pressing the nozzle into her sphincter and squeezing nearly half of the tube's cold gel into her rectum. '_This is weird! Of course he__'d make even __**this**__ difficult! Kami, his tiny prick better be a quick shot!_'

Sakura faintly recalls the photos she's burned that show Naruto's penis may actually be the length of her face. Sakura never got a better look than what Ino showed her and she burned all the ones she earned immediately without looking, but she's fairly certain he's not actually small. '_Or it was just the perspective! She took the photo at an angle that made it look bigger than it actually is_.'

In her white and pink bra and panties, Sakura walks out of the bathroom to find Naruto, naked but for his boxers, walking up to her. '_Uwwha we__'re_ both naked," she nervously thinks and voices at the same time.

Naruto actually chuckles as he walks up to her and takes her hand. "Nervous?"

Swallowing after taking a deep breath, she answers, "no," as she allows him to lead her toward the bed.

Naruto yet again, offers, "the second you want to stop, no matter what, we will."

"I won't, Naruto," she resides herself. Sakura's prepared. Though she won't be as pure for Sasuke-kun as she would like, at least she'll be with him.

"I was thinking," Naruto begins to express. "The least I can do is make sure your first time is really good."

Sakura chuckles softly before saying, "thanks, but that's not necessary. This is about you."

Dubiously, Naruto points out, "if this is really about me, then making you feel great _is_ necessary." Again, they're both reminded that this isn't how it's supposed to be and Naruto tells her, "lay down, please."

Green eyes widen soberly at the worn bed next to them as her heart hammers painfully in her chest and her nerves force Sakura to ask, "why," simply to think about anything other than the fact she was going to have sex with Uzumaki Naruto.

Sitting her on the sheeted mattress, Naruto escorts her placement on the bed with his gentle hand as he answers, "this isn't going to feel great if we're both tense and uncomfortable, so I want to give you a massage. On your stomach."

Sakura nervously shuffles until she's lying face down on the mattress. Despite all the times she's seen Ino henge'd as Naruto on top of her, kissing her, licking her, this wasn't some minor genjutsu. This was the real deal and Sakura can only _just_ manage not getting up and running away. '_At least I won__'t have to see anything,_' her mind desperately grasps at; though she can still hear him.

Naruto starts, and at his first touch, Sakura automatically tenses, yet, he doesn't remove his hand. Instead, the entirety of his palm lightly runs up and down her spine and body of strong muscle surrounding it, pressing and rotating his thumbs into her shoulder blades and connecting shoulders, rubbing her trapezius muscles, stroking her neck and just below her cranium, before kneading her and forearms. The resulting blood flow felt better than she had anticipated and she had no complaints when his warm and strong hands traversed her bottom half, massaging just as thoroughly the ball, arch, and heel of her feet, the full length of her Achilles tendon, her calves, the back of her knees, her warming hamstrings, and to her great surprise, her buttocks.

Naruto spent more time on her round rear than any other muscle group and to her unexpected surprise, her body feels joy at his ministrations. The pleasant kneading and rubbing of her round cheeks somehow made her slippery sphincter itch and pulse. Sakura is confused by the tickling sensation a few inches deep into her rectum and attributed the grating feeling to the lubricant he gave her.

In the forty-minute deep-tissue rubbing session, Sakura became accustomed to the idea of Naruto touching her and applying the perfect pressure to all her nervous and unduly strained muscles—of which there were many—manipulating them everywhere he caressed to soften and hum warmly.

'_How does he know how to do that_,' she weakly thinks as he slowly relieves all the stress in her body and improves blood circulation. Sakura sighed happily after he concluded with her backside, and didn't even mind when he unclasped her bra. What was therapeutic and warm slowly morphed to pleasurable and heat. The way he kneads and subdues her tight muscles felt unexpectedly like magic.

When Naruto gently turns Sakura around, she can see him start to work on her thighs, however, she hadn't expected him to start talking. "The first time I saw you," he starts. "I was nine and it was springtime. You know how everyone likes to go to that one park by Yoshino's to look at the pink trees?" Despite the question, he was in a trance as he kept up the pleasurable massage and slowly recounts his train of memory to a confused Sakura. "I was running around, looking at all the trees when I saw you, well, I saw your hair first. I was confused because I thought a bunch of petals fell on your head. I mean, how could anyone have hair so pretty?" Though he asked, Sakura's throat closed tight during his melancholy recollection.

"Anyway, you fell and skinned your knee, so your dad picked you up and put you on his shoulders while your mom looked you over. She had blond hair just like me. The way your parents cared for you… that amazed me to see, and I thought, '_I want that_.' Then we were in the academy together, but you liked Sasuke and I felt like I had to fight for you if I wanted that feeling of family."

A mute Sakura wished she didn't have to see that clear ache on his face or the blank haze in his lost eyes as he gazes into the past of the seed of his love for her. '_Damn, you Ino!_'

"I remember the first time you rejected me," Naruto's hollow voice continues. "I thought I was going to die," he chuckles as he describes going to the Hokage's office and laying down in the corner, weeping. "When I cried to Ji-chan about what happened, he said I shouldn't give up. That girls like someone who doesn't quit. He told me he never would've been lucky enough to marry the love of his life if he quit the first time she said no… a Hokage never quits, he said." Naruto mournfully states.

Before Sakura can ask him to stop hurting her resolve, he adds, "I'm going to massage your breasts now." Sakura wasn't aware of how relaxed she was until his destination tenses her up again. When Naruto removes her unclasped bra, she looks away, blushing profusely. "You look beautiful," he confesses before moving past his own feelings to continue. "Maybe, Ji-chan was wrong. I didn't… I guess that's not the right way to love someone. Competing like that…"

Closing her eyes, she feels his warm hands massage her full pert breasts and to her surprise, it's as warm and nice as everything else he's done. No pulling or pinching like Ino likes to do, just interesting, pleasurable, and enticing rubbing. Sakura grows embarrassed when her nipples harden and her sex grows humid despite her partner, growing more sensitive and receptive to how his hot hands knead her graspable bosom.

Sakura is hyper-aware of his right hand slowly move down her toned abdomen to the apex of her legs and begins to rub her over her panties. Along with the pleasantness of his breast massage, his hands create a tingling current sparking up and down her legs and up her spine to the base of her skull. As he massages from one breast to the other, he's also rubbing up and down the sensitive petals of her leaking flower for many minutes, until she's breathing heavy and soaked through her thin garment. Sakura's pumping heart accelerates as her blood flows effortlessly to her dilating quim.

As unexpected as everything else he's done, Naruto begins playing with her nipples as his other hand slides underneath her flimsy panties. His thick fingers touch her directly and for some reason, Sakura's body doesn't hate it. '_Mnnn, Kami, I can hear it,_' her rapidly hazing mind notes the squishing noise his fingers produce against her soaking sex. '_Why isn__'t he terrible,_' Sakura's melting mind thinks to ask the moment before his fingers plunge inside her slick folds.

Unable to keep from letting it out, Sakura moans, "_ahn_," and somehow, he's not overjoyed at drawing a moan from her. Sakura can't quite grasp why he's so calm, until she realizes he's heartbroken. '_Of course he wouldn__'t be happy_,' she thinks despite the physical activity they're doing. Soon, however, the sensations insist on dominating her mind as his fingers feel, massage, and stir her hot pleasure folds.

"Sakura," she vaguely hears him as she tries to fight the tightening rise of pleasure. Moving his fingers even deeper in her, breaking her silence as she moans, "_AHHN!_" He calls again, "Sakura."

"Mnn," she hums with closed eyes when her hips start tensing and mewling.

"Remember, you have to tell me where you like it," Naruto softly says and it's not at all within her intelligence to comprehend as a finger brushes against a wonderful patch of pleasure, making her moan loader and squeeze his thick slick digit.

The welcome discovery didn't go unnoticed by either of them and her body rewards his rubbing and curling fingers with a rising flood of pleasure. Sakura's womanhood somehow vibrates even softer, weaker, as his enthusiasm gnaws at her sanity and elevates her arousal that much further. Despite her embarrassment, Sakura takes comfort in that he isn't his normal boisterous self, and moans a little more freely as she slowly spreading her jittery legs. Along with her mollified mind, the way his fingers and palm play with her nipple and breast while his other hand pumps his fingers her sensitive pink slit repeatedly tightens a grand coil of bliss at her leaking center. Then his thumb finds her sensitivity-engorged clitoris.

"_Ahhh!_" Sakura moans as her legs shake when he strokes her body-mushing button. '_I__'m close!_' "_Mmmm, AH!_ N-Naruto!" '_He__'s doing it! He's doing it! He's doing it!_' her mind repeats as her humming body rushes closer to her impending orgasm. "Naruto! I'm going to! It's happening, it's happening, it's happening-"

"Cum whenever you want Sakura," Naruto softly tells her, and she wants to fight her rapturous end that much harder, until his hot mouth descends on her pert pink nipple, sucking on her pink teat powerfully. Her hips buck as his fingers quickly curl and massage her weak-spot in tandem with her clitoral and nipple stimulation. Crunching her green eyes closed, a perspiring Sakura couldn't withstand it and her mind explodes in reverberating white bliss.

"_AHHHNNN!_" Sakura's spine arches the same range of curvature as her stretched toes as her mighty pleasure sponge wrapped around his fingers contracts powerfully, squeezing out jets of her slick juices and drenching the bed beneath. Dopamine floods her quaking system from head-to-toe and back, repeatedly, making her vibrate deliciously as she rides her spectacular high.

Naruto removes her panties along with his tight boxers. Hoping to kiss her at some point, Naruto decides not to eat her out just in case she doesn't like tasting herself, or the kiss. For her benefit, he also rolls her onto her stomach, mournfully assuming she wouldn't want to look at him when they have sex.

Recalling the doggy style position from sex with Ino, as well as her research, Sakura heaves her silent approval. The shift in weight scares her as much as his heat lightly prodding her vulnerable and aroused womanhood. When Naruto rubs her moist and sensitive cunnie with long strokes of his pleasure pole, Sakura's mind would simply repeat, '_it__'s only Ino, it's only Ino, it's only Ino_,' but when his mushroom crown kisses her contracting cock-pocket, her thoughts immediately correct themselves, '_that__'s not Ino, that's not Ino, that's not Ino!_'

The duet groan together in serene pleasure with his first thrust into the juicy marrow of her center. Sakura's neck extends out at being stuffed and stretched so wide before she drops her sweaty pink-haired head against the pillow, silently thanking Ino's vibrator for preparing her for the veiny dick that feels like her forearm.

'_He__'s huge_,' Sakura's mind yells as her mouth moans, "UOOHH!"

"You feel amazing," Naruto voices, delighting in simply savoring the way her wet, ribbed nodules twitch in her tight grip of his cock head. Her hot honey-hole feels more than lubricated enough to push in deeper, however, Naruto pulls back to her entrance, gives her a second, then thrusts right back in. Gripping and massaging her athletic love-handles, Naruto keeps a slow and steady rhythm, feeling her out and enjoying the pleasant song of her moaning whimpers.

'_I can__'t believe I'm fucking Naruto_,' her mind yells as he inches closer to something she feels is dangerous. '_Someone I don__'t love_,' she mentally cries as she buries her perspiring face into the sweat-soaked pillow as she thrills in back-arching delight. '_Who am I_,' her mind asks a few pumps before Naruto finds her cluster of body-quashing pleasure, and her hyper-analytical mind shorts as her love tunnel snaps with her loud, "AAHHH!"

Sakura's mind hazes under the quick bolt of pure ecstasy, barely questioning, '_what was that_,' as Naruto voices, "there you are." Naruto switches gears and speeds his pussy-displacing cock to always dig against that area, and Sakura's mind evaporated under his euphoric assault. "_Ahh! Ahn! AHH! OH!_ Kami! Kami! _AHH!_" Sakura would moan with each slamming thrust and the only awareness her dazed mind is conscious of is the monumental orgasm building at the very center of her. His perfect thrusts set a fear in her she might not survive the explosion only moments away.

"Na- _AHH!_ Naruto! _MN!_ Please! Please!" Sakura yells, beginning to lose all control over her shuttering body, but she didn't even know what to ask. "I'm cumming, I'm cum_mmmm AAAHHHH! AAAHHH! AAAHHHH!_" Sakura's quaking quim seizes as her erupting walls clutch his thick meat wantonly. The sheets she clutches strongly tear from tensing muscle and her whole body arches in explosive pleasure. Engaging his own muscles, Naruto held on to her strong, sheen-covered body as her passions erupted violently, gazing lovingly at the curvature of he feverish back and the matting of her sweaty pink locks as she quakes and trembles.

Naruto was still hard and when he spotted the way her lubed sphincter twitched and pulsed. Hoping to calm her down some to continue, he unexpectedly plunged in thumb in her lubricated rectum. His bodily desire wanted to keep going, but he didn't want her to pass out, and so, pistons his thumb in and out of her puckered bunghole, but when she offered no protest, he switched his thumb to his middle and ring fingers and applied firmer friction. Her moaning and humming body just kept sporadically twitching greatly as he tells her, "Sakura, my fingers are in your ass." However, Naruto couldn't know that Ino offered a photo to finger Sakura's ass once, nor that Sakura found she wasn't as revolted by it as she thought she'd be.

Naruto presses down with his fingers as he flexes his cock up and Sakura moans between deep gasping breaths, prolonging her after-climax haze that much longer. It takes a few minutes until he begins fucking her again, starting with a slow rhythm before moving deeper and faster. Naruto loved how hot her cushy wetness grips him, how she moans mindlessly, suffering orgasm after orgasm, until he's finally pistoning her full depth and he grunts, "so hot!"

"_Nahhh! AHHn!_ _RUuuuh! TTooooo!_ Fuck! I! I! I! CAN'T! CAN'T! SO GOOD! _Ahhh! MMn!_"

Clinging to her athletically firm hip with one hand, and the top of her twitching thigh with the other, Naruto thrusts into Sakura's drenching meat-intake over and over again, hunting for his own climax while she's lobotomized by the multitude of hers. Naruto rubs his moist hand up Sakura's rutting sensitive spine to the back of her neck and firmly grips the base of her stimulated nape using the sensitive muscle as leverage to thrust harder. In the fever high of incoming oblivion, Sakura revels in the way his commanding hand presses her face into the pillow as his thick pleasure stick ushers her into the upper echelon of euphoria, uninhibitedly screaming, "_MNN!_ Yess! Yess! FUck! Me!"

Naruto grunted repeatedly until he buries the length of his probing organ into her wet, hot velvety nook, and groans when his balls brace as he pressure-shoots load after load of his thick man-milk directly into her thirsty uterus, drowning her quaking insides with hot gelatinous spunk.

Tongue out, chin drenched in saliva, mewling nonsensically, Sakura saw white as the overdose of bliss is more than her mind can handle and passes out as her body contracts and shudders ceaselessly, instinctively gripping him in with all her primal unconscious might. Naruto himself loved unloading hot into hot and shuddered happily throughout.

As Sakura came to, she felt a wave of peace with the universe, voicing her love of all the wonderful feelings tingling up and down from scalp to toe-nails and hurting Naruto in the process. Hearing a hazy Sakura say Sasuke's name put the final nail in this coffin housing what remained of the innocence of his first love.

Her face against the mattress, Naruto felt the urge to take out his loss on her, to wake her up by stuffing her virgin anus with his thick meat and making her _feel_ him, Uzumaki Naruto, is the one inside her and making her pass out from pleasure. He wanted to dominate her for willfully hurting him like this... But he learned long ago, even if others choose to hurt or belittle him, he doesn't have to choose revenge no matter how good it felt.

Naruto knows the outcome wouldn't be honest. Naruto wanted everyone to acknowledge and respect him because they realized it through his convictions, not his vengeance. He's pranked enough people to know teaching others a schoolyard-lesson isn't as lasting as truly understanding one another is, so rather than paying the hurt forward, Naruto exhales that anger with a long calming breath and flips her compliant blushing body over, so she's on her back, then lifts her onto him as he sits.

Sakura is flush against his chest, her legs spread and straddling his pelvis while she comes to. '_Why am I sitting on Naruto__'s lap,_' her groggy mind wonders before she feels his hard rod hooked between her soaked legs and flush against her riveting sex, beating hotly against her.

Her green eyes focus more when he asks, "you ready to go again?"

"_Hah_… Again?"

His answer is taking her thin waist with his arm and lifting her while his left-hand grips and guides his meat missile toward her dripping target, before lowering her sensitive sex until she's fully impaled. Naruto savors the sight of her beautiful face contort in blissful rapture and the guttural sound of her moan as she slowly filled to brimming with pulsing meat.

Though they are face to face when he tells her, "go ahead, Sakura. Show me how much this is for me." Naruto pulls her close so her head is beside his and they can't see the dejection in their eyes. While Sakura seemingly decides to voluntarily ride his hot, thick, shapely cock, her breast and hard nipples press wonderfully into his chest as he rubs and kneads her sensitive ass for many moments waiting on her.

Loose in the head and craving more in her sex, Sakura begins rocking her hips slowly. It isn't long before she craves more friction and quickly picks up the pace. Not only did she enjoy the stability of his rock hard body, the way her soft breasts and hard nipples pressed against his in the motion of her bucking hips, the control of riding his thrilling pussy-stuffer at her leisure, but she also enjoyed the itch her rectum percolated with as he kneaded her plump split rear.

Sakura's round butt humped his glistening cock repeatedly all the while he whispered in her ear how amazing she feels; "_Your pussy feels so great_," and, "_I love how wet you are,_" and, "_keep- mmn squeezing me Sakura. Just like that,_" and, "_your pussy__'s going to make me cum, Sakura. I'm going to cum in your pussy_." On and on as she rode him madly, until Naruto slapped her white sweet-cheeks and the itch in her ass and the pleasure coil in her cunt snapped. Sakura impaled herself to her rupturing depth, hugging him for vital stability as she moans and cums powerfully. Her soaking climax pushed him over and he breaks his balls letting flood after flood inside of her, sending her over against at the molten seed filling her birthing chamber yet again.

For a moment, Sakura lost all awareness of time and inhibition as she weakly leans back in the radiating oven that is his embrace. Naruto moves a bit of her sweaty pink hair matted to her forehead, delicately cupping her face as he woefully admits, "you look so… beautiful."

Though he should be overjoyed to be doing such an intimate act with her, his first love, his eyes and brows strain mournfully, like the abrupt loss of a life-long comfort, and despite the way her body sings, that saddens her. '_I did that_,' Sakura's groggy mind accuses. Regardless of what Ino made her do, she went through with it, and Sakura hates the way that makes her feel. Rather than suffer this ugly truth, however, Sakura leans down and kisses Naruto. Her lips dance with his, deeply, openly until their tongues meet and Sakura actively seeks to forget her offense, her shame, her love, and just be.

Though it wasn't a representation of mutual love, Sakura and Naruto have fevered passionate sex throughout the night, steaming the room with their pungent fluids. Sakura was so mindless, she even asked Naruto to scratch the horrible itch in her ass, and though she meant with his fingers, Sakura came so hard from his cock-pistoned thrusting and ultimate climax, that she passed out from the exhaustive pleasure. Her need to forget and his need to accept what will never be, drive them to share this one comfort. If they could think, they might regret it, but it simply felt better to escape into ecstasy, if only for the night.

Despite having to wait for her to regain consciousness after nearly every one of his orgasms, a scorned Naruto came in or on her twelve times before morning, knotting her five times. He did eat her sweet honey-hole, he did cum in her rectum, he made her cum repeatedly, and by the end, the demented grin on her face made him proud of his clear skill, yet, hurt him at the same. This was nothing more than base sex with someone he truly wanted to marry at one point. Now, however, he knows things between them will never be the same.

The room is bathed in morning sunlight and Naruto just zips up his orange jacket while gazing a slumber Sakura covered in bed. Thinking of his future counter-part and what might've been with Sakura, he admits to himself, "I wanted an answer." Naruto sighs as the ache sets in, sorrowfully adding, "but I didn't want it now…"

Naruto leaves her in bed, and in the coming days, skips team meetings and practices, though it took Haku, Hinata-chan, or Kurenai no time at all to notice his mournfully dour depression.

INO

"…Oh, sweet Kami," Sakura moans after another tremor, repeatedly recalling that Uzumaki Naruto made her cum so hard she passed out, multiple times.

Sakura's in her bedroom, on her bed, showered, yet unable to remove the Bottom Butter lubricant in her ass, and changed into comfortable home wear, reminiscing. She'd been hugging her stuffed bunny, reflecting on the most monumental physical milestone in any young girl's life. Sakura was a woman now. Sakura didn't really talk to other girls beside Ino, and never about sex when she did, so the pink-haired girl can't be sure how the experience is for everyone, however, she's fairly certain, the first time isn't usually so mind-blowing. '_I asked him to scratch my ass and didn__'t care he did it with his dick!_' her flabbergasted mind yells in disbelief.

"So I take it he was good?"

Surprised, Sakura shrieks as her green eyes snap on Ino like a whip, unsettling her and asking on reflex, "what are you doing here?"

Upon seeing the confusion on Sakura's face, Ino answers, "you've been in a blushing daze since this morning, mumbling, '_sweet Kami_,' like every thirty minutes. You told me to give you a minute nearly four hours ago!" At Sakura's shocked, blushing face, Ino huffs in complete understanding, noting the obvious. "…Guess he rocked your world, huh?"

"N-no," Sakura pitifully tries to lie and feeling her face flush with warm blood. "He d-didn't… he couldn't!" Sakura felt defensive in front of Ino. She couldn't allow her rival to see her vulnerable truths… her reality of self-doubt.

"You know I can tell you're lying, right," Ino points out. "How good was he?"

"He wasn't!"

"Oh, my," Ino humorously chants, taunting the pinkette. "It couldn't be… you're not scared Naruto might affect your feelings for Sasuke-kun, are you?"

"…You're so childish Ino," Sakura answers without her usual fervor, still feeling the waves of him inside her sex and ass, drilling her walls until she erupted in gushing bliss. Sakura's body just couldn't shake Naruto off, however, her mind was her own and she weakly responds, "you like to think you're so smart because of your parents, but you're really just pretending; spouting stupid nonsense until something finally sticks. Did you really think sex, no matter how amaz-… no matter how satisfying it may have been, could change what I feel in my heart?"

Sakura felt hollow in her defense, but she certainly wasn't expecting Ino to laugh horribly amused, to the point Sakura questions the blond's sanity. "No, actually," Ino eventually answers, reading the pinkette perfectly, and at Sakura's confused face, she verbalizes, "then why have you fuck Naruto, you're wondering… Easy. This was never about Naruto," Ino states with authority. "He was just the best option to prove my point-"

"That I wouldn't love Sasuke as much just because Naruto so happens to be good- because he's not the worst in bed?" Sakura never likes when confident Ino targets her. The girl's certainty can be unnerving, and in panic, Sakura also asks, "how pathetic is that?"

"It had nothing to do with how he was in bed either," Ino answers. "But that's a surprise to hear," Ino effortlessly lies.

"Then what!" Sakura yells in clear agitation, feeling fragile in fear of the answer. "What? What was all this about!"

"Kami, how can you be so blind," Ino huffs with sheer disbelief. "This has always been about you! Not Naruto, not me, not Sasuke-kun, but you! In all your witless declaration of your _supposed_ love, you actually convinced yourself that having sex with me, having sex with Naruto, was the only way to _**prove**_ your love for Sasuke-kun; as if it was some hard-fought victory! '_Here, look at how much I suffered to validate Sasuke-kun__'s the only one for me,_' like a simpleton. Only weak-minded people who lack any self-respect fall for stupid shit like that. How is Sasuke-kun supposed to love someone who thinks so little of their own self-worth?"

"I…" she pauses when she feels her eyes grow humid and prickly. Swallowing she yells through the horribly mounting ache, "I do respect… myself!"

"You respect yourself but you also had sex with Naruto," Ino questions as obviously ludicrous. "Someone you don't even love-"

"Because of you!"

"I always gave you a choice," Ino further bullets as Sakura's mind recalls all the times Ino gave her the option to back out and even the chances Naruto gave her to back out. '_But I couldn__'t_,' Sakura's mind yells in defense. '_Not if it meant losing Sasuke-kun!_'

With fear-inducing accuracy, Ino continues, "but you never took it, did you, because you were all to happy too throw away your self-respect, your _dignity_, if it meant you wouldn't lose your precious Sasuke-kun." Sakura couldn't keep her surprised brows from rising or shocked eyes from shaking as Ino adds, "it's because you have no respect for yourself that you can't see Sasuke-kun could never love a doormat like you."

All her research on obsessive love plague her mind like a virus and her cum filled stomach sinks as Ino adds, "I bet Sasuke-kun could beat you, could try to kill you, could try to kill your parents, your teammates, or even everyone in this village and you would still '_love_' him," Ino declares with such confidence. "Do you think that's normal? Do you? Because that sounds like the delusional fantasy of what some anti-social man thinks a woman's love is."

"…Sasuke-kun wouldn't… He'd never… How could you say something like that!" Her mind hops on the nearest branch of sanity, yelling, "this just proves you don't love him!"

But Ino is just as stern, just as defiant, just as confident as Sakura always remembered her to be when she refutes, "I _never_ want him to feel so much hurt he would descend to that level of darkness. It's actually my biggest fear and it would break me to hear how much his hatred has consumed him, but no, Sakura, it proves I'm not blind to the lengths his pain and suffering would take him. I see him, and I won't ignore what his vengeance is capable of just because I love him! You don't have to believe me, but it's okay. I'll help you get your own answer."

Ino takes out the last photo; a good shot of Sakura licking Naruto's third leg before Ino explains, "this last photo is for that conversation I originally wanted you to have with Sasuke-kun. You'll meet me after to take this last one when you ask him what his vengeance is worth: you, his teammates, our village, our country. Ask him if…" Ino pauses to keep the tears at bay as her voice fights to finish asking, "if we got in the way, what does he feel in his heart of hearts he would do?"

SASUKE

"Wouldn't this be a good opportunity to spar, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi looks at him and Sasuke truly attempts to suppress from his face the urge to beat some sense into his blond teammate. For the past month, a ferocious Sasuke has thought of nothing but Itachi and the Dobe, which isn't right in any conceivable measure. For his complete betrayal, Itachi has earned Sasuke's murderous thoughts. The Dobe on the other hand, shouldn't even be a point of serious thought, but for how much of an idiot the blond is. Brash, loud, talentless…

'_How!_' Sasuke gravely asks himself. '_How did that idiot defeat a former Anbu? Where did that power come from?_'

Even though Sasuke recalls Kakashi's explanation: '_mmn, what he did is a first-rate example of why you should never underestimate your opponent. You didn__'t expect it as much as every other person on that bridge, which meant not a single one of us could've guessed he had a trump card he could successfully land. That's how Naruto-kun won. It's why we always look underneath the underneath._'

Despite knowing the specifics of how the Dobe defeated the former Kiri Anbu, Zabuza, it doesn't explain away the embarrassment of his arrogance, as if it's okay for him—a nobody and an idiot—to act strong. The world will not tolerate it. '_**I**__ will not tolerate it!_' For if the Dobe can be strong, then what does that say about himself? What does that say about his own chances of killing his treacherous brother, the clan-killer? Or returning the Uchiha name to its former glory? Sasuke simply doesn't have the time to waste putting his blond teammate in his place. He needs to concentrate all his energy on hating the only person who deserves it.

Currently, in Iruka-sensei's mildly forested backyard, Kakashi is observing a very down and depressed Naruto, and even Sasuke will admit it's unnatural to witness as their sensei says, "ma, maybe next time, Sasuke-kun. We all just reunited after all."

The Dobe was late to their meeting on the bridge near training ground 13; So late, in fact, Kakashi-sensei showed up first. After it seemed apparent the Dobe wasn't going to show, they all went to Iruka-sensei's house. Kakashi had to drag their blond teammate out of bed and that's where they all find themselves; in Iruka-sensei's wooded backyard with a listless Dobe in his pajamas and a Kiri traitor serving all but Sakura, tea.

"A month has passed," Sasuke returns, tightening his fist. "If you've already entered our team into the Chūnin Exams, we should reassess our skill level."

Kakashi looks him over before sighing and calling, "Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan, let's see how you've progressed." Naruto flinches but mournfully moves to the center of Iruka's grassy backyard while Sakura slowly removes her navy-blue utility rig around her thigh to keep their spar even.

'_Even Sakura looks like she just crawled out of the grave_,' Sasuke thinks as they begin their pathetic spar. '_What the hell is wrong with these two?_' As Sasuke watches the worst taijutsu exchange he's ever seen in his young life, he actually questions if this is reality or a genjutsu illusion. He's seen that stupid cat they've chased on a few D-Rank missions move faster than this. '_Are they trying to fool me with this pathetic display?_'

Kakashi stops the weak match when Naruto is knocked flat on his back and doesn't move to get back up. Sasuke can clearly see the blond isn't hurt but is stumped as to why he's not getting up. Sakura's punch didn't even look like it had any muscle behind it. Sasuke mentally yells, '_Is he fucking sky gazing?_' before actually yelling, "what the fuck is going on?"

"Sasuke," Kakashi warns before he turns to the other two and asks, "what is going on here?" The Dobe looks to Sakura pained, heartbroken even. Something tells Sasuke she knows what this mystery is since she doesn't even return eye contact. '_Did someone die_,' Sasuke wonders.

Kakashi sighs before suggesting, "maybe we shouldn't enter the Chūnin Exams."

"Tch," Sasuke angrily sucks his teeth while Sakura whirls around to her sensei and asserts, "no, sensei. It's fine. We can."

Kakashi simply shakes his head, addressing his genin students, "if we can't come together as a team, then there's no place for us in the exams. It's as simple as that."

Sasuke didn't think he could get angrier. His thought pattern mirrors his elevating frustration and aggressively questions, '_why can__'t they see they're holding me back? You're all in my way!_'

Sakura moves to Naruto, who sat up, though still looks away, and pleads, "Naruto, come on, it's okay, right? Tell sensei, we're okay to participate."

Sakura's concern for Sasuke is clear as she looks from the Uchiha to Naruto, and again, he looks heartbroken. It wasn't until Sakura looks away saddened that he finally understood, and couldn't help the bubble of laughter that erupted from his belly. Drawing all their attention, Sasuke eventually says, "that's what this is about? A loser like you is dragging me down because your pathetic feelings got hurt? You should've known this is exactly how it was going to end! Love means you've lost, Dobe. It's a weakness, like cancer, and you should be grateful her rejection finally cut it out!"

It's the first time the blond idiot looked more alive; angry to be sure, but alive, as he idiotically states, "I don't regret loving Sakura. Even though it hurts worse than anything I've felt before, that doesn't mean I hate her or regret loving her."

The image of the way Itachi smiled when he'd flick a young Sasuke's forehead drives Sasuke to shout, "then you never loved at all! Or you'd know that pain isn't worth it!"

"It hurts like crazy, yeah, but that doesn't mean you give up you idiot!" Naruto states, blue-eying Sasuke with every ounce of conviction he has.

Sasuke saw red and hopped high and far on the nearest tree, sticking perfectly as his hands rapidly transition from Monkey, to Dragon, to Rat, to Bird, Ox, Snake, Dog, Tiger, and finally Monkey seal before he channels a high concentration of Raiton chakra to his left hand, yelling, "in this world, strength is all that matters!" Though Sasuke's current limit is only one a day for forty seconds, he's only barely learned Chidori from Kakashi-sensei before they had to return from their training trip. He's certain with more training her could manage two a day for at least a minute.

"Sasuke, that's enough," Kakashi calmly calls. "Chidori was created to protect friends and comrades."

"You also said it was stronger than his technique," Sasuke yells to them below, before singling out his blond teammate. "So, let's see it Dobe! Let's see who's right and who's stronger."

Kakashi moves perfectly between the genin to block Sasuke's path, asserting, "Sasuke, use your head. He's is your teammate-"

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto quietly calls and a single clone pops next to him, looking just as angered.

"Naruto," Kakashi warns, removing his hands from his pockets, the most threatening gesture Kakashi could make that wasn't lifting his headband, and both boys instinctively knew what would happen next if they didn't stop.

Sasuke smirks in satisfaction to see Naruto ignore their sensei in favor of making his ball of chakra. He can still hold Chidori for another thirty seconds before he runs out of chakra, which is more than enough time. Sasuke notes the blond has gotten faster at forming the dense sphere of blue chakra and was eager to test his strength against the technique that defeated the former Anbu Zabuza…

…But he couldn't just yet. For whatever reason, Naruto continued to feed more of his chakra over his open palm, vibrating the surrounding air as the wind seemed to funnel and circulate around the still growing ball of chakra. Raising his open palm above the waving blond hair of his head, the size of his technique continued to grow, stunning them all, until it was the size of his entire torso.

It was so massive, Sakura had taken many steps back and Sasuke couldn't understand the hows or whys of Naruto possessing so much power. They were all staring in stunned disbelief, so long, in fact, Sasuke ran out of chakra to support Chidori and it extinguished painfully from his hand. When a worn Sasuke had to return to the grassy earth, Naruto slowly reduced his massive spherical cyclone of chakra to the size Sasuke remembered before it fizzles out.

Naruto wasn't even breathing heavy as the blond's hard blue eyes turn from Sasuke to Kakashi and tells him, "I do want to enter the Chūnin Exams, sensei. I just need some time." Despite Naruto's aching heart, none of them could know that he wanted to meet Gaara and create another bond Naru-nii described as life-long kinship. Naruto looks at Sasuke and what angers the self-proclaimed avenger was the look of understanding on the blue-eyed blonds stupid face. '_As if he can understand my pain!_' But Naruto simply walks back into Iruka's home.

SAKURA

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura calls after him.

Kakashi dismissed his team soon after Naruto's unbelievable chakra display and Sasuke-kun had immediately left. She could tell he was upset, though it's understandable. She doesn't think any of them expected Naruto could do _that_ with his chakra. '_It was stunning_,' she thought. '_Kakashi-sensei was right. He really is the most unpredictable ninja__… Especially in bed,_' an errant thought unconsciously adds, making her repeat for the thousandth time, '_I__'m a woman now. Naruto made me a woman_.'

Sakura shakes her head of the second most prevalent thought in her young life. Since their night together, Sakura can't help wondering why she felt so good, marvel at his sexual ability, and daydream of the possibility of reproducing those sensations. Of course, no matter how good she has to admit he was, she never will again and the reason why is multifaceted. The hurt on his face is not something she likes or wants to see, and she absolutely hates her part in putting that pain there. Sakura also hates how great sex can effortlessly cast a confusing shadow of doubt in what was previously bright and unshakable.

Seeing Naruto, feeling him, unsettled what was once grand and majestic, and if Sakura is ever going to return to that beautiful existence, she'll need that last photo; a photo that requires her to have a conversation with Sasuke-kun. Sakura was tired of questioning the nature of her awkward emotions and just wanted to return to some semblance of comfort. Sakura simply wants to love again, however, their team won't meet again until the exams, forcing Sakura's hand. This is her moment. Her best opportunity to speak with the love of her life and set her back on the right path. "Sasuke-kun, wait, please!"

A miffed Sasuke stops and turns to her, asking with clear aggravation in his voice, "what?"

Startled, Sakura weakly responds, "I just want to ask you a question."

Sinking further in annoyance, Sasuke turns and continues walking until Sakura cuts in front of him, stopping him. "Please. wait." Stoically, he says nothing, but he doesn't leave either. "I want to ask you something, and I promise, I won't get mad. I just want to hear the truth or your truth-"

"Spit it out already," Sasuke cuts in.

"…What is your vengeance worth?" Her question makes him blink before his brows come together in irritation. "I know you want to kill a certain man," Sakura continues. "But what if you lose your soul because of it? I can't imagine you would hurt others just to satisfy your-"

Sasuke promptly challenges her with irate black eyes and a hard voice. "What could you possibly know about my vengeance? Rather than wasting my time asking me useless questions, you should be training. Honestly, you're even weaker than the Dobe," Sasuke finishes before walking around her.

Despite the tumorous lump lodged in her dry throat and her hot moist green eyes, Sakura turns and calls out, "wait, please Sasuke-kun! I just want to be useful to you. Just… just help me to understand-"

Whipping around to face her, he declares, "how could you, Sakura? With all your intellect, how could you possibly understand me when your house has parents still breathing?" Thinking of that disgusting look of empathy Naruto directed at him… that look of complete understanding, Sasuke nearly yells, "you can't! Not a single one of you can! And it only pisses me off when you try!"

Blobs of tears well around her green eyes as Sakura tries, "b-but I want to-"

"Then kill your parents," Sasuke commands. She couldn't believe how small and clear his black eyes were when he then tilts his head, as if reconceptualizes. Sasuke moves close to her like a predator as he states, "better yet, the bothersome way you'd hang all over me, reminds me of how stupid I used to be." As delicate as the entire raven-haired-scope of her world is, rather than fix what feels fracturing within her, Sasuke-kun flicks her forehead… her insecurity… sharply, shattering something vital within her. She flinches at his flick under his striking eyes as he asks, "what if I killed your parents, Sakura? Would you still call me your _Sasuke-kun _then? Would you still be so blissfully ignorant about how completely irrelevant your understanding is to me?"

"Sa-Sasssuke-kun," she weakly tries as hot tears finally spill over when she shudders. Her voice croaks as she wills herself to say, "don't… you-you're not like that… You _can__'t_ be…"

Sasuke snorts at her blind, dewy-eyed innocence, before his demanding eyes labels her with the most disheartening pitiable regard she's ever felt. "All I have is my hate- No, all I _want_ is my hate. Someone as naive as you will never understand that. Outside of team duties, leave me alone," he easily demands, then silently leaves. Sakura doesn't follow.

On autopilot, Sakura's sandaled feet shuffle to the field of flowers near the Academy. The walk felt like the longest and shortest trip she's ever made, and before she knows it, she's standing in front of a quiet and sympathetic Ino.

"…What did he say," Ino softly asks.

Sakura's wide eyes finally focus on Ino, and though she feels like she should be angry at the platinum blond, or raging in defense of her love for Sasuke… she, in fact, feels nothing.

Sakura is in such a state of limbo, she has to question something she never thought would be an issue. To her horror, Sakura actually contemplates if she's more shocked about the fact he threatened her parent's lives, or how he claims she could never understand him while her parents still live… and that made her sick to her stomach… that she would weigh the possibility of her own parent's deaths— their murder—simply to better understand this boy. At the smiling faces of the mother that birthed her and the father that loves her unconditionally, under the full bloom of Sakura trees Naruto had reminded her of, Sakura felt sick.

For the first time in her life, Sakura was scared of this dominating feeling she has for Sasuke. Thinking evil, morbid thoughts against her own family in order to understand the boy in her heart is '_wrong__… It's wrong! Something about this is wrong! My love is…_'

Sakura's tears are flowing before she's even aware of them. The moment her confused mind feels the fat globs of salty liquid racing down her pink cheeks, Sakura begins to wail in agonizing sadness. Both kunoichi end up on the grass with Sakura wrapped in the Yamanaka's arms. Ino doesn't simply hug the wailing girl for comfort, she holds Sakura together, to keep her once best friend from breaking, periodically whispering, "it'll be okay," and, "I have you, Sakura. I have you."

Sakura wanted to respond, '_it__'ll never be okay_,' and, '_I hate you_,' but she couldn't stop crying and Ino was the only life-sustaining warmth in that very cold day. They stay in the field of flowers, where a crying Sakura and an understanding Ino first became friends until late into the night.

NARUTO

If it wasn't for Naru-nii, Haku, and Kurenai's unyielding support, Naruto couldn't imagine walking beside a morose Sakura and a rigid Sasuke up to the exam room a mere five days since his night with his pink-haired teammate. Though Kurenai refused to have sex, advocating an emotional imbalance could ruin what they have, she at least slept with him every night until the early morning, before leaving for team duties. Naru-nii would talk to him about good times with many new friends Naruto is still looking forward to making, and after convincing Haku not to murder Sakura, his brunette friend would simply be there for him. No matter the time of day, Haku would simply be there.

After a wave to Tenten and a fist bump to a confused Rock Lee, Naruto waits beside the entrance doors of room 301 for Sasuke to lose to Guy-sensei's smaller younger doppelgänger. During Naru-nii's story times, he'd already heard how strong Rock Lee is and the amazing grit the shinobi possesses to overcome his shortcomings. '_**He**__**'s the epitome of hard work defeating geniuses who don't work hard**_,' Naru-nii had said, which Naruto immediately liked.

"Shouldn't you be with your teammates," Naruto hears Kakashi ask from behind him. In the hallway, Kakashi is by the doors of the exam room while Naruto leans against the wall.

"They'll be here soon," Naruto dully states, not bothering to turn to the legendary Copy-Ninja.

"You've certainly grown, Naruto-kun," Kakashi slowly voices over his little orange book. "Far more than I ever anticipated."

Despite everyone from Ji-chan to Naru-nii endorsing Kakashi as one of the strongest shinobi in their village, an aggrieved and miffed Naruto responds, "yeah, well, Kurenai-sensei is pretty great." It didn't take him more than a second to realize that response came from a bad emotional place and he regretted saying it. "Sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I shouldn't have said that. It just sucks sometimes; you spending so much more time with Sasuke than me or Sakura. I mean, don't we matter too?"

"It's fine, and though it may not seem like it, yes, you do. You both do," Kakashi calmly states, unoffended. "It's true, I haven't been fair with my time to you and Sakura-chan. As Jōnin-sensei for all three of you, that isn't how it should be, but life is rarely fair. It's better to learn that bitter lesson early."

"I'm pretty sure I learn that lesson every time I go outside," Naruto huffs, though thinking of Kurenai-chan and Ino-chan, he lazily wonders if there is some form of cosmic balance.

"I suppose you do," Kakashi sheepishly admits, mono-eying the less jovial Naruto. "And here you stand, one of the strongest genin to come out of the Academy. Despite all your opposition and hardships, you overcome. I'm not excusing them, but isn't that a valuable trait to learn about yourself? It means you're a survivor."

Snorting, a glum Naruto simply asks, "you think it'd be asking too much to be a survivor _with_ friends, family, and or a sensei who doesn't favor one student?"

"…No," Kakashi admits, considering his own history a moment. Realizing that Naruto is heartbroken on top of consistently brushed aside, Kakashi tries to balance the other end of this state of rejection. "Listen, it's not like Sasuke-kun and I are eating ice-cream or going to the hot springs to relax. Whether you believe me or not, Sasuke-kun needs more help, and I just so happen to be in the best position to do that."

'_No, you__'re not_,' Naruto thinks, wondering if he can run into Itachi sooner than Naru-nii had. "I get it. He can be an obnoxious ass, but I want to help him too."

"Focus on your training," Kakashi tells him. "You're already cutting the leaf with your Fūton chakra. Training in the waterfall is going to be even harder."

"Yeah, well, it's not enough," Naruto despondently states, not bothering to correct his sensei on the progress he's recently made as thoughts of Naru-nii's warnings and aches of a broken heart cloud his mind horribly.

Kakashi states, "you don't have the frame of reference, but trust me, the way you're going is an amazing achievement."

"It's going to take a hell of a lot more than Fūton chakra to protect everyone," Naruto returns all the while thinking how pitifully small that feat is compared to how Naru-nii is trying to protect the entire world. One Fūton user isn't going to be anywhere near enough.

"You have time, Naruto-kun," Kakashi states to which Naruto nearly chuckles. "Don't be in such a rush to be Hokage. You keep going like this and I have no doubt it'll happen before you know it." Naruto doesn't say more as he waves to Team Guy when they walk by and enter the exam room—of the three, Lee was the only one to wave back, putting a small smile on Naruto's face. Sasuke and Sakura eventually join him and though Sasuke looked like he got a good kick to the chin, Naruto only wondered why Sakura wasn't healing him.

Kakashi informs his genin, "I'm glad each one of you decided to take the exams. I know things are strained right now, but you're still Team 7. Remember, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. Stick together and make me proud."

When they finally enter room 301 and the large classroom is full of grungy, older, odorless genin, all stern of eyes and threatening of posture. Even the daylight streaming in the room doesn't dull their drab aura of homicidal intent. Naruto does find it humorous that he can smell the old wood of the large room more than the ninety or a hundred hardened genin filling it.

"What is this?" Sakura asks. "Why are so many applying to be Chūnin?"

Naruto ignores her question in favor of looking for red hair and a sand guard in the large gathering when he hears Ino call, "Sasuke-kun!" before hopping to encircle his neck with her arms. "You're late," she moans. "It feels like forever since I last saw you."

'_First Sakura, now Ino__…_' Naruto didn't think his inside could squirm and wither any worse. The heartbroken blond stays quiet as Kiba calls out exactly what he felt, "get away from Ino-chan, Sasuke-kun. That's my woman you're- …you're letting hang all over ya!" Akamaru barks for added punctuation despite a vexed Sasuke clearly doing nothing to instigate the aggressive hugging.

"Ino…" Sakura says, lacking her usual fervor as she eyes the Yamanaka expectantly. Sakura hates this platinum blond bombshell. She can feel the hate within her every time she looks at a stoic Sasuke and recalls the potential depths of his disgusting darkness. Looking at Sasuke now, Sakura doesn't see her future as his wife and mother of his many Uchiha children. She sees someone who's capable of both incredible good and incredible bad, who needs help, and worse yet, she sees her own emotional disorder, like a recovering alcoholic gazing at his demons in the bottle.

Ino has made Sakura see the lengths of her fixation on a boy who needs psychological treatment more than a girlfriend, and Sakura hates Ino for it. Life has been hard, dark, and colorless without the basket of sunshine that was her eternal love for Sasuke. And to make matters worse, Ino has hurt Naruto. '_No, not completely. I treated him horribly at every turn._' It's hard to imagine how things within Team 7 might've been if she continued to love Sasuke as much as Naruto continued to love her, but she would hate to think the blinders were removed too late.

Though Sakura blames all of this on Ino, it feels like hating her parents for making her eat her vegetables. It's not about the taste, it's about personal growth, and somehow, Sakura feels like one day she'll look back on this time and possibly be grateful for suffering through this bleak, agonizing, and love-calloused existence.

"Forehead," Ino happily calls, stepping away from Sasuke and mildly surprising some by hugging Sakura close and around her neck, purposely pressing the fleshy breasts together. Though she hears Kiba proudly tell Shino, '_did__' ya see that? She got off him,_' Ino ignores the Inuzuka to happily insult Sakura with no real heat. "Love what you _haven__'t_ done with your hair."

"Oh, Ino-pig," Sakura returns, clearly faking happiness despite allowing the warm hug. "As usual, if you don't keep your mouth shut, all your stupidity will leak out." Despite all their drama, their 'insults' feel like hello and they both smile softly as Sakura whispers, "_I still hate you__…_"

"_As long as I get to see how strong you get, I don__'t care,_" Ino whispers back and Sakura smiles a little as Shikamaru, alongside Chōji walk to the gathering rookies.

"We heard you guys were taking the exam as well," Shikamaru states, looking around the gathering of the Rookie Nine with a somewhat reserved Chōji by his side eating from a bag of potato chips. "This is such a drag," Shikamaru huffs.

"I wonder which one of us'll make Chūnin first," Kiba eagerly calls with a confident smirk. '_Shikamaru_,' Naruto off-handedly answers in his mind as he continues to look around the room and Kiba adds, "I bet our sensei's been training us harder than yours, Sasuke. This isn't going to be like in the Academy. I'll show you the true strength of a man!" Kiba looks at Ino, blushing a bit at the sight of her. Sasuke returns a simple grunt and arrogant smirk.

"I hope you're not all bark, Kiba," Chōji declares. "Because our team is stronger than ever." '_He__'s not wrong_,' Ino thinks. Chōji's attitude has changed quite a bit and Ino's heard his home life is far more strict on him.

"I think as long as we try our best, we'll be happy with our results," Hinata unexpectedly shares with her former classmates, whom did not know how to respond to the usually quiet girl.

'_Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Ch__ōji, Yamanaka Ino, Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru, Aburame Shino, and Hyūga Hinata… They all have their quirks, but they're all good people Naru-nii becomes close friends with,_' Naruto thinks as he looks throughout the large room of murderous faces for any redhead at this point. '_Why the hell can__'t I spot a redhead in this grungy-ass crowd?_'

"Are- are you okay, Naruto-kun," Hinata-chan asks from behind him. Naruto recalls how worried about him she's been since their last dinner together.

It was really nice of her, so he nods and gives her a genuine, if not large, smile as he responds, "hey, Hinata-chan. Yeah, I'm doing okay, I guess. Thanks for asking," he answers as he wonders if it would be wrong to ask her to use her Byakugan to find Gaara. Shaking his head at the thought, he returns to his search, looking farther back in the long room.

"What's up with him," Shikamaru asks Sasuke as the Nara ponders the change in the generally loud blond.

"He's probably scared shitless," Kiba laughs, however Sakura and Sasuke know that isn't the case.

"Leave him alone," Sakura calls, defending her teammate.

"Oh! Letting a girl fight your battles now, Dead Last," Kiba snorts.

Ino smacks him in the shoulder, adding, "don't call him that." Though Kiba is surprised by Ino's reaction, they're all interrupted.

"Hey, you guys should be a little quieter," says a silver-haired boy with round glasses Naruto has already met. Walking up to them with a friendly smile he adds, "as the nine rookies taking the exam, you're all a little too cute to leave alone in a room full of more experienced shinobi."

"And who are you supposed to be," Ino asks, eying his Konoha forehead protector.

"Yakushi Kabuto," he answers. He turns to Naruto and nods with a genial smile, greeting him, "hello again, Naruto-kun," before turning to the others and adding, "you should all probably take a look around."

Rather than look around with the other rookies, Naruto mentally ponders, '_is Kabuto really a spy? He seemed so nice when Haku introduced him._'

Before Naru-nii had a chance to explain a bit about the part Kabuto plays in the future, the silver-haired spy had apparently made friends with Haku. Naruto was introduced to him when Kabuto had come by to drop off some medical ingredients Haku uses to make his medicine. Though Haku brushed it off as two healers comparing notes and expertise, Haku was smiling in a way Naruto hadn't seen before… even when he'd talk about Zabuza-jiji.

'_There__'s no way I'm letting the guy who's helping Orochimaru kill Ji-chan, take Haku,_' Naruto mentally asserts. Kabuto catches Naruto gravely staring at him and gives a gentle wave. Naru-nii had told him how he met Kabuto in his timeline and assumed this alteration in events was due to the fact they saved Haku's life. Naru-nii also thought Haku was exactly the type of shinobi that interests Kabuto's boss, Orochimaru, a collector of Kekkei Genkai.

Due to his older counterpart and their story-time, Naruto knew how bad things were going to get; Kabuto is a spy, a disguised Orochimaru is in the Chūnin exam, Suna's betrayal, Gaara's past and his horrible part in the invasion, and Ji-chan's death. The events ahead prompted Naruto and Naru-nii to use their past week's sessions to brainstorm possible solutions to avert all that befalls the village without outing Naruto's connection to the fracturing future.

"Those hot-tempered genin behind you are from Amegakure," Kabuto continues. "Everyone is tense before the exam so I thought I'd warn you guys. I'm sure none of you want to have an 'accident' before the exam starts. Not that it can be helped. You're rookies after all…"

As Kabuto explains more about the Chūnin Exams, Naruto finally spots the red hair he's looking for, but is then aggravated when it turns out to be a girl with glasses. '_What the hell? Is he late? Hey Kurama, can you sense where your little brother is?_' '_**I**__**'m napping,**_' is all Kurama grumbles to which Naruto immediately thinks back, '_you know, this would be a really good time to start caring more!_' When the red-headed girl with glasses spots Naruto looking at her, he abruptly smiles and waves only for her to quickly turn away.

"I want to know about Sabaku no Gaara, and Rock Lee," Sasuke asks. Hearing about Gaara's B-rank mission and returning unharmed made Naruto humorously recall Naru-nii's explanation of the Suna-nin's sand armor. As a prankster, Naruto always gets a thrill out of knowing something others don't. Kabuto is about to look up Rock Lee when Naruto asks, "actually before that, can you point out where Gaara is?"

"…Why," Kabuto curiously asks.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Naruto replies in a clipped tone.

"Naruto," Sakura yelps. "That's rude."

"It's okay, Haruno-chan," Kabuto states before turning leaning closer to an aggravated Naruto. "I realize how important you are to Haku-san, Naruto-kun, and I want you to know I'm not trying to replace you in any way. I promised him I'd do all I can to make certain you remain safe."

"That's a lie," Naruto flat-out states with hard blue eyes. Naruto may not have come up with a plausible way of outing the spy without explaining his knowledge of the future, nor does he understand why Haku appears to like Kabuto, but he knows Haku would never think him so weak he'd ask someone else to protect him.

Though Kabuto seems surprised by the confident assertion, Naruto cuts any reply he may have had by jumping on top of the nearest desk, the noise of which grabs the attention of many. He'd wondered if maybe Gaara's too short to be seen, and on top of the desk, he has a better view as he yells out, "listen up you Grungy-Ass Senpai! My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I'm looking for a Sabaku no Gaara!" The second he waits for a response is filled with murderous glares and the sound of multiple metal instruments of death unsheathing before Naruto continues. "…Sabaku no Gaara! Come on, don't be shy! Uzumaki Naruto is looking for yo-"

Naruto is dragged back by Ino who promptly yells, "what the hell are you doing? Didn't you hear what Kabuto-san said? He's dangerous!"

Looking so closely at her with an odd mix of mournful confidence, Naruto assertively relays, "it's okay, Ino-chan. I'm not going to lose to anyone here." Ino is taken as she recalls Iruka-sensei's assertion, '_that boy never gives up,_' and her eyes soften at his proclamation and his close proximity to her.

'_**Except to Orochimaru**_,' Kurama chuckles from the seal. '_Lazy freeloaders get to keep their comments to themselves!_' Naruto mentally returns, though enjoys their little banter. Now that they have a better connection, Kurama can respond so long as both parties want to. Luckily the great Chakra beast naps more often than not. Naru-nii explained that a part of their brain unconsciously echos what is being said which is why Kurama can hear what Naruto is saying even if he's within the seal.

With this sort of mental echo, Naru-nii had explained to both of them how Orochimaru was the biggest threat in that room, followed by Gaara, Kabuto, and the Sound-nin, however, even knowing this didn't produce much of a plan that wouldn't affect the final round of the Chūnin exam. It's already bad enough that Haku met with Kabuto and Naruto completely missed meeting Gaara with Sasuke—though, it was nice of Sakura to defend Konohamaru. Naru-nii didn't think exposing their scheme would stop Orochimaru from trying to kill Ji-chan some other way.

'_**That snake-bastard doesn**__**'t quit easily,**_' Naru-nii had explained. '_**So I bet you he**__**'d try something else to get at the old man, only this time I won't know what it is.**_'

'_You also said sealing him with F__ūinjutsu would be hard_,' Naruto pointed out.

'_**Hard only because you have to catch him**_,' Naru-nii points out. '_**He**__**'s a strong slippery bastard and we're not fast enough just yet. I mean, I know you're crazy fast now, especially with Kurama's chakra, but this guy can go toe-to-toe with Ji-chan.**_'

'_He__'d lose_,' Naruto had yelled.

'_**Oh, for sure he**__**'d lose**_,' Naru-nii naturally agreed before he added, '_**if it was a fair fight. But that asshole doesn**__**'t do fair.**_'

'_So__…_'

'_**The thing about this is, we need to tip them off before the invasion, but the intel has to be credible. For example, Gaara**__**'s dad isn't dead yet and nothing's happened that can be explained without mentioning me. It's like this whole intelligence analysis thing Shikamaru told me about one time. Konoha has a whole department just for rating the credibility of any intel they receive. If it passes their tests, then they tag it as Reliable-Actionable. Unless you personally tell Ji-chan why you know what you know, they may not believe it and we could mess things up even further.**_'

'_Why don__'t we just tell Ji-chan then_,' Naruto asks—not for the first time. '_I__'m sure he'd believe us._'

'_**Hey now,**_' Naru-nii chimes. '_**You know I**__**'d think he'd believe us too, and honestly, I don't mind, but we still have time to think of another way, and more than anything, I need to pass on what I know to you first. It's a lot of information and I'd rather not waste the time answering other people's questions.**_' Naru-nii had paused for a few seconds before he truly scared Naruto when he relayed, '_**Now, don**__**'t freak out but, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up for. Every time I stop to rest, it's possible I won't be able to use it anymore**_-'

'_Naru-nii!_'

'_**Hey, I said don**__**'t freak out-**_'

'_You know that never works on me!_' Naruto thought back in frantic haste. '_Are you going to be okay? What can I do? Whatever it is, tell me and I__'ll do it! Just don't leave._'

'_**Hey now, you know I don**__**'t go down so easy… most of the time, anyway,**_' Naru-nii stated. '_**This may not be the case, but if I never get to talk to you again, I need to completely prepare you before we even consider telling others. I don**__**'t want them cutting into our time until it's absolutely necessary. And all I need from you is for you to do your best.**_'

'_I__'ll learn it all_,' Naruto yells. '_I promise!_'

'_**I believe you**_,' Naru-nii happily agrees. '_**As for the Ch**__**ūnin exam, I think your two best moves right now is getting to know Gaara—I'm telling you he's a great friend once he stops wanting to kill people—and keeping Orochimaru from putting that cursed seal on Sasuke**_.'

'_You got it Nii-chan!_'

"This has become even more bothersome," Shikamaru grumbles warily as the many shinobi ahead of the rookies part to the side, making a path from the back to the front of the older genin. "I hate loud midgets like you the most," Naruto hears a boy wearing an all black jumper and face paint states.

Ino lets Naruto go as he states, "you're not Gaara."

"Kankuro," calls a grave voice from behind the face-painted boy.

"Ah," Kanakuro clears his throat, before addressing the red-head. "Gaara, just let your brother handle this-"

"If you don't stop getting in the way of my prey, I'll kill you." Gaara is revealed when Kankuro shuffles out of the way, stuttering, "O-Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Just then, Naruto senses the Sound-nin group make their move. Naruto didn't mind one bit if they attacked Kabuto but one murderous glare from a nearby Gaara and the three genin stop before causing any ruckus. The sound-nin eye the Suna genin before they slowly retreat into the crowd. Naruto knows their boss is disguised as genin from a different village, but Naru-nii couldn't recall what village they're from. So Naruto keeps his eyes open for a shinobi with long black hair and a ridiculously long tongue.

Turning to Naruto, a dead-eyed Gaara asks in a detached voice, "what?"

'_So that__'s Gaara,_' Naruto thinks, noting the red hair and sand guard as he steps closer to his fellow Jinchūriki. Recalling the circumstances of Gaara's life from Naru-nii's story session's, Naruto is intuitively aware of the painful loneliness and constant betrayal that broke the weaponized sand-nin. Spotting the Love tattoo on his forehead, the lack of sleep around his eyes, Naruto can't help but recall his own broken heart, and the long sleepless nights in Kurenai's arms.

Baby-blue eyes water with fat salty tears and Naruto groans before the sand siblings, declaring, "_ugh_, love's a bitch, ain't it?" Though those surrounding them didn't quite comprehend the first thing Naruto says to this dangerous looking shinobi, many are too perplexed by it to feel embarrassed. Gaara remains stern of countenance as Naruto says, "I think we totally get each other," then extends his fist, expressing, "let's be friends!"

"No," Gaara immediately answers before walking back.

"What? How come?" Naruto asks as he tries to follow when Temari steps in between her brother and Naruto.

"You heard him; stay away," Temari warns with a knowing smirk. "Or Gaara can't be held responsible for ending your life."

Naruto chuckles, eying her confidently as he tells her, "he can't kill me."

Recognizing Naruto's assertion as a challenge to his existence and opportunity for blood, Gaara stops and slowly turns to the blond. His light blue eyes are impossibly smaller and his mouth widens menacingly showing teeth.

"H-hey, Gaara, it's f-fine," Kankuro tries as Temari adds, "please, remember _why_ we're here."

"Oh, I get it," Naruto notes aloud drawing the Suna sibling's attention. "You need proof that I'm serious, right? We can get some Ramen after this and talk!" Ignoring the rising homicidal look in Gaara's expression, Naruto quizzically asks, "you like Ramen, right?"

Kankuro's thoughts of, '_he__'s dead_,' mirror Temari's, '_if he__'s too stupid to recognize mortal danger, he shouldn't live anyway._' Sakura, along with the others watch but unlike the others, she's not overly worried. It actually surprises her how much faith she has in Naruto's strength, and doesn't even worry when Ino asks Sakura to, "stop him before he gets himself killed!" The pinkette even enjoys smiling confidently and confusing her blond quasi-friend.

Gaara raises his hand as if to activate jutsu to his siblings fear when a large puff of smoke catches everyone's attention before a hard voice yells, "quiet down you worthless bastards!" A group of proctors stand behind a tall scarred man.

'_Morino Ibiki_,' Naruto mentally comments. After warning the Sound and Sand ninjas—along with the entire room—about fighting, the participants peacefully turn in their registration for their numbers and just like Naru-nii's experience, he got to sit next to Hinata-chan. Though Naruto knew what was going to happen, it was still pretty intense to actually sit through. Ibiki was a real shinobi who survived the worst, and it was impossible not to get sucked into the bloody-minded world he clearly painted with his appearance and the gravitas of his words.

Naruto was so taken he nearly forgot he would, and has, put his life on the line. Even in this very moment, his future self is putting everything on the line to save the entire shinobi world and it's deeply upsetting to look at the uncertainty around the room.

'_They__'re raising their hands!_' Naruto observes as genin after genin raise their shaky palm and quit, hurting their teammates in the process. Naruto momentarily forgot his tortured heart to raise his own hand, high, before slamming it down hard on the desk, making the connected desks around him creak and crack from the force as he arrests the entire rooms attention. "Don't underestimate me! I won't run! I'll take your damn question! Even if I'm a genin forever, I'll still become Hokage!"

"I'll ask you again," Ibiki calmly yet strictly states. "This is your last chance. Your life is riding on this decision."

Thinking of Naru-nii, of Iruka-sensei, of his team, of Kurenai and Haku, of Gaara and all the other shinobi of this world, Naruto confidently asserts the single greatest fact of his entire existence, "I don't quit. Not now, not ever!" Words that echo profoundly for many in the room, but more with Ino as this wasn't the first time she's cognizant of that frame of his mind. Ino's heart pumped a little faster by his rather public conviction and she grows a little warm, tightening her crossed legs at the repeatedly verified thoughts of his virility.

Sakura can't help but smile affectionately, thinking with fondness, '_that__'s just like you._' If it's possible, Hinata didn't think she could admire him any more than that moment. Sitting next to him as he shouted his nindō to a seasoned Jōnin shinobi—who's daring her blond love to quit now or lose the very thing he loves forever—Naruto would not bend, nor go back on his words. '_Kami__…_' is all Hinata mentally gasps as her heart beats incredibly fast.

Sasuke smirks in mild amusement, thinking, '_that idiot_.'

After looking around the room, a stern Ibiki calls out, "congratulations on passing…" but rather than listen any more to Ibiki's explanation, Naruto is looking around the room. He confuses the red-haired girl with glasses looking at him for Gaara again before he locks eyes with Gaara and uses hand signs to ask, '_do you want to grab lunch after this?_' To which Gaara squints confused before looking away.

Naruto hears Ibiki finish with, "those who can't put their destinies on the line, who cling to the uncertain future of '_there__'s always next year_,' and walk away from their chance… those pieces of trash who can only make such cowardly choices don't have the right to become Chūnin!"

It's then that Anko makes her flamboyant entrance just like Naru-nii had chuckled about. Naruto's heard a little of her history as well and found it just as sad as many of the other tragic characters. Naru-nii didn't know the details around Anko's story but he did mention that she was Orochimaru's student and was marked with the same curse Sasuke gets, though Sasuke's is supposed to be much stronger.

Rather than be put off by her odd, theatrical entrance, Naruto claps in part because he's empathetic, but also because he appreciates showmanship. He calls out as he claps, "whoo! Sweet entrance! It's bad timing, but I'll definitely remember it!"

HAKU

With a basket of lunch in his grasp, Haku waits for Naruto outside of the Academy. It's slightly surprising when the long-haired brunette recognizes the buxom kunoichi lugging a large, rolled up black screen over her shoulder. Haku bows respectfully as one of his interrogators stops to greet him.

"Haku-kun," Anko hollers. "I hope you're keeping your pretty little nose clean. We may have accepted your asylum, but I'm sure I don't have to remind you what'll happen if you break any of the conditions of your probationary residence."

"You do not, and I am, Anko-san," Haku greets.

"You waiting for your blond brat to get out," Anko asks, turning to the Academy behind her.

"Yes," Haku answers sweetly. "I thought I'd bring him lunch, since he's always ready to eat," he says as he lifts the cloth wrapped bento for Anko to see.

Anko chuckles, verbally adding, "aren't you just the cutest little housewife. I doubt he'd pass the first task, but if by some miracle he does, he'll have, like, maybe an hour before the second task."

"I have faith he will," Haku informs the buxom torturer.

"The first examiner is Ibiki," Anko happily prods Haku's confidence with. "You remember him, right?"

Haku's pleasant mask doesn't break and he nods, answering, "I do. How lucky of Ibiki-san to finally have this opportunity to witness how amazing Naruto-kun is… and how wrong he was."

Anko chuckles knowingly before changing the topic and directly stating, "I could tell what team you play for, but, what I don't get is why you wanted to rile up Genma by steppin' beside Kurenai." Looking at the beautiful unflinching face smile in answer, Anko's grin widens before she shrugs, saying, "not that it matters. Truth be told, I thought it was hilarious, but she's my babe, Haku-kun, so I'll tell you this now. I don't know what you're playing at, but if she gets hurt, in any way, the kid-gloves come off and I show you what _real_ torture is. Got me?"

"Of course, Anko-san," Haku calmly states, bending his head with respect. "I have the utmost respect for Kurenai-san. She's shown me nothing but kindness since I've come to Konoha."

Though clearly suspicious, Anko nods, stating, "yeah, she's pretty amazing… worth killing others brutally over, if you get my drift."

"Loud and clear," Haku says smiling at the clear death threat should anything happen to Kurenai.

Anko quickly nods then rushes away to the adjacent building. From Haku's vantage point, he can barely see Anko rolling herself in the large black curtain, then hurling herself from one building to the Academy, smashing through the window in the process.

Wide-eyed by the woman's Naruto-ish antics, Haku is yet again marveled at the difference between his past and current life, bringing a smile to his womanly face. Though he misses Zabuza-sama terribly and thinks about him every day, Haku is immensely content by Naruto's side. Not simply because the young blond was such a positive force in this dark and bleak world, but because being here was Zabuza-sama's gift to him. '_And it__'s the best gift I could ever hope to receive,_' Haku thinks with a content smile.

As if thinking about the amazing shinobi he's aligned his allegiance to, the blond potential Chūnin exits the building. Haku waves at Naruto, and though his smile isn't as bright as he'd like it, it's better than the tears four days ago. Fortunately for her well-being, his pink-haired teammate is dragged away by Ino-chan as Naruto rushes to him.

"Hey, Haku," Naruto greets happily, thinking how amazing it feels to have someone waiting for him after getting out of the Academy. Naruto realizes he's no longer a student, but, having always watched on from his lonely swing how many families reunite at the end of a school day always added a deeper gash to his lonely life. Though his heart is aching, Haku being here, waiting for him, refined his perspective to something a little more positive.

"How did you do," Haku confidently asks, as if there's only one clear answer.

"I totally killed it," Naruto says with a smirk before they hear behind him, "Naruto-kun was amazing."

Kabuto walks up to them as he praises, "he completely blasted away the mental challenge of the proctor's plan."

"…I don't like suck-ups," Naruto flatly states, frustrated by his inability to think of a believable way of handling the spy without exposing Naru-nii and the future. If worst comes to worst, he'll tell Ji-chan regardless of what happens, but the Narutos know any great plan only needs one thing to fall into place and get everything going.

Haku places a gentle palm on Naruto's shoulder and smiles before apologizing. "Forgive him, Kabuto-san. He- well, we're both connected by the strongest of bonds."

"I understand," Kabuto says. "I think it's wonderful you both have each other."

"May I speak with Naruto-kun alone," Haku asks, squeezing Naruto's shoulder before he could object to asking permission.

"Of course," Kabuto says before shyly asking, "do you think we can see each other again?"

Naruto hates the blush on Haku's cheek as the beautiful boy responds, "I'd like that." After Kabuto leaves, Haku quickly asks, "is there anywhere we can talk in private?"

Naruto grumbles, "there's a place on the way, since I don't have a lot of time."

INO

After dragging Sakura away from the other rookies, the kunoichi find a secluded area in the field behind their Academy, near the tree line and under the shade of a tree.

"What do you want?" Sakura finally asks before focusing on what really matters. "Did you see Naruto? I may not completely hate you for what you did to me, but I most certainly hate you for what you did to him." Sakura hadn't seen Ino since that day. Sakura had fallen asleep in Ino's embrace and hadn't woken up until the following morning, weak, tired, and dry.

"I know," Ino agrees as she takes out her lunch. "Come on. We only have an hour and I want to tell you what I never got a chance to say before." Ino begins eating her bento while she waits for her pink-haired former friend and rival.

With a huff, Sakura settles in the grass to eat her own lunch, demanding, "so?"

"Look," Ino starts. "I know it sucks he's hurting right now-"

"Because of you," Sakura exclaims.

"Because of _us_," Ino corrects. "Or are you telling me he wouldn't eventually be hurting when you reject him- _truly_ reject him at some point down the line. You were going to break his heart anyway."

"I may not want to date him, but I wouldn't have hurt him like that," Sakura retorts.

"Look I don't want him to have a broken heart either," Ino states, mentally finishing, '_but I maybe, sort of want to date him and I don__'t want to compete with you again!_' But rather than being brutally honest with Sakura, a cowardly Ino moves on. "The thing I wanted to tell you before is, I think Sasuke needs help more than a relationship, so I'm not going after him anymore." Dropping her dumpling, Sakura is clearly surprised as Ino continues, "regardless of how much more conscious you are, I don't know if you want to continue pursuing him or not, but if you do, I won't get in the way."

"You… you're giving up on Sasuke," Sakura incredulously asks.

"I wouldn't say I'm giving up on him," Ino states, thinking of the evolution of her definition of love, and all that she's learned throughout the past five months. "Sasuke's my first love, and he'll always be someone special in my heart, but, he's a person first, and his needs as a person are more important than my fantasy."

"Ino…"

Feeling a little closer to the raven-haired genjutsu mistress Ino greatly admires, she smiles and tells Sakura, "I know the type of kunoichi and woman I want to be. No matter how challenging and uncomfortable it is for anyone and everyone to accept, myself included, I don't want to run from who I am."

"…And who is that," a mildly astonished Sakura gently asks.

"I don't know yet," Ino answers with a genuine grin. "But I'm less scared of who that might be now."

They remain silent for the remainder of their lunch, both thinking about the questions and answers of who they are and who they want to be, but one also thinking about all the possibilities blond boy presents.

NARUTO

Seated on the top of the Fourth's monument, overlooking all of Konoha, Naruto is inhaling his delicious, home-made ramen as he hears Haku ask, "why don't you like Kabuto-san?"

"Why are you friendly with him," Naruto returns.

"Naruto-kun…"

Rolling his eyes, Naruto states with a huff, "…I just don't trust him," and feels a strong tug of guilt pull at his heart for not sharing why. "He's… he's… nice? I don't even know. It's nothing specific I guess, and I know that's unfair. I don't want to dislike any friends you make, but with him, I just can't help it." '_Yet_,' Naruto thinks. Eventually, it'll come out, but until then, he'll keep up appearances.

"I… I never told you how we met," Haku starts overlooking the wonderfully sunny view of Konoha and the bustling streets below. The vast village is picturesque in his eyes as Haku recalls aloud, "I was searching the market for any drugstores or medicine shops that might purchase from an independent source and as I was walking into a store, Kabuto-san was exiting. I've gotten into the habit of never letting my guard down, however, in that rather abrupt moment our eyes met, and I witnessed something real… something he wasn't expecting to show me… something I recognized."

"What was it," Naruto asks his friend.

Haku returns his attention on Naruto, answering, "due to my own experience wearing a mask, there's a slight burden when you uncover your _self_ to the world. When I saw Kabuto-san, I detected the subtle shift when he raised his guard of a friendly mask, and I knew then, what I saw was his true self, uncomposed, vulnerable, and lost. From that moment on, I've had fairly regular contact with him and I haven't seen his true face again." Naruto was silent, unsure how to process that occurrence when Haku adds, "you have good instincts Naruto-kun. Whether it's fortunate or not, I've seen his real eyes, and ever since then, he's been hiding his self from me, despite…"

"Despite what," Naruto asks.

"Despite… nothing tangible at the moment," Haku answers with his serene smile.

Naruto struggles to understand any of this and asks, "so, if you think he's bad-"

"I don't know what to think," Haku points out. "It's why I'll be careful while I wait and see."

"I don't want to lose you, Haku," Naruto states. He may have saved him from dying in the Land of Waves, but that doesn't mean Haku won't die some other way. Only this time, Naru-nii won't be able to warn him about it beforehand. It worries Naruto immensely, especially after how Haku stayed with him the past five days.

"Nor I you-" Haku started to state when he's interrupted. They both feel a gentle tug of their naval and know exactly what the first of a three-step alarm means. Since they both know Naruto has to go to Training Ground 44, Haku states, "I'll handle it."

"Be careful," Naruto states.

"Of course," Haku smiles.

* * *

Sakura had always struck me as someone with little to no self respect when her love is in the picture. That is to say, when she's just Sakura and has nothing to do or say about Sasuke, she's cool, I get her and I like her. When Sasuke's in the picture, it's basically like she throws out all her principles and dignity out the window for this homicidal introvert. It boggles my mind that a normal girl(as Kishimoto likes to describe her) is nearly murdered, twice, by the love of her life and she still wants his babies at the end! A NORMAL girl! Do you guys realize that Sasuke had to shake the hand of the father whose daughter he attempted to kill, TWICE?! Sasuke had to bow to Sakura's father after Mr. Haruno said, "please take care of my daughter," before their wedding. I could easily imagine Sakura would never tell her parents that Sasuke tried to kill her for fear they wouldn't accept him as her husband, but even then, they know he was a criminal which meant Sakura very likely had to convince her parents that Sasuke is good now. The more thought I give the more it sounds utterly ridiculous to me, borderline disgusting, and I won't have it in my fic.

Ino's plan to drag out this ugly side of Sakura was harsh and immoral and didn't make her look good, but after what she made Sakura reflect on, I, personally, can't see Sakura acting like she had, and that will ultimately help her personal growth. Setting Sakura on the right path is exactly what Ino wants, regardless of how horrid it made her look. Sure, Ino could've simply given Sakura the pictures and begged for forgiveness, and I could've figured out another way to bring Sakura into the Harem, but then Naruto AND Sakura would've remained blind. This is literally one stone, three birds.

Who's that red-headed glasses wearing girl? 😜😆

Yes, Haku is gay. That being said, there will be no Yaoi. Reasons why I went this route: I know Haku admires men's bodies, or possibly just Zabuza, from a comment he made in Part I. Also, I felt like Haku would be the type of shinobi Orochimaru would want which Kabuto would then scout. Haku is interested in medicine and Kabuto is genius when it comes to medical ninjutsu. My mind just sort of weaved an interesting story with them that I want to explore. So, if you're not a fan, I don't mind hearing about it, but this is the will of the story and I won't fight it.

Kakashi... I feel comfortable where he's at in the story. Nothing significant will change for him until I bring in another character. Then I can focus on him more.

I hope Naruto isn't too depressed for you guys. I tried to balance it with story progression so as to avoid being all emo. Like in the Wave mission, I just focused on the parts I changed.

As always, thank you all for your continued support and taking the time to comment. I really do appreciate it.

Have a great one,

-Grae


	20. 20Heaven and Earth

...hey...

Work is insane and it's only just started! Definitely don't expect another update till after summer. It's just too much. Even finishing this chapter was a mission.

One thing I want to mention: I know team 7 had the Heaven scroll in the 2nd task before they lost it to Orochi. I'm going to charge a tiny amount of my creative license to change that to the Earth Scroll.

That is all. Enjoy!

P.S. This fic only began as a way for me to practice my lemons, but I know some fans like the story without the lemons, which is totally cool. I just want to say I have no problem if someone wants to use the Shinigami beads idea to create a story. I will ask for two things: 1. Let me know, because I would love to read a different version of my idea. 2. Have fun with it.

* * *

NARUTO

"Well, team, we've got our work cut out for us and it's a ton of stuff to do, but there's no way in hell we're takin' five days to do it," Naruto shouts out to the dozen spiky-haired blonds in front of him. "Luckily for us, we can be in a lot of places at once," Naruto continues pacing with his hands behind his back like a general. Just inside of Gate 12, two members of Team 7 are waiting on the third and his dozen clones before beginning their treacherous journey to the tower at the center of the Forest of Death.

"Yeah!" The platoon of Narutos holler back as Sasuke and Sakura are forced to watch from several paces away. Though Sasuke wanted to rush right in, Naruto insisted they wait so he can set up several safeguards. Even without Sakura's vote of support, Sasuke seems to begrudgingly agree.

"Even though we've decided not to change too much," Naruto continues, confident Sasuke and Sakura wouldn't understand what that truly meant. "We're definitely not going to let those evil bastards take whatever they want. We aren't letting the worst happen!"

"Damn right we aren't, boss!" one Naruto calls and they all holler in exuberant unity.

"I know we know all this already," Naruto asserts with his dozen clones. "I have to stay with my teammates, but, we all got our tasks. Keep an eye on Gaara. I don't think he's far from our gate. Hopefully, we can learn something that might help us show him how genuine we are-"

"I still don't get why we don't just tell him we're One & Nine," a Naruto asks to the annoyed groans of others. The exchange makes Naruto wonder why his clones can act like different parts of himself at the same time.

"Are you almost done," Sasuke calls irately, to which one of Naruto's clones yells back, "hey, we're having a conversation here, teme!" "So rude," another clone adds and they all hum in agreement, annoying Sasuke to no end.

The real Naruto turns to his waiting teammates a few paces away and informs them, "just gimme a minute." Turning back to his platoon of clones, Naruto reminds them of Naru-nii's justification. "Nii-chan said true friends don't need excuses. Gaara'll believe us when he sees we really mean it and I agree. We're the type to prove our words through action and that's what we're going to do!"

"You're so wise, boss!"

"Aww, thanks you guys," Naruto smiles bashfully.

"Naruto," Sakura calls. "We should really get moving. I already heard screaming."

Her voice is the deep cutting reminder of their heart's unyielding pain and all the Narutos groan or grip the ache at their chest. One even yells, "this is the worst pain ever! Someone pop me!" When another asks, "can we leave, boss? We already know what to do," Naruto answers with a nod, adding, "yeah, sure. Watch out for the other Konoha teams as well as Kabuto. The second any of you see a snake, you know what to do. Let's make Nii-chan proud!"

"Ossu!" they all yell before all but one clone leaves.

KURENAI

Drinking her tea while Kakashi, Genma, Asuma, Yūgao, and Hayate discuss likely outcomes of the second test, Kurenai can't help but wonder about her genin and Naruto. The Jōnin were waiting in noshery on the seventh floor of the tower at the center of Training Ground 44. The Jōnin-sensei of other teams also wait for any word of their students; whether positive or negative. It goes without saying, any Jōnin-sensei asked to leave before the completion of the second test means their students have failed or died, and urges her thoughts to repeatedly hover around Naruto.

'_He__'s been so down_,' Kurenai mentally observes for the hundredth time since Haruno-chan's final rejection of him. '_And why wouldn__'t he be,_' she mentally asserts, recalling their consoling nights sleeping in each other's arms without actual intercourse. He didn't mention the details, but Kurenai acutely understands his depression and couldn't help holding him physically and emotionally, constantly assuring him everything was going to be alright.

Kurenai has long admitted to herself that Naruto has many positive qualities that she easily responds to and he's impressed her multiple times, which has led to her constant thoughts of him, but to see him so hollow hurt her. Kurenai wanted nothing more than to take the pain away, but she had to be careful. Emotions can run high and entangle easily, for both of them, and Kurenai is certain what they have is not the romantic love a fair majority of woman expect when considering a life partner.

She hadn't met Naruto, who isn't her type, somewhere where he charmed her into a date with his nice smile and obvious intellect. Truthfully, they don't have much in common. An evening drink together while listening to classical music is out of the question. They can't have a playfully intellectual conversation while passively observing each other interesting interpretation of their truths. They haven't even seen a movie together, and yet, what they do have in common makes all the difference in the world; their Will of Fire, their love of Konoha, their hunger to learn, their hunger for each other.

She's certain this is not a conventional love, but she can't be certain her feelings for him isn't an unconventional _something_. With a sigh, Kurenai mournfully prays, '_I hope he__'s okay_.'

Catching her melancholy mood, her friend Yūgao asks, "are you okay?"

To which Kurenai shrugs and answers, "just worried about my genin."

NARUTO

Following his team through the forest, Naruto is vigilant and cautious. Naru-nii had instructed him to just mock Anko a bit, and sure enough, she threw a kunai at him. After which, Naruto saw the tall boy with the disgustingly long tongue Orochimaru is pretending to be. Now Naruto knows who to look out for.

Though he had mentioned to Anko that he didn't like the Grass nin, Anko only chuckled evilly and responded, "there are worst predators in the forest." Having been in the forest when he was younger, he knows that to be false. The bears, tigers, blood-sucking leeches, insects, and other crazy animals certainly suck, but Naruto knows Orochimaru is the biggest threat in the forest.

The embodiment of the Narutos combined plan was about information; when they learn it and how fast it's disseminated, so, at Naru-nii's suggestion, Naruto knows all his clones will use Kurama's chakra if they need it and to create and dispel a clone to relay information to the rest of the platoon. It's a fluid sort of plan that already helps when, to Naruto's surprise, two of his backup clones are already forcibly dispelled by a huge cyclone of wind barreling through the forest, easily separating any team within the range of that half-mile-long attack.

"Sakura! Sasuke!" Naruto calls a second before the large cyclone attack barrels through trees and Team 7. The dynamite of gale force wind tears at bark and branches, launching pink, black and blond hair in differing directions. But for the force of the wind, it didn't hurt too terribly, but landing hard on the forest floor, rolling until a large tree root roughly ends his momentum, Naruto wonders more about his teammates. Wincing a bit, Naruto eventually rights himself before creating a clone and dispelling it to update the batch of clones running within the forest.

"Crap, that really was a crazy technique," he mumbles as he looks around for his teammates. "This is when Naru-nii said he came up against a- Shit! That's a huuuge snake!" Naruto yells as his eyes bulge at the size of the giant summon slowly rears back his mushroom head, bending his body like a tense coil. The snake attacks incredibly fast with a heavy tail swipe.

Getting some information on Sasuke, a momentarily distracted Naruto has only enough time to take out one of his specially prepared kunai before the tail bats him away with tremendous strength. His brain fritzes at the impact, but in the air, he manages to ask Kurama for chakra before sticking the landing on the side of a tree. The snake slithers only a moment before the explosive tag on the kunai he stabbed into the thick scale of its tail explodes. With the amazing boost in power, Naruto creates three clones, all stuck on the side of the tree. One immediately dispels to inform the others and initiate his plan for the clone that remained by gate 12. The other two clones help him create an incomplete Rasen-Shuriken. Truthfully, it's more Rasengan than Fūton Rasengan, but it feels like more than enough to deal with this over-grown fanged cucumber.

The snake is writhing from the horrible burn of its tail when Naruto runs higher up the tree while the two remaining clones create a large Rasengan and drop to the forest floor. Kurama powered clones easily track and dodge its desperate swipes until the Rasengan-less clone sacrifices itself to allow the clone with the large Rasengan to hit it square in the middle of its body. The hurricane-strength ball of chakra propels the large snake like a rotating festival streamer, with its head and tail flailing as its spinning body rockets. The length of the summon impacts a large tree and coils feebly around it as Naruto drops down with his Fūton Rasengan. Connecting his attack with the snake's scales stings his own hand like acid but it's manageable as he tears the snake apart until it pops away.

Grossed out by all the snake blood still on him, Naruto turns to the clones, and since he already knows about Sasuke, he asks them, "does anyone have eyes on Sakura?" They dispel, transmitting the message across his clone network and Naruto rushes to the tree top in hopes of catching up with his teammates.

ANKO

Anko is just sitting down with her party-sized box of dango when she spots Kakashi's blond brat sprinting toward her. Though there's no rule stating leaving the training ground will disqualify a team, she didn't think anyone would try. '_Maybe one of Kakashi__'s brats died?_' she thinks as he stops in front of her and shocks her so deeply with his words she has to ask him to repeat himself, blaring, "wait, say the fuck what again?"

"I said," Naruto's clone begins to repeat the cover-story. "There's this crazy snake-looking nin attacking us. He said his name's Orochimaru and I'm pretty sure he's like a criminal or something-"

"Where?!" Anko demands, on her feet, letting the party pack of dango drop to the floor.

"Um, we're around five, maybe six hours in from Gate 12," Naruto answers.

"Just so you know, in that snake-shit's case, alerting us is way more important than sticking with your team, so don't ever feel shitty about that," Anko asserts as she hurries toward Gate 12 with grave purpose. "Do me a favor and warn the Hokage."

"I'm actually a clone," Naruto returns affronted and to her surprise. "Team 7 is still fighting him now. But, yeah, I'll get Ji-chan."

RED-HEADED GLASSES GIRL

"The Earth scroll," she hears. "Same as us."

"Glasses! Glasses!" The red-headed young kunoichi shrieks under the grand sound of a gigantic bear toppling over from a strike to the forehead. After her team was separated by some large wind attack, she was nearly killed by a bear. "Where are they? Where are they-" she asks when she finally feels her glasses and slaps them on her face just in time to see her savior.

He was the most beautiful raven-haired boy she'd ever seen.

"Later," Sasuke calls and her heart beats as fast as he departs.

So stricken by her savior's beauty, she was completely taken by surprise to hear behind her, "jeez, he couldn't even check to make sure she's okay." As a sensor-type, it's the biggest lapse in her ability as the redhead whirls around to face the blond behind her. She immediately recognizes him from his singularly loud display in the exam room. He's looking off toward the direction his teammate has left before turning to her and asking, "are you okay?"

The startled red-headed girl with glasses who just survived a monstrous bear attack, hides her scroll, sputtering, "you…"

"Oh, hey, don't worry," Naruto delicately chimes waving both his open palms. "I'm not trying to take your scroll or anything."

Getting her agitation under control, she reads his chakra as honest, making her relax a smidgen as she comments, "…you're that boy's teammate."

"Yeah," Naruto calls returning his attention to the long gone Sasuke. "Which reminds me," he adds, before creating a clone to then dispel so the others receive the information that Sasuke's on his way back.

Finding it strange his clone dispelled so quickly, she asks, "can't you hold a clone for long?"

"I can," Naruto answers her, then thinks to join the backup squad of their platoon. "I should get going-"

"Wait," the red-headed girl yells before he leaps away. He stops and is receptive for a response. "…Your last name… is it really, Uzumaki?"

"Mn," he hums with a nod before quirking his brow. "Wait, when did I tell you that?"

The girl looks at him in disbelief, voicing, "you shouted your name to everyone in the exam room. It's pretty easy to learn someone's name when it's shouted out like that."

"Oh, yeah," Naruto chuckles. "Yeah, that's me. Uzumaki Naruto, future and greatest Hokage there'll ever be!"

Shrugging away the Hokage comment, she asks what she's extremely curious to know. "And are you from Uzushiogakure?"

Getting new information streaming into his head about a fight going on with a huge fucking snake, Naruto nearly misses the question. "Huh? Oh, uh, no. I was born in Konoha," he answers as he figures the clone by Gate 12 is hopping the fence to alert the proctors of Orochimaru now.

"Well, that doesn't have to mean anything," she mumbles to herself before she implores him, "but your family name. It's one of the prominent clans from Uzushiogakure."

"Really," Naruto asks then recalls Naru-nii mentioning his clan. "Well, I was named after kaa-chan's family, Uzumaki Kushina."

Quickly growing wide-eyed, the redhead retorts, "That's- You're kidding!"

"Uh, no," Naruto slowly assures her. "I wouldn't joke about that."

"Uzumaki Kushina," she pronounces slowly in thought. "She's apart of the most honored family in Uzushiogakure! Your whole family were so masterful at Fūinjutsu, it was practically the village's Kekkai Genkai!" Realization widens as she outwardly verbalizes her running thoughts. "Kami… your mother, and I think one of your grandmothers, were sacred members of service."

With squinted eyes, Naruto asks, "how do you know so much about my clan?"

"Your clan?" the red-haired girls retorts before realizing, "I suppose you _do_ have a better claim than me… oh well, at least I look like an Uzumaki," she answers him with a smirk with a flick of her vibrant red hair. At his confusion, she informs him, "my name is Uzumaki Karin. I'm-well, my mother, actually, was one of the branch members of the Uzumaki clan."

"REALLY!" Naruto yells in a tall dark forest filled with many predators hunting for easy prey. She looks around nervously as she fearfully shushes his excited, "we're family!? Really! Really!"

Karin couldn't understand his level of exuberance, but she was reading a wonderful energy radiating from his chakra, and it's not like she dislikes the idea of discovering family, even if they are only second cousins.

"My mother was a survivor of the Last Days," Karin tells him.

"The Last Days…" Naruto repeats mournfully. "Is that what they call it?"

"No," Karin answers. "That's just how she'd always refer to it. '_In those last days_,' she would often say. Her mind lived in the past pretty often."

"So, your kaa-san knows a lot then," Naruto asks.

"She used to," Karin answers with a nod. "She… passed away."

"Oh," Naruto mouths with sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry. My parents passed too," he admits to her, and Naruto only then realizes he's never really admitted that aloud. Though already down, he's happy to confess as much to family.

"So, we're the Last of the Last Days," Karin morbidly jokes.

"Maybe," Naruto softly tells her. "But maybe not! I was thinking of restarting the Uzumaki clan in Konoha, and with a stupid name like the Last Days, I definitely will now. The Uzumaki clan is not gone, and now you have family and home here, Karin-chan!"

Trying to decipher between simple excitement and genuine offer, Karin asks, "wait, are you asking me to live in Konoha?"

"Hell yeah I am," he exclaims. "We're blood! Aside from being Hokage, family means everything to me!"

Though his chakra feels like ocean waves of honesty, she can't truly believe it, offhandedly commenting, "your village would never allow it."

"They will!" He readily assures her with clenched fists and stern eyes. "And Ji-chan'll help. I know he will."

"…I need to think about this," Karin weakly answers. With her past, he's simply offering her too much hope for her to easily accept.

Tilting his blond head curiously, he genuinely asks, "what's there to think about?"

"You're asking me to leave everything I know to come to a strange place," Karin reasons. "That's not such a simple thing people immediately say yes to."

"Hehe, I guess you're right," Naruto chuckles as he agrees. "We should definitely get some ramen and talk some more. I can show you how amazing Konoha is and I just know you'll love it."

"You had me at ramen," Karin smirks.

"Haku's ramen is the next best right after Ichiraku's," Naruto happily informs her before wondering, "do you think all Uzumaki's love ramen?"

"No, not at all," Karin flatly states, shaking her head. "I just love it because it's cheap and my mother hated it. Ramen is actually pretty bad for you."

"You take that back!" Naruto gripes affronted. "Ramen is Kami's gift to humankind!"

Karin laughs before stating, "my mother would've definitely smacked some sense into you, but only because she loved serving the main branch. She was a primary caregiver and would've hunted you like a yōkai if she learned a member of the main family was shortening their lifespan like that."

"What?! Ramen doesn't do that," Naruto defends.

Karin looks at him in amused surprise, listing for him, "you might get away with making homemade ramen healthier but that instant stuff lacks fiber, protein, and other crucial vitamins and minerals. Not to mention the high sodium content negatively impacts your health."

"…We were doing so well, Karin-chan," Naruto mumbles with disingenuous disappointment. "Oh well, I still love you."

"Y-You don't even know me," Karin retorts, shocked by how fast he seems to be accepting her. Ignoring her as he happily hums, "I have family, I have family," Karin calls out, "hey, will you listen to me-" She's cut off when they both hear screams, and in her case, familiar screams.

"That sounded close by," a serious Naruto notes.

"Shigeri!" Karin calls, searching for his chakra. When Naruto asks if he's her teammate, she nods and they both sprint toward the source of her teammate's cry.

TEAM EIGHT

"Hey," Naruto drops in behind Team 8, startling them. "… uh, are you guys okay?"

"Idiot," an irate Kiba calls, settling a shaking Akamaru down. "Obviously we're okay."

"Why aren't you with your team," Shino's monotone voice asks.

"I am," Naruto answers Shino before smiling at Hinata-chan. "Hey, Hinata-chan. I bet your Byakugan is super useful here huh? You can probably even see what scroll they have without having to get close!"

Hinata smiles through her brilliant blush before she answers, "my Byakugan helps."

"No doubt," Naruto states, nodding assertively before asking Kurenai's team, "do you guys want any help getting the scroll you need?"

"Is that some sort of joke," Kiba responds, eying the dead last in humored disbelief. "Thanks, but no thanks. You'd only slow us down."

Facing the Inuzuka, an annoyed Naruto calls, "what the hell, Dog Breath? I just asked if you wanted help."

Snorting, he retorts, "help from the Dead Last? We might as well hand 'em our scroll now," Kiba assumes.

"Whatever," Naruto mutters rolling his eyes. "Later Hinata-chan." Turning to the horrid mess of blood-tainted sand past the bushes, Naruto gasps, asking, "Yeesh! What the hell happened there?"

"That was the red-haired sand-nin you tried to be besties with-" Kiba starts to explain.

"Gaara!" Naruto hops before further asking, "he was here? When? Which way did he go?"

"Please tell me you're not that stupid," Kiba asks in disbelief.

"Naruto-kun, he's very dangerous," Hinata informs him with worry.

"It wouldn't be advisable to associate with him," Shino coolly adds.

"It's cool you guys," Naruto waves them off. "I bet he's just a big softy when you get to know him. Which way?" Kiba mechanically points and Naruto calls out, "I'll see you guys at the tower!" as he rushes after the elusive future-friend.

"He really is an idiot," Kiba comments as the blond speeds away. "Rest in peace," the Inuzuka adds and Hinata can only stomach her apprehension due to knowing it's only one of Naruto's clones. Still, she hopes with all her heart his clone will stay alright.

KARIN

Naruto and Karin land high on a tree branch. From their vantage point, they spot her heavily injured teammate, Shigeri holding out his shaking sword in his trembling hand. Shigeri is hemorrhaging from multiple wounds with Masashi, the third member of Karin's team, lying unconscious on the grass behind him, with even more injuries. In the small clearing surrounded by enormous trees, Shigeri and Masashi's attackers are two shinobi with forehead protectors from Land of Grass, wearing straw hats, and thick, purple, sacred rope tied around their waist tied in a large bow at their back, however, Naruto knows their true allegiance.

"Karin," Naruto whispers keeping his sky-blue eyes locked on them, wondering how close he can get before they can react. When she turns to him, he seriously asks, "do you want me to handle them or do you want to help?"

"Wha- No, you can't- Those guys aren't normal genin," she whispers back, sensing their chakra is far more sinister than any genin's should be.

"Do you trust me," Naruto asks.

"I don't even know you!" she whispers back, again, wondering why he's so quick to trust simply because they share the same last name. '_That__'s not how you last in this world!_' her mind yells.

"Well, now's as good a time as any," Naruto confidently presumes.

"No, actually," Karin responds in a low voice, quirking a brow. "Now is very possibly the absolute worst time to trust you," Karin whispers with clear aggravation he simply smiles away which only makes her more annoyed... annoyed as only family can do.

"Come on," Naruto states, returning his attention to the serious shinobi toying with their prey. "They're your teammates. All I need you to do is jump in front of your team and offer those guys your scroll. If you can fake it, cry loudly. That'll be a great distraction."

'_Sight and sound_,' Karin thinks with a small smirk before she, with unexpected and great effort, agrees. Moments later, Karin lands in front of her beaten and bloodied teammates, crying horridly loud, complete with fat tears as she wails, "please, please, please don't kill my ultra precious teammates! Please! Here's our scroll! I readily offer it in the face of such strength! Take it, and spare our worthless lives!"

She was offensively more theatrical than Naruto expected and he wanted to laugh so hard at how terrible her acting is, but these were the two genin with the disguised Orochimaru, which meant they were far more dangerous than they appeared.

"Kami be damned, will you just kill them already," the one with the straw hat orders to the one with the skin-like mask. "Her wailing is getting on my nerves."

"Yeah, yeah," the murderous genin calls over Karin's loud crying.

His first step toward her scared Karin, and for a moment, she doubted the sudden amount of Narutos surrounding them would save her. Though she can sense them, they feel weaker than these shinobi, and suddenly, in the presence of her mortality, she doubted his sincerity along with his claims. Breath hitching, that sliver of doubt made Karin certain she would die trusting another Uzumaki for a final time…

…until two kunai are launched from behind her toward the fake genin and as expected both shinobi block them with their own kunai. A still wailing Karin barely thinks to ask, '_two kunai? Really?_' When unbeknownst to these disguised genin, the attack from the front distracted them from the very fast, stealth attack at their back.

"Rasengan!" Two red-eyed Narutos call as they simultaneously slam incredibly condensed balls of spinning chakra center mass against their spine. The murderers scream in ear-shattering pain as they are rocketed forward by their spinning pelvis at tremendous speed. One spinning mass of flesh is unlucky enough to have a tree stop him with a bone-shattering '_thwack_' while the other flies farther than she can see before hearing a distant grunting '_thud_.'

"Oh, man," a brightly smiling Naruto calls as the other five clones rush to them. "The way you fake crying was so awful, I wanted to laugh so hard!"

"Tch," she sucks her teeth, too embarrassed to confess she actually likes her acting. "It worked didn't it-"

"Where the fuck were you, you stupid cunt," a trembling Shigeri yells at Karin before eying Naruto. Naruto's chakra immediately feels defensive to Karin, but restrained. Naruto raises his hands in peace as Shigeri can barely manage to sheath his jittery sword before returning his glare at his red-haired teammate. "If you had been here when we needed you, Masashi wouldn't be dead!" Karin can't even explain herself before Shigeri spits blood and a cracked tooth, spouting, "nevermind! We're already disqualified. Gimme your arm."

Karin hesitates to do so in front of Naruto as she's never liked her ability. Not only was it responsible for her mother's death, but it's the very job she inherited in order to survive. Now, being bitten painfully hard in front of her kin suddenly didn't feel right.

"Karin, give me your fucking arm!" Shigeri yells as he jerks her left arm to his mouth, but before her teammate can add another scar to the collection, Naruto grips Shigeri by his throat, making him choke as her blond cousin pulls him away.

"I don't get what's going on," a confused and irate Naruto states. "But I'm pretty sure he was going to bite you." Looking from Karin to Shigeri and back, he curiously asks, "are you sure he's your teammate?"

Though Shigeri tries to break free, Naruto tightens his enhanced grip, interrupting the bleeding boy from answering or yelling. Even without her sensory abilities, Karin can tell Naruto is far stronger even if her teammate wasn't so heavily wounded. Feeling hollow from her sorrowful memories, Karin tries to explain to Naruto, "I…" However, flashing memories of how she allowed herself to be used just like her pathetic mother had, keeps Karin from deliberately tainting her cousin's opinion of her with the biggest shame of her young life.

"Well, it's cool if you don't want to say," Naruto states as he shoves the wounded Shigeri to his clones and two of them lock the boy's wrist joints and drop him to his knees as a third clone presses a kunai at his throat. "But I'm not letting some weirdo hurt my family… or bite them."

"…You don't even know me," Karin sheepishly levels at Naruto.

"I want to though," Naruto returns. "I'm going to restart the Uzumaki clan, Karin-chan. Not only do I want to protect them, but I also want to get to know all the family I have left in this world."

'_Urgh_,' Karin mentally grunts at his emotionally honest kick to her gut. "…Oh, whatever," Karin states repressively happy. "There was nothing left for me in Kusagakure anyway."

"Uzumaki, you traitor," Shigeri yells, despite the kunai at his neck. "The village will hear about this! We looked after you! We took care of you-"

"The village killed my mother, you abusive asshole," she yells at him. "And the village was going to do the same to me!"

"She's a member of my clan now," Naruto gravely tells the weak and bleeding boy. "You come after her, and you'll have to deal with me." Naruto waves to the clones and they let the exhausted Shigeri go. "Since you're disqualified, the exit's straight that way," he tells him pointing to his eight o'clock. "You can let yourself out."

Once Shigeri is thirty yards away, Karin asks, "you really think it was a good idea to let him go? I mean, countries banded together to destroy Uzushiogakure because our existence was _that_ much of a threat. Who's to say they won't do it again?"

Unimpressed, Naruto shrugs, admitting, "he'll have to survive first, and I just sent him toward the biggest nest of Konoha's Jumping Leeches in the forest. Just one of those bloodsuckers snags his skin for more than five minutes, and the only place he'll be reaching is the next world. But if you want to tell him not to go that way-"

"No," Karin exclaims, easily sensing how low on chakra her former teammate is. Watching Shigeri labor just to leave, possibly to his death, Karin apprehensively expresses to her family her decision. "My mother and I… we have special chakra that heals anyone who, uh, bite us. It's why Shigeri wanted my arm," she confesses, raising up her left arm so he can clearly see all the disfiguring bite marks. Thus far, she's managed to keep all the scaring to her left arm, but it was still humiliating and shameful to display.

"After the destruction of Uzushiogakure, we took refuge in Kusagakure under the condition my mother heals everyone who gets injured," Karin continues. "That's how she ensured we survived, but by the end, she had so many scars, her skin looked more like mangled chewing gum. After a surprise attack on our village, she… she exhausted her chakra supply healing everyone that was injured… and died."

Ignoring Naruto and the warm tear rolling down her cheek for her lost mother, Karin simply watches her long departed teammate as her croaky voice continues. "Her body wasn't even cold before they forced me to take her place. I hated her for protecting me until it killed her, I hated them for murdering her so they would live, and I hate myself for letting them do the same to me. So, no, Naruto. I don't care to warn Shigeri where he's going. He's the son of our village's leader and I can't think of a more fitting punishment than getting leeched to death. I hope Shigeri thinks of me when sharp teeth latch onto his skin and sucks the life from his body!"

After clearing her moist cheeks of tears, Karin turns to Naruto and hadn't expected him or his clones to be tearing up and holding it back. Some of the clones were even hanging off each other's shoulder for support, covering their eyes with their forearms.

"_Uuuugggg_… That's the saddest thing I've ever heard," Naruto bemoans mournfully before he rushes her in a full hug. "Someone pop after the Boss' fight," he wails, and a second later, all the remaining Narutos are hugging her. At the palpable feel of his empathy and the aura of his sympathetic chakra, Karin couldn't help her own tears from streaming before she's holding Naruto just as hard and crying freely.

SAKURA

Sakura never felt such fear… Such terror.

'_That__… look_,' she shudders to think, recalling her very death in that long-haired nin's slit-eyes. Sakura could've sworn his kunai was lodged into the brain matter in her skull. Despite her shaky breath, Sakura concentrated on healing her self-inflicted stab wound while Sasuke finished applying the disinfectant cream she gave him before wrapping up his self-inflicted wound in gauze.

"I just…" Sakura starts. Still feeling her supreme terror, Sakura shakes her head a bit then finishes, "I'll treat you in a minute-"

"We don't have the time," Sasuke quickly whispers. With his Sharingan activated, he ignores her while he frantically surveys the dark and quiet forest for any hint of danger. "Finish healing yourself so we can get out of here!"

"Sasuke…" she mutters, never witnessing this much panic from him. His panic inspires her own fears as she thinks, '_he__'s probably right._' Their attacker is leagues above them. Sakura was only proud of the fact that she wasn't crying and shaking like a leaf when she barely managed to stab herself out of her fear-induced stupor with a shuriken. She's not even done closing her wound when a snake slithers down from the tree branch above.

"Sasuke!" She hollers and they both instantly leap in opposite directions, however, the large snake follows her teammate.

Yelling, "get away!" Sasuke kills the serpent with a reckless amount of kunai and shuriken, pinning it to a large branch.

'_He__'s just as scared as I am_,' Sakura oddly notes, as evidenced by his missing the snake sneaking up on them despite his Sharingan being activated.

Extricating himself out of the bloody and slimy snakeskin, like shedding its husk, this monster speaks in a scratchy and rancorous voice, "neither of you should relax for even a moment. Prey should always try their best to run away…" It wasn't until this monster's hideous eyes targets their very souls that he adds with a wicked grin, "…in the presence of a predator, that is."

Without warning, the half villain, half snake slithers around the tree branch toward a frozen Sasuke. Before Sakura can heave her kunai, before Sasuke can bring out his own to defend himself, three shurikens and a kunai dart deep into cracking wood. It isn't until a feral red-eyed Naruto lands next to her that they all notice the note-wrapped kunai smoke in front of the monstrous ninja.

"Sasuke!" Naruto calls as he grabs Sakura and they all leap away from the destructive explosion. Landing on the forest floor, Team 7 survey the area a moment before Naruto relays to his teammates, "I sent word about that guy. We just need to last until reinforcements gets-"

The forest floor vibrated horribly as the sound of rupturing tree roots interrupts him. The shaking earth they're standing on, sinks before exploding outward and Team 7 lands safely thirty yards away from the slowly rising long-haired genin. Their heads tilt back as Orochimaru continues to rise out of the whole on atop the extremely large head of a gigantic snake.

"I still want to know the full extent of your powers, Sasuke-kun," his scratchy voice humorously declares. The snake large tongue hisses their death sentence and Sakura is at a loss of what to do. In the presence of such a large summon, what are three genin to do. Feeling defeated, Sakura's mind reminds her, _'even Kakashi-sensei never made them run a mission scenario involving a summon_.' Sakura simply can't tactically imagine their escape without sacrificing at least two members, an impossible choice for her.

The large snake bares its large fangs as Orochimaru spreads his stance in preparation to attack when the large beast hisses painfully loud, as if wounded. Naruto carries Sakura princess style and leaps away, calling out, "Sasuke!" as she witnesses dozens of Naruto's clones descending from the trees with a large version of his chakra ball technique, peppering the large snake's body with a barrage of scale drilling strikes.

"This way," Naruto yells to their teammate.

However, before the three can get far, their impossibly strong adversary lands in front of them. Naruto sets her down as the long-haired shinobi, chuckles, "ku ku ku, very amusing, Naruto-kun. I never expected you to have such an impressive technique."

"He's forcing us to make our stand," Sasuke quietly tells his teammates.

"Correct," Orochimaru agrees with a wide smile. "Fear not, younglings. I will grant you a moment to safely strategize, but I warn you. When you come at me, intend to kill me like predators… or you will die my prey," he finishes with his psychotic grin and chuckle.

"Naruto," Sasuke states, taking a step forward. "You cover my six. Sakura, stay behind."

"He's better than a one-on-one," Naruto tells his Sasuke. "We need to triple team him. I flank his left, you take his right and Sakura supports from the rear."

"It doesn't matter if he's better," Sasuke chimes. "You said we only need to hold him off. I can hold him off longer by myself-"

"Times up," Orochimaru sings much to close to them, splitting the team with a split kick to Naruto and Sasuke, and a third against the side of Sakura's head. The pinkette only manages to guard with her forearm, however, she's still sent flying as her brain dazes and ears ring from the heavy impact. Sakura hits the ground and only manages to roll onto her feet when the blur of Orochimaru appears before her, affirming, "the weakest first, I think." No time for any jutsu, Sakura can barely reach her kunai before his can attack is mercifully intercepted by a red-eyed Naruto and red-eyed Sasuke, striking at Orochimaru from either side.

Sakura leaps to a safe distance as Orochimaru confidently faces off against both Naruto and Sasuke in high-speed taijutsu. A quartet of air-cutting jabs from Naruto are parried by their enemy, who lands a kick, inviting Sasuke to lead his own combination of strikes from behind before Orochimaru effortlessly dodges, parries, and counters his attacks as well. The three shinobi trade quick combination attacks with amazing speed all the while always focusing on any blindspot. When Naruto goes low, Sasuke aims high, trying to take their elusive antagonist simultaneously from both back and front as Sakura covers her teammates as best she can from the rear.

However, Orochimaru keeps them moving through the dense forest, making it impossible for her teammates to tag him with a single or her to provide much cover. '_He__'s too powerful_,' Sakura's mind yells as she tries to follow her team dynamic. They're in the treetops, and Sakura surfs the moss covered branches for any opening or cover when either Naruto or Sasuke need it. Analyzing the fight in her head, she tries as best she can to inconvenience Orochimaru with carefully intercepting shuriken, because as she painfully realizes, it's all she's capable of doing.

"Sasuke," Naruto yells as he lands on his feet from a kick he guarded against. "We- we need to go! Now!"

As Sasuke takes on their enemy with the same genius he always shows, Sakura can tell by looking at the villain's center of gravity while defending against two taijutsu attacks that this ninja is on a whole other level. She agrees with Naruto, her mind yelling as much, '_we need to run._' It's no surprise Orochimaru is laughing in joy, but it's incredibly demoralizing and inspires a feeling of defeat within her that's hard to shake off, as he calls out, "it would seem your brother inherited all the talent in the Uchiha clan, Sasuke."

Infuriated, Sasuke breaks the fragile balance between himself and Naruto to lead the attack. To Sakura's horror, the snake-nin exploits their lapse in combination attacks, landing a knee and kick against Naruto, rocketing him away as he and Sasuke fight. Naruto hits the scrapping bark of a tree with a loud thud and grunt, and before he free-falls, a perfectly aimed kunai is exactly where it needs to be for him to grip. Nodding to Sakura, they both rush to back up Sasuke as Orochimaru leads the fight where he wants.

"I can see," a red-eyed Sasuke excitedly calls out, happy to be able to track this powerfully fast ninja with his eyes before hitting him with a raging stream of fire. Sakura returns to witness Sasuke fight the powerful shinobi and despite Sasuke's Sharingan activated attacks, Orochimaru evades, blocks, or parries all his attacks, easily returning strikes of his own to his face, gut, or legs with a smile on his face.

A feral-haired, red-eyed Naruto quickly intervenes, but surprising him is a second Orochimaru, manifesting from the tree before attacking Naruto, separating both boys to an ever-expanding distance. The further apart her teammates are beaten, the more Sakura realizes she needs to make a choice. '_Who do I back up?_'

She's hardly helped but one-on-one essentially means death against this enemy. Then Orochimaru hits Sasuke so far, she loses sight of him. The pinkette wants to follow but, she's also worried about Naruto who's losing just as bad.

"Sakura!" Naruto yells as he hops as far away as he can. "Back Sasuke up! Hurry!"

Instantly leaping away, her thoughts are a grateful, '_thank you, Naruto!_'

Landing on a branch, the sight before her shocks her to see. Sasuke is on the ground, unmoving while that horrible Orochimaru is over him. Sakura is about to defend her teammate when both she and the monster are taken by surprise when a small explosion jolts Orochimaru's back.

Sasuke twists waist and quick feet spin to leap out of the snake nin's range before hurling three wire-guided Fūma Shuriken that quickly wraps Orochimaru tightly to the trunk of the tree.

"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu," Sasuke yells through wire-bitten teeth and an explosion of fierce fire rides the metal wire like a missile, striking Orochimaru square in the chest and through the other end of the tree, roasting the screaming man alive. Landing beside the raven-haired avenger, Before a relieved Sakura can tend Sasuke's wounds, they both hear an evil sound from what should be a lifeless body.

"Kukukuku," Orochimaru cackles. "You really are brothers, Sasuke-kun." Sakura brings out her kunai but before either herself or Sasuke can do anything, he uses some form of jutsu that immobilizes them. "I sense power in your eyes that surpasses Itachi."

"Who the hell are you!" Sasuke yells. "What do you know about Itachi!?"

"Yes," Orochimarus sings. "I think I will have you."

Orochimaru turns toward the direction of Naruto's fight and chuckles evilly, muttering, "so that's the Kyūbi brat." '_Ky__ūbi?_' Sakura mentally repeats and the monster returns his predatory attention to them, using a hand sign she's never seen before.

"My name is Orochimaru," he tells them. Sasuke and Sakura fight whatever paralyzed them and only then does the pinkette detect a slight sugary scent in the air, deducing he released a gas agent to immobilize them when his head extends horribly long from this monster's body. "Here is a gift. Come to me if you wish to have power!"

Neither Sakura or Sasuke can move for several moments when Orochimaru's fangs are nearly on Sasuke. Sakura knows he would've hurt him if not for a red chakra covered Naruto, with a red chakra tail, nearly striking him in the face.

"You're becoming quite the nuisance boy," Orochimaru states as his neck retracts to its proper length. Orochimaru vanishes in his absurd sprint, landing right next to her and smiling down at her evilly. Helpless to his immense strength, her stunned form could do nothing as he grabs hold of her uniform and hurls her high and far. Before Sakura's paralyzed body hits the tree, she's caught by Naruto.

With his red eyes but no red chakra shroud, Sakura doesn't believe the blond who caught her is the real Naruto, and assumes the red-chakra-tailed Naruto fighting against Orochimaru is the real one. Naruto moves faster than she can see with her own eyes and worse yet, Orochimaru seems to be able to move just as fast.

"…Naruto," Sakura gasps, unable to comprehend how her goofy, loud teammate can be this strong. Staring in awe of the real Naruto fight, she hears the one holding her ask, "are you okay?" Before she can answer, another Naruto holding Sasuke lands beside them. To her surprise, the clones carry them away.

"Wait," Sakura argues. "We have to help-"

"The Boss can take care of himself," the clone carrying her states while the other adds, "we need to get away before Orochimaru gets serious."

As they spring from branch to branch, Sasuke yells, "set me down!" At Sasuke's insistence, the Narutos land in a small clearing between the giant trees.

"Are you guys okay," Naruto asks as the other clone checks the perimeter, communicating, "we can't stay long."

Sakura starts to ask, "where-" when she's interrupted by Sasuke.

"I'm not running while the Dobe fights my battle," Sasuke hotly declares.

"Shh," Sakura shushes him, very much to her own surprise. She quickly adds, "I don't want to leave Naruto either, but we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves."

When their paralysis wears off Sasuke moves toward the direction they came from when both clones step in front of him.

"You can't go back," Naruto's clone tells him, stepping in front.

"Who the fuck do you think you are!" Sasuke yells. "Don't get so full of yourself you think you can order me around!"

"Hey, shut up will ya," the second clone calls when out of the bushes, three familiar genin trudge through. "Well, isn't this a complex situation," Ino voices, as her teammates walk up beside her. With Team 10's arrival, the Narutos look at each other with a little more apprehension. They both know the boss doesn't want more people for Orochimaru to hurt.

"We can't stay-" Naruto starts to tell the arrivals when Sasuke kicks him in the face at the same time he strikes the other clone with a kunai, dispelling both of them.

"Sasuke!" Sakura calls. "Why-"

"I won't abide by anyone holding me back," Sasuke hotly retorts.

"Doesn't look like you grasp the meaning of teamwork, Sasuke-kun," Shikamaru lazily points out.

"Where's Naruto," Ino asks looking around for the real one.

"We have to help him," Sakura declares to her former friend and rival.

"What? Did the leeches get him," Chōji jokes. "Or the bears?"

"He probably fell into a trap," Shikamaru ponders aloud. "He's definitely not the main character type."

"No," Sasuke orders Sakura with stern red eyes. He's so emphatic about his stance, Sakura wouldn't be surprised if he attacked her to keep anyone else from interfering. "They'd only get in the way," he adds.

However, Naruto's smiling face flashes in the forefront of her worried mind and she can't help but yell back, "he's our teammate and that monster is stronger than all of us. We're going to need all the help we can get."

"What monster," Ino startles, her heart starting to beat faster. "What happened to Naruto? Sakura, tell me," Ino demands.

"I- Naruto stayed behind to fight this unbelievably strong missing-nin so we could-"

"We don't have time for this," Sasuke calls out. He turns to Team 10 and tells them, "without our third member, our team is shot and Sakura will only get in my way. Watch out for her and I promise to help you get whichever scroll you need before the deadline ends." Sasuke doesn't wait for a response before he leaps into the trees and travels back to the fight.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru notes beside Chōji. Sakura is upset, offended, and unnerved by Sasuke's opinion of her and allows Ino's hand to squeeze her shoulder in comforting solidarity.

NARUTO'S CLONE

Naruto is aware of the fights going on and though he wants to join them to make sure everyone stays safe, he has his own job to do. Running through the treetops with his own clones spread out, but near enough, Naruto stops when he senses something. Hearing a mechanically muffled, "lucky," Naruto spots three genin from Amegakure wearing light yellow jumpsuits stitched up at the middle, with rebreathers fixed to their mouths. Feeling Kurama evaporate their mind-slip genjutsu every time they try to place it on him, Naruto smiles as he creates a clone that quickly dispels, alerting his nearby backup to power up and help take them out.

NARUTO

Four Narutos, each with one tail of Kurama's power, surround a crouched and amused Orochimaru. Though Naruto felt more powerful than ever before, he couldn't comprehend or apprehend the missing-nin. With all four chakra-covered Naruto's attacking him, the best he can manage is narrowly avoiding being struck in the stomach with some five-fingered seal and keep the missing-nin from chasing after Sasuke. Even taking the legendary shinobi four to one, Orochimaru's foresight in taijutsu was better, Naruto can barely avoid his devastating snake ninjutsu, and he had a strategy for every one of Naruto's surprises. After the snake sannin grossly slithered out the mouth of two bodies, it's now even more difficult to hit him with a Rasengan, or catch him with his red chakra despite his four to one advantage.

"Congratulations is in order, Naruto-kun. You've survived long enough for your reinforcements to arrive," Orochimaru calls before bitting his thumb and sliding his blood down his left forearm. Two of Naruto's clones disperse when the biggest snake Naruto has ever seen pops into existence, shrugging trees to the side from their rooted station like they were nothing more than blades of grass. "Have fun playing with my pet," Orochimaru tells him from the top of his summon.

"You had better prepare a hundred sacrifices for summoning me," the giant snake spoke.

"Of course, Manda-sama," Orochimaru states before leaping away. "A moment is all I require."

Staring up in sheer awe of the king of snakes, Naruto mumbles, "Nii-chan was right. That snake-bastard really is the worst." Naruto contemplates asking Kurama for a second tail when the large snake is attacked by the proctor of the second task, Mitarashi Anko.

"I got this," Anko shouts, sniping the nake's high head with six Fūma Shuriken she not only ignites in flames, but quickly clones into twelve projectile weapons, then twenty-four with, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

With Anko distracting it and leading it away, Naruto utilizes the moment of respite to create a large Rasengan with Kyūbi chakra. He then follows the large snake as it attacks Anko, waiting for the perfect opportunity, until he pulls up short. Stopping on top of a half-downed thick branch, Naruto receives the memories of Sasuke forcibly dispelling his clones, and he can't help but curse, "that idiot!"

Naruto is about to leave Anko with his single tailed clone when the woman shrieks before gripping desperately between shoulder and neck. It's an opening Manda easily takes advantage of to feed, opening its hissing mouth wide for its small meal only to choke and shriek its own cry of pain as Naruto slams his large Rasengan into the grand summon's slithering spine. Despite the thick scales of its hide Naruto is effectively drilling through, the blond keeps up the intensity until it dispels.

As the thick smoke evaporates, a heaving Naruto regresses to his feral, red-eyed strength as he leaps to Anko's side. Though she's on her knees in tremendous pain, gripping at her curse mark while holding in her scream, Naruto has to get to Sasuke before Orochimaru does or he'll suffer the same curse. Naruto sends his remaining single-tailed clone to try and find Orochimaru or Sasuke to either fight off or save, respectively.

Naruto is growing more tired, not that he would consider resting, but he wanted to stay alert until they've finished the second test and a steadily building fatigue won't help him. Carrying Anko in his arms bridal style, moved his forearm too near her seal, so he had to carry her piggyback style as he raced through the air, retracing his clones direction.

'_**Hey**_,' Naruto hears Naru-nii greet. '_**How**__**'s everything?**_'

'_Hey, Naru-nii,_' Naruto thinks as he jumps from branch to branch. While he's relaying some of what he knows to his future counterpart, a cache of memories interrupts his thoughts, and Naruto curses, "fuck!"

'_**What**_,' Naru-nii asks as Anko winces in pain asking, "what is it?"

"…We're too late," Naruto sorrowfully tells them. After traveling for another twenty minutes, they find Sasuke unconscious with the seal on the back base of his neck.

'_**Hey, listen**_,' Naru-nii slowly starts. '_**I**__**'ll save my strength so we can talk later but, remember, we only wanted to try and spare him the pain of it. He'll survive this, so don't beat yourself up about it.**_'

The single-tailed clone reverts to red eyes and feral blond hair before lifting Sasuke's unconscious body onto his shoulders, wrapping his arms securely around Sasuke's dangling right arm and leg. After, they travel the high thick branches of the enormous trees until they come across Team 10 and Sakura in a small clearing.

Sakura rushes up to the Naruto carrying Sasuke as Anko orders for the Uchiha to be laid down. The Narutos lower their cursed individuals down and Sakura and Anko check Sasuke over while Ino rushes over to a very tired Naruto. He drops to a knee when Ino's hands grip his shoulders prompting her to take out her canteen in a frenzy, before helping him drink.

Though he's heaving, sweating profusely, stained with splashes of blood and grime, his teeth are still white when he smiles broadly, expressing his gratitude. "Thanks, Ino-chan."

"Are you okay," a concerned Ino asks, looking him over for any life-threatening wounds.

Letting out a whining exhale, he hoarsely answers, "if I never see another snake again, it'll be too soon, but I'm okay," he smiles before drinking some more water.

"Sorry, Team 7 but I'm going to have to disqualify you," Anko states as she looks over a wincing Sasuke's cursed mark.

Naruto gasps, choking on water and Sakura asks in quick succession, "what? But why?"

Anko's pained and heaving face explains, "I have to take Uchiha-kun with me, and I can't exactly let Team 7 continue with only two members, can I." After taking a few deep breaths, Anko sympathizes, "I get that it sucks, but-"

"Wait!" Naruto yells, cutting her off. "Let me at least check how many scrolls we have. If we have both, just let us race to the tower and complete it today. Please," Naruto adds.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asks before checking Sasuke's pocket. She takes out their scroll as she confirms, "we only have the earth scroll." Naruto turns to his clone who dispels to inform what's left of his platoon that the battle is over and ask they report how many scrolls they may have acquired.

"Well, we have the heaven scroll," Ino suggests, looking from Sakura to Naruto.

"Oh, boy," Shikamaru sighs as Chōji asks, "you're not suggesting we give them our scroll?" Ino eyes him sternly, and the infinite amount of penance is clear between them. Chōji says nothing more as Shikamaru irately scratches his head as he curses, "troublesome."

"If they're willing to hand over their scroll, I'll allow it," Anko states. "But I need to know now."

"Ah," Naruto calls as the memories start flooding in. Half his original platoon is gone, but of course, those remaining can create their own clones. "Mnn, the Hokage is on his way… Hinata-chan is alright… we have two earth scrolls… and one heaven scroll! So we're good. Thanks, Ino-chan. You can have one of our earth scrolls if you want."

"How do you…" Shikamaru starts and both he and Chōji stare at Naruto confused, wondering if he's lying to bide his time, or if he's lying to bluff the proctor. In either instance, they're both sure Naruto isn't the long-range sensor type and are justified when Naruto starts tearing up and mewls pathetically, holding in his want to cry.

Sakura rushes to him, checking him over with her Iryō-ninjutsu as she asks, "what is it?" And Ino asks, "what's wrong?"

Naruto whimpers his answer, "_uuuuhh_, Karin-chan's family and they bit her mother to death!"

"Karin-chan?"

"Death?"

Pressed and understanding the specifics of Kage Bunshin as well as knowing the details behind Mizuki's defeat, Anko's certain Naruto is telling her the truth. "We need to go," she tells the genin before turning to Naruto. "Tell your clones to meet us at the tower." After creating and dispelling a clone, they sprint through the trees for nearly three and a half hours in the night until they finally reach the tower.

The group of exhausted ninja break the seal of one of the tower's many double doors and enter a large lit entrance chamber. The two-story expanse has two overhead walkways made of concrete with a framed banner hanging on the wood and concrete wall. Reading the words on the banner is a familiar orange-clad blond and an unknown redhead with glasses. Shikamaru, Chōji, Sakura and especially Ino are stunned when Naruto breaks away from them and rushes across the room to the red-headed girl with glasses standing next to a Naruto clone with three scrolls in his hands, and lifts her entire frame in a big bear hug.

"Not again," they hear the girl bemoans, though pleased.

"Uh, Naruto," Ino starts, wondering to herself why there _always_ has to be a rival. '_I__'m not even sure about him yet and there's already another girl in the way!_' her thoughts yell, mirroring her bewilderment. Ino attempts to ask as politely as possible, "who is that?"

"Ah," Naruto calls out setting Karin down. "Ji-chan, Kakashi-sensei, and Asuma-sensei are here," Naruto informs them.

Naruto's clone hands Shikamaru an earth scroll when a team of Anbu, Kakashi, Asuma, and the Hokage rush into the room. Anko picks up an unconscious Sasuke, telling Sakura, "you did good keeping his temperature down and assist his healing. We'll take it from here."

Anko leaves through the hallway at the end of the room with the Anbu tailing her. Kakashi turns to his remaining students, and though noting the red-haired girl next to his blond student, he commends his soldiers as much as Asuma does to his team.

"Naruto, Sakura," Kakashi starts. "Good work. I'm certainly proud."

"What happened to Sasuke," Sakura asks.

"Later," Kakashi tells her. Moving toward the same hallway Anko took Sasuke, Kakashi informs his team, "you'll have to remain here until the test is complete but there's a lounge, cafeteria, library, training center, and you'll have your own rooms. I'll find you both when I can," then disappears after the third genin of their team.

Asuma remains by his genin students while Hiruzen steps up to his Leaf-nin and states with grandfatherly pride, "you no longer have to open your scrolls. On behalf of the Chūnin tasked with receiving you, congratulations. Team 7, Team 10, you've passed the second test."

"Was there ever a doubt!" Naruto yells, startling the other genin and widening Hiruzen's smile. The boisterous blond then surprises everyone, by immediately looking crestfallen. Turning to Karin, Naruto winces as he apologizes. "Sorry, Karin-chan."

Looking away from the leader of their village—possibly her leader as well—Karin tells her cousin, "it's okay." She didn't think she would be this close to their famed leader so soon and finds it odd when the Hokage casually asks her blond cousin, "and who might this be, Naruto-kun? That headband identifies you as a kunoichi from Kusagakure."

As Karin realizes she hasn't taken off her headband, Naruto happily answers in the most unexpected way. "Ah! This is Uzumaki Karin! She's my family! She was Kusa, but she wants to emigrate to Konoha. She can stay right, Ji-chan? I kind of already said she can," he adds with a bit of a nervous chuckle.

'_How in Kami__'s name is he not bowing and begging forgiveness for speaking in such a casual way to his leader, the leader of Konoha's Hidden Leaf Village?!_' Karin thinks as she takes charge and formally bows to the famous leader. "Hokage-sama of Konohagakure! As Naruto stated, my name is Uzumaki Karin. Upon discovering each other in the forest, he graciously offered me residency here. No, more than that. He offered me a home. I know that I am a stranger to you, but with your permission, I would like to accept Naruto-kun's offer and humbly request citizenship."

Ino felt such a rush of relief at the word family, she covertly lets out an anxious breath buildup stress as the Hokage hums a second before he agrees with his comforting smile.

"Yatta!" Naruto calls out with a hop in the air. Despite failing to protect Sasuke from Orochimaru's seal, he's ecstatic to have a blood-related family member and cannot wait to tell Naru-nii. "Ne, she can stay with me right, Ji-chan?"

"I'll inform your sensei and I'm certain everything will be sorted," Hiruzen communicates before turning to the stunned faces of Asuma's genin. It amuses the elder shinobi to no end when others witness his interactions with Naruto-kun and he laughs on the inside.

Becoming serious, Hiruzen recites in a commanding voice, "if you lack heaven, seek wisdom and be prepared. If you lack earth, run in the fields and seek advantages. If you have both heaven and earth, you can succeed even in the most dangerous of missions. These rules will guide a person's extremes." Hiruzen didn't need to read the words above the genin in order to repeat them as he adds, "As Chūnin captains, you have a responsibility to guide your team with mind and body in all your duties. That is the Chūnin motto and I wish you all luck with the rest of your exam."

* * *

There was a lot of action in this chapter. I feel like I'm going to have to practice that more since the whole tournament/invasion is coming up. This one was nice, but I feel I can do better. This also means that I have to get a list together of ninjutsu I want to use in battle. There wasn't really much here and I want to incorporate ninjutsu whenever possible.

Speaking of, I feel like if Orochimaru can handle 1 four-tailed Naruto with busted arms, then he should be able to handle 4 one-tailed Narutos at peak performance. Which means Naruto was always going to lose. Obviously that won't always be the case. Naruto will only get stronger and stronger, but for now, I needed Naruto to go up against someone crazy strong. It'll help with other stuff later on.

This will also help Sakura. The best she can manage against orochi is stabbing herself, and running around. She'll get stronger as well, but it'll take more time for her. That being said, Naruto was never going to stop Sasuke from getting the seal. Team 7 just can't handle pre-botched arms Orochimaru. He's too powerful and they're only lucky he didn't want to cause to big a scene or they would be dead.

Speaking of Orochimaru. I really love that villain. He's so selfish, but he doesn't covet power, per se. He covets immortality and to conquer death. He uses anything and anyone to secure his own agenda and only really kills for that purpose. He's pretty fascinating so I do want to use him more, I just don't know how yet... apart from canon I mean.

KARIN! Ugh, I felt for her. Her village sucks a fat one and Shigeri's definitely dead. I hated her teammates, the way they just grabbed her arm, like they're entitled to it or her chakra... always pissed me off! If I had a spot in the chapter for her to watch Shigeri get sucked dry, I definitely would've written it. I have ideas and plans for Karin. I don't know if you guys know or not, but I couldn't find any evidence in canon that Naruto knows Karin is or isn't his kin. I find that weird, especially if she was in the room for the exam when he literally yells at everyone his full name, and the fact that he wasn't going to lose to any of them. I know Kishimoto only thought of her after the fact, but a little explanation would've been nice.

There was a line in canon from Shikamaru about Naruto not being the protagonist of a story, and at the time, I thought it was BS, but lo and behold, emo-Sasuke was Kishimoto's flavor the entire time. Still, I had to put that line back in because this is fanfiction and wrongs must be righted.

As always, thank you very much for your support and comments. I truly do appreciate them. It sucks I won't be writing for a while, but I still have my pen and paper. I keep writing down the story 😊

Have a great one,

-Grae


	21. 21Together

Hey guys. First a foremost, I apologize for taking so long with this update. I didn't mean to. Life has just been SO extra for a long time now. I'm wondering if it's ever going to easy up or am I just at the precipice of major change. Time will tell. Thank you for your patience. I find writing is very soothing and it's a joy in my life to share it with you guys.

Nerd Alert: This chapter will require a decent grasp of Time Dilation and General Relativity. If you don't know what that is, I've explained it to the best of my ability within the narrative. If it still doesn't make sense, I recommend watching a Youtube video on it. It's pretty cool stuff.

Enjoy!

* * *

NARUTO

"Does she _really_ have to go," Naruto begs to know, looking at Kakashi with worried eyes. "We haven't even gotten a chance to talk," he finishes.

"You know the rules, Naruto-kun," Kakashi answers. "As far as timing goes the earlier the better and you have to stay here for the next four days anyway. Might as well be now."

From beside Kakashi, Karin says, "it's okay, Naruto. It'll be fine." She then gives Sakura and Sasuke a short bow before departing. Arms crossed, Sasuke is brooding against the wall of the hallway and she has to try hard not staring at his beautifully stoic face. She grabs her cousin's forearm comfortingly before adding, "I'll see you once the second test concludes," then exits through the door behind them.

Sakura is standing beside Naruto as the blond asks Kakashi, "why do we even have to stay here if we already passed," Naruto asks and before they can tell him again, he answers his question. "Yeah, yeah, to avoid interference between the villages-"

"Or get manipulated emotionally, physically, or financially," Sakura adds.

Watching his sole family in the world leave, Naruto can't help but yell, "this still sucks!"

"Noted," Kakashi casually comments before informing his team, "remember, aside from physical conditioning, no training. All competitors are monitored heavily to avoid setting up traps or other forms of advantage which also means this is the best place to spy on the competition."

'_I guess I wouldn__'t need to spy since I have Naru-nii,_' Naruto thinks as he glumly watches Kakashi leave to take Karin to her interrogation.

"She'll be fine," Sakura reassures Naruto, though her presence and voice without the violence and survival to distract him, reminds him of the hollowness of what should've been a magical night and the resulting agony in his heart. Turning to her teammates, Sakura proposes with an upbeat tone, "why don't we have breakfast together?"

Though it's surprising to Naruto that Sakura would want him to join her and Sasuke, Sasuke's reaction isn't. After glaring at Naruto, Sasuke leaves without a word, engulfing the pair in painfully awkward silence.

Their night together rushes quickly to the forefront of their minds hurting and exciting them both at the same time, and though they won't speak about it, Sakura can vividly recall every moment and sensation as well as Naruto can. With their memories arresting their voices, the teammates slowly make their painfully silent way toward the cafeteria. Upon entering the large room, Ino rushes up to them, loudly bidding them a good morning.

Desperate, Naruto hastily asks, "do you want to have breakfast with us?"

"Or she could have it with her team," an irate Sakura suggests, glaring at Ino.

Ino simply smiles serenely and tells Naruto, "how about we have lunch together instead? I actually need to talk to Forehead," she tells him with a sweet smile.

Though content to see Ino—especially with how weird Sakura is making him feel—Naruto grows confused by the kunoichi's relationship when Sakura quickly asserts, "well, I don't want to talk to you," because Ino doesn't seem upset at all. The blond simply grabs Sakura's hand and begins dragging her away as she repeatedly states, "it's okay, it's okay, it'll be quick." Though Sakura resists, it's weightless as Ino succeeds in dragging the pinkette away, calling out behind her, "see you later, Naruto!"

Fortunately, Naruto spots Gaara's siblings in the cafeteria as well. With trays in their hands, Kankurō and Temari are exiting the large room. They each have two trays of breakfast and on his sprint toward them, Naruto can make out Nai-chan's favorite section of food groups; kale, broccoli, with beans, berries, cantaloupe, and seaweed.

Landing ahead of them, he greets them with, "morning," before asking as he looks around, "hey, where's Gaara?"

With astonished derision, Kankurō gripes, "how the hell is a midget like you still alive?"

Looking at the Suna-nin's expanded middle, Naruto easily retorts just snidely, "same way you are, tubby."

"Tch," Kankurō sucks his teeth, ready to set down his trays of breakfast. "I'm not fat! It's the clothes-" he manages to state before Temari genuinely asks, "do you have a death wish or something? Why do you want to speak with Gaara so badly?"

"Let's go," Kankurō tells his sister as he starts walking around Naruto. "Baki-sensei doesn't want us talking to them."

Naruto runs around them, cutting their lead again as he states, "wait, I just think we can be friends. What's so bad about that?"

"I can't tell if you're clueless, or brain-damaged," Kankurō roughly comments.

"I don't know how you can tell what anything is with all that eyeliner on," Naruto mouths with an insolent and raised chin.

"Tch! It's war paint," Kankurō quickly yells when Temari steps in front of her younger brother and tells Naruto, "you should stay away from Gaara."

"Thanks, but I'm sure it'll be fine," he shrugs happily. "I mean, think about it. What if we're all friends in the future? Wouldn't that be awesome," Naruto asks, and though he offers them his best smile, they walk away from him unaffected. "Wait, can we at least eat together?"

"Kankurō, Temari," Baki calls as he walks up to them and takes special note of Naruto.

"Hey, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage," he casually greets. "You're Gaara's sensei, right? You must be pretty strong."

Baki eyes the boy intensely, harshly stating, "I'll tell you this now, Konoha genin. On paper, our villages may be allies, but, we are in competition, which means you engaging us is inappropriate."

"Oh, that's okay," Naruto shrugs. "I'm not worried about competing. I was just telling them it'd be pretty cool if me and Gaara were friends. You said we're allies right? So why don't we… um, meet and stuff? You know, like how allies do?"

"Kami you're an idiot," Kankurō bluntly asserts.

"At least I'm not wearing makeup, Tubs," Naruto counters. Though he wants to make a good impression, something about Kankurō feels light-hearted to the point they can trade insults and still be fine afterward, which Naruto enjoys greatly.

"It's war paint," Kankurō yells as Baki informs him, "Gaara, Kankurō, and Temari will not associate with you. Heed my warning. Gaara is the most dangerous genin here and our village will bear no responsibility should he kill you."

Considering Baki's words, Naruto isn't sure if they understand that that stuff doesn't matter more than friendship and asks, "so… as long as I say it's not your fault, then it's fine if we hang out?"

"No," Temari flatly answers.

"Not that it matters much," Naruto grumbles. "He can't kill me, anyway."

"Let's go," Baki commands them and they turn to leave. Naruto doesn't follow and decides to eat breakfast. After eating by himself, he begins exploring the tower when he happily hears Naru-nii's, '_**yo!**_'

TEMARI

When Temari exits Gaara's room, a pensive Kankurō asks her, "do you think he can't die?"

Baki hands Temari her tray of breakfast as he asks Kankurō, "what are you referring to?"

"That blond kid," Temari easily answers, taking her tray and snacking on broccoli.

"He seems pretty sure Gaara can't beat him," Kankurō points out as the three walk next door.

"Seem pretty delusional, you mean," Temari corrects.

Baki nods for them to enter Kankurō's room. As they settle down, casually eating their breakfast, Baki asks Kankurō, "what are you thinking?"

"He's thinking intelligence gathering," Temari finishes.

"Well, we gotta do something to pass the time," Kankurō returns.

"Good luck with that," Temari quips with a smirk. "I don't think your sunny personality won him over."

"Temari," Baki calls, before ordering her, "see if there's anything there."

Aghast, Temari eyes her sensei unhappily as she asks, "what? Why me?" Pointing at her brother, she adds, "he's the one who wants to investigate."

"As you said, Kankurō will likely make him defensive and uncooperative," Baki points out. "You're also a kunoichi and he's a boy."

"You know I hate shit like that, Baki," the daughter of the Kazekage effortlessly speaks her mind to her superior.

"And you also know how effective appeal can be… regardless of gender," Baki returns. "More often than not, savvy women have an easier time directly engaging the more primitive desire-driven part of the male brain. It's all too common for men to fool themselves into thinking they have a chance if women let them believe they're interested. It's not sexism, Temari, it's tactics. I'm not asking you to seduce him to the full scope of the word, however, if he's comfortable-"

"Alright, I get it!" she heaves exasperated. "He'll be less guarded and more inclined to share." Entirely fed up with this apparently universal notion that her sex is her only substantial advantage, she grabs her tray of food and practically stomps toward the door, irately pointing out, "you know, I'm one of the smartest and deadliest kunoichi in the village," before sarcastically asking, "but what's skill and intelligence matter when you have a pair of tits, right?"

After she slams the door behind her, the two men let out a relieved breath before Baki orders Kankurō, "you to talk to his teammates. We have four full days of free time. Let's see if there's anything worth learning. Despite the imminent goals being finalized for the future, you three are Kazekage-sama's legacy and need to represent our village as a decisive force to be reckoned with."

INO

Ino had several nightmares last night and didn't get much sleep. Every nightmare had a boy dying in it, whether it was a blond-haired boy dying at the hands of some monster, or a raven-haired boy dying on an operating table, and come morning, she tracked Team 7 simply to see with her very eyes how crazy she's acting. Spotting Sakura and Naruto, Ino can immediately read the horribly awkward mood between them.

'_They__'re broken pretty bad_,' Ino calmly observes and she knows quite well she was the one leading them there. Two of her most important relations and they can barely look at each other. Feeling the need to correct her persistent errors, Ino greets them with charm before forcibly dragging Sakura away. By the weak resistance Ino felt, she's fairly certain she's rescuing Sakura.

Yet, in her assigned room, Sakura venomously asserts, "you know I don't want to talk to you."

"Yes, yes, yes, I know, okay," Ino quickly rebuttals, flimsily waving the pinkette's venom aside. "I understand what I did crossed lines. I saw you both. I'm not blind. Maybe I'll never be able to earn your forgiveness, but I'm telling you now, I won't stop trying to do just that."

"It'll never work," Sakura claims, eying her former friend and former rival sternly. "The day Naruto stops hurting from a broken heart is the _**only**_ day I'll consider possibly forgiving you. Do you know how guilty I feel? Not only is it agonizing to think about Sasuke now—to truly see him—but it's even worse every time I see Naruto. There was no need to hurt him like that and it's all your fault!"

"Let's not be over-dramatic, Forehead," Ino returns with a raised voice. "You might be in a rush to forget how fanatically obsessed you were, but I certainly remember you were more than fine breaking his heart as long as you got your photo back." Sakura winces to hear and Ino inhales deeply before exhaling to avoid blaming one another. "Look, before we devolve into the usual shouting match, can we please talk a little first?"

"No," Sakura answers. "I still don't want to talk to you," the pinkette finishes as she moves toward the door.

However, Ino takes ahold of her hand, stopping Sakura as she tries to say, "It's…" Ino heaves finding this to be extremely hard to put into words. "It's…"

"Ino? My hand," Sakura points out, but Ino doesn't let go. "If this is about Sasuke, you saw him. He's fine now."

"It's not about Sasuke," Ino tells her, but though it's on the tip of her tongue, she can't quite say the words, '_I think I like Naruto,_' as it feels like jumping off a cliff.

Forcibly removing her hand from Ino's weak grasp, Sakura hurries to ask, "then what is it?"

Beginning to pace in her room, Ino nervously combs her blond bangs with her fingers as she often does before simply asking, "nothing is set in stone, right? We were living like death wasn't as nearby when we were taught better than that, right? You remember those classes they made us take on Death and Perspective?"

Though thoroughly confused, Sakura's mind effortlessly recalls the syllabus for that course, perfectly reciting, "some degree of our behavior is generated by an unconscious fear of death and this fear generates deep anxiety and unease. It's very common for us to try and offset this anxiety with behavior such as status-seeking—marital or professional—becoming more materialistic, or blindly defending the values of our culture. We feel threatened by death, so, we seek security and significance to defend ourselves from it."

With a small smirk, Ino happily remarks, "I know I have a good memory but yours is something else-"

"Please don't suck up," a squint-eyed Sakura interjects.

"I mean it," Ino assures the suspicious pinkette. "Look, it's true I did horrible stuff to you—the crazy you anyway—but what's also indisputable is _why_ I did it. Unless you think it was easy for me to do that to someone I actually care about."

"Yes," Sakura calls. "I do, actually!"

"Tch! Only in the beginning," Ino hesitates to refute adding, "when I didn't recognize the obsessed monster walking around in my best friend's face," Ino yells back. "My memory may not be like yours, but the things I remember with crystal clarity are the people I care about and all the times we've shared; good _and_ bad! I remember what we may have done on any given day, what you were wearing at the time, what we talked about, who we saw, what we ate, what we liked. That's my knowledge base. Yet I stood back and witnessed you growing up warped because all that mattered was Sasuke. I accept my part in that as well, so, as hard as it is for you to believe, yes, Sakura, I care about you."

"…Didn't stop you," The pink-haired girl mutters loud enough.

With a knowing smirk, Ino quickly retorts, "because I'm made of sterner stuff," though after a serious breath, the beautiful blond adds, "and why would it stop me when I knew what you could be? Ever since that perfect summer day I met you, I… I always knew, Sakura," Ino replies and feeling a great boost of pride. '_I feel like Kurenai-sensei._'

Reluctantly, Sakura walks past Ino and takes a seat on the bed, which is progress in Ino's pupil-less blue eyes, but the pinkette says, "don't think that just because I'm willing to listen, I forgive you. Regardless of who shares the most blame, Naruto is my teammate, a good person, and he was left heartbroken because of _us_."

"You forgot to add, '_and a stud in the sack_,'" Ino jokingly mocks, but Sakura remains stern of countenance, hard green eyes staring intensely into pupil-less blue on for several breathless seconds, unblinking… until eventually, Sakura loses the battle of wills by blushing fiercely at the persistent mental bombardment of her night with Naruto. Ino even catches the pinkette shudder from her pelvis.

With a huff, a blushing Sakura rearranges herself and leans against the headboard of the bed. Looking away from a smirking Ino as she asks, "so, what is it?"

Ino doesn't continue to metaphorically tug on Sakura's pigtails as she instead says, "I brought up that Death Prep class because I've had a lot of time to reflect and I think we took it the wrong way. We thought we should love more right away and go after the things we wanted because any mission, any day, could be our last, but lately, that's not how I think of it. I'm wondering if we may not know the full extent of who we truly are without powerful experiences to test and shape us."

Confused by this existential topic and cognizant of her death-inviting weaknesses after facing a terribly strong shinobi, Sakura can't help but ask, "what are you talking about?" Though ordered not to speak about Orochimaru, Sakura's shortcomings as a kunoichi have never been so clear to her, yet she knows Ino's never had to face one of the legendary Sannin and responds, "I know we just survived the Forest of Death but I'm fairly sure your team didn't have it so hard you'd question your own mortality."

"It's not about the forest…" Ino starts but thoughts of two boys nearly dying amends her statement. "Well, it's not completely about that. It's…" '_Arrgh, just say it!_' Ino's mind yells. The welling ache in her chest demands, '_SAY YOU WANT TO DATE NARUTO!_' Playing with the ends of her platinum-blond bangs, Ino's clogged throat struggles to release the thick words, "I just… want to… _explore_… new avenues… I might not have ever considered… before." Once a blushing Ino finishes, she feels out of breath and slightly feverish.

Sakura's brows are strewn together and her green eyes are squinting trying to see underneath the underneath until her brain click pieces into place and her green eyes pop wide open in wild surprise. "Ino! Really? I thought you… Kami… Um, I'm flattered, r-really, but, uh, regardless of everything we did this past month, I still prefer men."

Locking her eyes on Sakura's, Ino yells, "No! No! That's not what I meant, Forehead! I still prefer men too!"

Skeptical of Ino's denial, Sakura asks for clarity, "are you sure? I mean, I don't really care if that's what you're worried about."

"Yes, yes, I'm sure," Ino retorts with a montage of Naruto's sexual prowess devouring her flashes of memory.

Sighing in frustration, Sakura warns her, "I'm leaving in the next ten seconds if you don't start making sense."

Somehow, nine silent seconds pass in what feels like one before a flummoxed Ino sputters, "how- how was it?"

Suspicious and baffled, Sakura asks, "how was what?"

"You- you're a woman now," Ino points our and immediately Sakura blushes. "In spite of how it happened, _you_'re the first out of our class to have sex with a boy." If the pink-cheeked Sakura noticed the pause in Ino's false assertion, she didn't comment on it as Ino continues, "not only that, but the glassy-eyed state you were in? It was so obvious you liked it. So, how was it?"

Sakura is blushing deeply questioning, "w-why are you b-bringing that up?"

"Oh, come on," Ino gasps. "We absolutely need to talk about this! I want to know everything!" Ino quickly asks, "was he good, bad," however, Ino already knows the answer to that and without giving Sakura a second to respond, Ino immediately follows with, "who took the lead? You or him," but she could guess that answer as well. The thing Ino really wanted to know was, "what did you do? Like, how good were you?"

Overwhelmed with memory-driven embarrassment, Sakura hotly declares through her very pouty, cute blush, "I… I don't want to talk about _this _with you."

"Who else are you going to talk to about _this_?" Ino continues to ask, heavy-handedly attempting to convince the pinkette. "Your teammates, your sensei, your parents? I know Mebuki-san was fairly rebellious in her youth but-"

Horribly disturbed, Sakura calls, "please don't bring my mother into this." She's heard snippets of how wild her mother was in her youth and more than ever before, Sakura worries how much of her mother's eccentricities she's inherited.

If Ino does have sex with Naruto again, and the odds are very high that she will—she blushes when she imagines it might happen as boyfriend and girlfriend—she wants to be able to last as long as he does. They've had sex many times now and she's failed to outlast him every time and tiring him out has now become a point of pride for her.

Ino even fantasizes about a fully nude and satisfied Naruto waking up beside her and asking, '_did your earth-shattering prowess as a sex-goddess make me pass out again? You__'re just too good Ino-hime._'

Ino takes a deep and calming breath and focuses on the task at hand; extracting useful information from Sakura, for there's a possibility the pinkette may have done something she hadn't thought of. But Ino couldn't know Sakura had been repressing that experience to the best of her meager ability.

To begin with, forgetting random information is generally hard for Sakura. Forgetting the first time she had sex—the loss of her precious virginity—is impossible with her mental acuity. Forgetting all the mind-numbing, knockout orgasms is infinitely more impossible as it feels like the experience has been recorded into the DNA of her marrow, muscle, and mind. She had even lost enough sense that night to ask him to scratch the itch in her ass, which, to her great surprise, felt wonderfully thrilling. Throughout her time with Naruto, Sakura passed out five times from the overwhelming torrential bliss plundering her mind, and the blush currently on Sakura's face spoke volumes.

Ino couldn't help but ask the silent girl, "were you bad?"

Ripping her out of her memories, Sakura asks, "what?"

"I knew it," Ino huffs with disappointment. "You were bad, weren't you?"

"Shut it Ino-pig," Sakura curses, defending herself with, "I wasn't bad! And how's that even possible? I'm the girl. It's the boy's job to do everything."

Wide-eyed and befuddled, Ino cautiously asks, "you… you're joking right?" Sakura is silent long enough for Ino to assert, "that couldn't be more wrong! How outdated are you?"

"Without me, he'd still be a virgin," Sakura yells. "He was even lucky I went along with his crazy demands-"

"Demands? What demands?" Ino gasps, pondering how far her once friend went with the same boy she's had sex with. It was incredibly odd for Ino to think about how they've both lost their virginity to the same boy, and though Ino knows Sakura's night with Naruto wasn't going to be a reoccurring thing, the platinum-blond found she didn't exactly hate that it happened. Ino may even conclude it's exciting to think that the same dick was inside both of them, engorging their sensitive sex organ until they burst in mind-numbing pleasure. Ino pauses a moment to close her eyes and calm her breathing to keep from triggering.

Ino also appreciated that this oddly comforting, quasi-sororal connection between them wasn't because Naruto seduced them behind their back. He isn't a player or the horn-dog women in the bathhouse often lament about. If anything, _they_ were the ones to initiate sex with him and that felt empowering in an odd and unexpected sort of way. Ino would prefer to be chased by a tall, strong, and handsome man—as any budding young woman would—but Naruto wasn't a dog, and despite social convention, taking what she wanted because she wanted it, wasn't a bad feeling.

"I- I'm not telling," Sakura reiterates. "He- He put it in and things happened and that's all you need to know… virgin."

Her eye twitching, Ino felt the swelling fire in the pit of her stomach want to yell she was the one who became a woman first and she's had way more sex than her rival has, but instead, Ino calmly asks, "so you didn't like being with him?"

"I wouldn't say…" Thinking better of it, Sakura instead asks defensively, "why do you want to know?"

"Why not," Ino returns with a shrug. "How long are you going to keep this to yourself? You had sex, for Kami's sake!"

"Shhhhhh," Sakura shushes hotly with her index finger against her lips.

Looking around the empty room confused, Ino reminds her madly blushing friend, "it's just us, you loon." Ignoring the glaring hypocrisy, Ino asks, "wouldn't you want to know everything if I was the one who had sex?"

"Maybe," Sakura slowly admits. Then adds, "_if_ we were actually friends."

"…I still care to be," Ino softly admits.

With a long sigh, Sakura answers, "you may have made me realize Sasuke wouldn't feel anything if he murdered me or my parents but that doesn't mean I can forgive you for how hurt Naruto ended up. Every time I think about it, my insides lurch… It shouldn't have happened like that."

Turning her gaze away, Ino slowly mentions, "maybe I can make it up to him too."

Skeptical, Sakura asks, "how?"

"…O-one thing at a time," Ino quickly chickens out. "So… did you like being with him?"

Rolling her eyes, Sakura tries to pronounce, "he was… I uh, had no real complaints."

Ino bobs her head with the acceptable answer before she asks for clarity's sake, "and you're sure you don't want to date him?"

"Look, I've taken a few steps back from Sasuke, but it's not like I'm apathetic toward him now." Ignoring the flashes of memory of nearly dying at the hands of Orochimaru, she adds, "and honestly, I could use this time to enhance my current training. If Sasuke and I don't happen for a long time to come, that's… that's fine, but no, I don't want to date Naruto."

"This is why I brought up our Death Perspective class," Ino replies. "They laid out why we should try and balance living in the moment a little more than planning too far ahead, but we didn't listen. I thought it was Sasuke or death and spent every day working hard to make him fall in love with me because that, more than anything, would make life worth it."

Thinking about her mother's words and Kurenai's admirable character, however, Ino admits to Sakura, "but as ninjas, the only thing we're sure of is the present, and if it was the last day we had on this earth, I know I wouldn't waste an extra second of it on a boy who doesn't want to spend it with me." With thoughts of Naruto flashing through her mind's eye, Ino nervously adds, "I just feel like giving… _things_ I hadn't considered before a try."

"You mean like pottery lessons," Sakura offhandedly asks.

Falling back in bed, Ino smothers her face with a pillow as she struggles to courageously say, "I mean… like… possibly, maybe, asking Naruto to be my boyfriend."

With pure embarrassment, Ino gradually tightens the pillow over her red face after confessing her most delicate secret. At first, Sakura didn't understand what Ino said, and the exponential silence in the room was electric for several seconds before a flabbergasted Sakura finally yells, "INO!"

SAKURA

It took nearly half-an-hour before Sakura could settle her monumental shock and ask an ungodly hail of probing questions, not that the blond answered any of them. Ino simply held a pillow over her head out of utter embarrassment. Sometimes Ino would murmur an answer in her pillow but Sakura could never decipher and Ino wouldn't repeat it. Though Sakura could've left after hour two, she simply could not let this go. To get her answers, she would sleep there if she had to.

Tentatively, Sakura simply asks, "Naruto?"

"…Yeah," Ino finally responds raising the pillow from her flustered head.

Sakura rapid fires, "how? Why? Since when? Who knows? What about Sasuke?"

Putting up five fingers, Ino counts down with each weepy answer. "I don't know. I _really_ don't know. At some point in the last month. Just you. And you said it yourself, Sasuke needs a steady relationship with a counselor, not a girlfriend."

"It sounds like you've given up on him," Sakura thinks aloud before quickly adding, "not that I mind."

"I'm not planning on marrying Naruto here," Ino asserts. "It's just… Kaa-san's told me a bunch of times how Tou-san is both the love of her life and her best friend, and lately, I'm realizing that those are not the same things, you know? Like a boy could be the love of your life, but he may not be a good friend, or he can be a great friend and not the love of your life. Kaa-san has both and truthfully, I'm sort of envious. A lover who's also your best friend sounds perfect and impossible, but, I look at my parents and I know it _can_ happen."

"But you and Naruto aren't even friends," Sakura voices.

"Shows how much you know about your teammate. Believe it or not, we've actually hung out several times," Ino confesses with a smirk, though she won't admit many of those meetups ended with mind-blowing sex.

"Why didn't you tell me," Sakura demands to know, before realizing, "wait, why didn't _he_ tell me!"

Ino simply asks, "you mean, why didn't he tell you between all the times you hit him or flaunt all over Sasuke that he's hanging out with your ex-best friend?"

"I haven't done either of those for weeks now," Sakura asserts pridefully. "I thought we were in a good place… well, before that night, I mean."

"What do you actually know about his life," Ino curiously asks. "Have you ever bothered to ask him his likes, his dislikes, who he knows, where he's been? I got to learn a lot about him when I was helping Kurenai-sensei and I talk with him. He loves stories with happy endings, he hates ghosts, he enjoys watering his plants and feeding Tori-chan. He's strong, and not just physically either, but mentally. He's funny, like mischievous funny—which I like. He's cute, he's smart, he has such a wonderful heart, and you don't seem to have complaints about his performance in bed… even though, apparently, you just lie there like a dead fish."

Feeling a little convinced herself, Sakura is happy to huff, "I do not," to feel anger rather than confusion. "We did a bunch of stuff-" Sakura cuts herself off, and as Ino expected, she won't say more.

Moving on, Ino admits, "I just can't stop thinking about him, and every day, I catch myself asking, '_why not? Why couldn__'t we?_'" Hugging her pillow with a slyly growing grin, Ino adds, "so, yeah, I think I'd really like it if Naruto were my boyfriend."

The pair fall into silence as the young women process the deep implications behind their entire conversation and sift for every morsel of reflection. Aligned with the fact that Sakura had sex with Naruto, it was hard for the pinkette to believe Ino wants to be Naruto's girlfriend and takes the rest of the morning to mull it over. '_Ino wants to be the girlfriend of a boy I had sex with._' It just seems so odd to Sakura that Ino would be okay with the fact that, no matter what, she took Naruto's first time. It just seems less pure that way. '_How does that not bother you? It has to_,' she wonders.

Sakura realizes if Naruto and Ino get married, then Ino and herself would have both slept with the same man. Sakura doesn't know why but she can't decide how she feels about this. A sequence of motion pictures play in vivid detail how shockingly overwhelming Naruto commands over her pleasure center and to know Ino is going to experience the same thing… it's so illicit, her entire body simply reacts. As she quickly walks to her assigned room for some self relief, she simply tells herself, '_it__'s biology and thrilling and nothing more_.'

He was the first boy she'd ever been with and he was better than she ever thought the act of sex could possibly be. Sakura believes a healthy sex drive is part of a healthy lifestyle and since her night with Naruto, she won't deny her body's completely natural needs. Her arousing fantasies staring her blond-haired blue-eyed teammate were frequent and not of her control, but Ino was right.

'_I__'m a woman now_,' she tells herself as she enters her room. Removing her shorts before hopping into her bed and under her covers, her mind always yields to the other extreme experience in her young life. The other reason why she won't deny herself this pleasure is that, '_I almost died__… easily._'

The current bedrock of her world is made of unstoppable, legendary, missing-nin, Orochimaru, targeting her teammates, her once bright love dampened with sanity and patience, and her teammates are growing stronger than her at an unprecedented rate, Sakura easily allows her body's urges and her awakened mind to run toward much-needed relief every available opportunity.

By lunch when the three teams of genin—Team 7, Team 10, and Suna's team—were joined by a slightly worn Team Guy. Though Ino acted normally, Sakura noticed the Yamanaka making subtle glances between Naruto and Sasuke and couldn't help thinking, '_Kami, she__'s really looking at him…_'

Ino liking Naruto was blowing her mind and Sakura is grateful for the distraction as Sasuke has been silently fuming all day. The self-proclaimed avenger has been ignoring, as well as, not ignoring, Naruto and it would've made lunch a very tense experience had it not been for Naruto insisting Konoha teams eat together. Ino was the first to lead Shikamaru, Chōji into joining Team 7. Rock Lee followed by Tenten had joined the group after, and though Neji sat with his teammates, it became clear he only cared to ask Sasuke one thing. "How is it your team manage to make it here before ours?"

That seemed to annoy Sasuke further; a deeper hole in his psyche that Sakura imagines has to do with his hate and his rivalry with Naruto. She's really seeing him now and though it doesn't feel good to witness that darkness and be powerless to help him, she is thankful that it's clear to her now. Though she won't thank Ino any time in the foreseeable future, she wouldn't be surprised if she thanked the blond heiress at some point.

Sakura knows the handsome Hyūga was Rookie of the Year before Sasuke, but that didn't matter to Naruto as he brashly responds, "obviously because our team is _**way**_ stronger than yours!"

Neji turned as stoic as Sasuke but Sakura found it funny to watch Rock Lee and Naruto comically rage against who had the stronger team, escalating their bets with every assertion before Ino's indignantly declares that her team was the strongest and Shikamaru mumbles how troublesome it all is.

As Tenten was calming Lee down, Naruto looks from Sakura to Ino and back, drawing their attention before he makes up his mind and asks Ino, "could I ask you for a favor, Ino-chan?"

Though momentarily feeling slighted by her teammate not asking her instead of Ino, Sakura's analytical and diagnostic eyes immediately identifies the slight blush on the Yamanaka's cheeks, unconscious wetting of her lips, focus in her eyes, a quicker intake of air and a slight increase in her respiratory rate. Again, Sakura's mind marvels at the thought, '_I can__'t believe it's true!_'

"If it's helping you get a new wardrobe, the answer is a hundred times yes," Ino plays but most assuredly means.

Chuckling, Naruto effortlessly tells her, "I'll switch outfits when the dress code is the Hokage's uniform."

Shaking her head, Ino asks, "what is it?"

"I'm going to be stuck in my room for the next four days, maybe even up to when the task finishes," Naruto tells her, furrowing Ino and Sakura's brows in confusion as he finishes, "can you bring my meals for me, please?"

Blushing at the erotic possibilities, Ino startles as she answers, "well, I- yeah, sure. Yeah, I can do… that." After a brief moment, however, Ino isn't sure why he'd go to such lengths. She has a hard time lasting more than thirty minutes under his sexual stimulation. Four days is just overkill. Tightening her crossed legs, a blushing Ino ignores Sakura's perceptive eyes as she asks, "why are you staying in your room for four days?"

Sakura notices Sasuke also pay attention to the question, but if Naruto noticed he didn't seem to care as he earnestly answers, "Kakashi-sensei said we're not allowed to train but I can still work on my Fūinjutsu."

Rock Lee merrily asks, "you study Fūinjutsu, Naruto-kun?"

"Sure do," Naruto answers him with a smile, adding, "and it's wicked awesome stuff!"

Sakura notices Tenten-chan also pay more attention as Ino comments, "I still don't understand why that would keep you in your room for four straight days."

Surprisingly, Naruto's usually happy expression yields to one of solemn heartfelt contentment and his small smile of serenity calmly claims, "sorry, Ino-chan. It's a clan secret."

Shikamaru and Chōji doubt Naruto capable of learning Fūinjutsu and Lee wants to know, "what clan?" Tenten, Ino, and Sakura want to know why he refuses to reveal more. Neji and Sasuke simply leave once they've finished their lunch.

NARUTO

'_**So that**__**'s everything that happened**_,' Naru-nii voices.

After saying bye to his cousin, Karin, Naruto finished eating his breakfast when Naru-nii contacted him. Naruto was too busy the previous day to talk, and though he was glum after parting with Karin and eating alone, he was happy to relay everything that happened to his future-counter part.

'_**Well, awesome job holding your own against Orochimaru until backup arrived. It**__**'s actually embarrassing to admit, but I was knocked out, like, in no time at all after coming up against that slithering ass.**_'

'_Embarrassed? Are you kidding? Didn__'t you only have Kage Bunshin to fight with,'_ Naruto scoffs, easily adding, '_I mean, you didn__'t have the best sensei like I do,_' Naruto happily replies.

Naru-nii chuckles a bit before responding, '_**thanks. And since you did pull off one Rasenshuriken, I finally get to tell you who our father**__**… … … hmm…**_'

Naruto leaps from his seated position in his room as he asks, "hello? Naru-nii, the suspense is killing me here," he concludes as he passes the moderate-sized room. After barely a moment of silence, Naruto's energy couldn't contain his voice, quickly calling, "Naru-nii, speak to me!"

'_**Ow, calm down, will ya,**_' Naru-nii calls. '_**I just got a better idea, is all.**_'

'_What? What is it?_'

Naruto can hear the glee in Naru-nii's voice when he asks, '_**how would you like to meet tou-san instead?**_'

'_WHAT!__'_ Naruto mentally yells so loud, Kurama yells back, '_**I**__**'m napping!**_' Lowering his mental voice, Naruto asks, '_how? You said he was-_'

'_**He is,**_' Naru-nii immediately clarifies. '_**But he sealed a bit of his chakra in you before he died. It**__**'s how I got to talk to him once and it's how you can talk to him too.**_'

'_Wow,_' Naruto gasps, growing more nervous by the second. '_I- I__'m so blown away, I don't even know what to think. This is next level! I mean, I definitely want to. I just never thought it was possible…_'

'_**Then, let**__**'s make it a little easier for you,**_' Naru-nii tells his younger counter-part. '_**Our father**__**'s name is Namikaze Minato, but you probably know him best as the Fourth Hokage.**_'

'…_You__'re shittin' me,_' Naruto loudly heaves.

'_**Nope**_,' Naru-nii yips happily. '_**You never noticed how alike you both look?**_'

'_I__… I guess, yeah, but I just thought if that was really the case, I'd be treated a lot better. I mean, at least as good as Asuma-nii or Konohamaru are treated. Plus, all the Academy sensei said he had no children, so it couldn't be true-_'

'_**No matter how much you wanted it to be**__,_' Naru-nii interjects with complete understand and empathy. '_**Yeah, I know. But it**__**'s definitely true, Chibi-Me. You- well, we are the son of the fourth Hokage.**_'

'_How do I meet him,_' Naruto eagerly asks. '_I really want to meet him!_'

Naru-nii slowly questions, '…_**so you can punch him?**_'

'_You know it,_' Naruto returns to which Naru-nii laughs.

'_**Yeah, I kinda did the same,**_' Naru-nii sheepishly admits. '_**But you know, I want you to do something I never did.**_'

'_What__'s that?_'

'_**Tou-chan and I didn**__**'t have a lot of time together, but since you already know everything he's going to tell you, you can ask him a question I've been dying to know.**_'

KURAMA

"I don't want to see him," Kurama huffs to an eye-rolling Naruto as soon as the blond enters the large chamber. "I will never forgive him for sealing my power."

"Aww, come on," Naruto contends. "Naru-nii said if it's possible to learn it, then this would totally help us against a lot of really strong bad guys."

"I know what the future brat said," Kurama growls. Getting up, he prowls in a circle as he adds, "I still hate the yondaime."

"Are you going to give me eight tales or not," Naruto plainly puts. "I only need it for a second," the blond adds, however, Kurama isn't convinced. It isn't until Naruto mentions, "this could also help me possibly get a girlfriend," blushing a bit at the thought. Though Naruto may not blush quite so easily when it comes to physical intimacy with a girl, talk of girlfriends and matters of the heart can still rush the blood to his cheeks easily. "I mean, the Fourth is still like, really _really_ popular; what with the way he took out entire armies by himself and such. And I look a _lot_ like him. It would only make sense if I were to become just as popular with the same technique-"

"Get two girlfriends," Kurama counters demandingly.

"What! Two?" Naruto questions incredulously before sternly arguing, "you know this isn't like ordering at a restaurant, right? You can't just say '_I__'ll take two of those_.'"

"Why not," Kurama argues, moving closer to the gate. "If the Yondaime is as popular as you claim, that would mean multiple females are willing to be his mate. Just accept all of them."

"That's not how love works!" Naruto contends. "It's supposed to be between two people."

Kurama tilts his large head with a measure of confusion before he asks, "and you're an expert on how this _love_ works?"

Pulling up short with halting thoughts of Sakura, Naruto fumbles as he responds, "well, no… I guess not." Shaking his head he hotly contests, "but neither are you!"

"I'm not human," Kurama plainly states. "Also, my father never spoke of this subject…"

Kurama fell silent and Naruto wonders if he's thinking about his father, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo; especially since Naruto is moments away from meeting his own. Naruto reasons all this talk about fathers might make anyone miss their own. Naru-nii often mentions the more they got along, the better it'll be and Naruto really wants to be Kurama's friend, so, with a long exhale, he tells the giant tailed beast, "I'll ask." When Kurama focuses on Naruto again, Naruto elaborates, "I'll ask Nai-chan if multiple, uh, _people_ relationships is possible. But I swear to Kami if she ends our sessions because of this, that's on you!"

Kurama smiles before he cautiously amends his demand. "Ask someone else then. No need to risk the willing mates we already own." '_We? Own_?' a wide-eyed Naruto curiously notes when Kurama continues, "I demand you dress in his style as well," Kurama asserts. "If that miserable pest's reputation can attract more females, we must take advantage of that and look the part."

"I don't necessarily mind dressing like a badass," Naruto asserts. "But would it kill you to ask for things normally?"

"Yes," Kurama easily answers before asking, "have you secured the room?"

"Yeah," Naruto states, recalling twenty separate memories of his clones completely sealing his assigned room within the tower. It was Naru-nii's idea since the output of so much of Kurama's power will be felt tens of miles away. Still, Naruto thoughtfully claims, "I don't think it'll be enough to hide your chakra from being sensed."

"It'll only be for a couple of seconds," Kurama declares. "That won't be enough time for them to do anything more than question it."

"Or lose my mind in the process," Naruto mutters in humorless jest.

"Since I'm cooperating, that shouldn't be an issue. Ready brat," Kurama calls, raising himself on all fours while his many tails whisk and sweep excitedly behind him. Naruto lowers his center of gravity and stands ready before nodding to his partner.

Kurama's red chakra quickly seeps under the tall gates and surrounds Naruto, building and rising so as to give him immediate access to the raw mind-deforming power behind eight tails. With a nod from Kurama, Naruto's hand touches the violently fluctuating energy and instantly his mind burns, his vision darkens and his stomach is replaced by agony.

NARUTO

A pat on the shoulder snaps Naruto out of his painful daze, allowing him to witness Kurama's sinister chakra receding from his weary body and into the room behind the large golden gate. Naruto feels like he's been running all day with a sword through his stomach but his mental senses are shoved into clearer awareness after a growling Kurama angrily retorts, "you!"

Naruto focuses on the other, taller, blue-eyed blond in the room, wearing a standard Jōnin's uniform with a high-collard white cloak with red flames at the hem. A shocked Naruto into stating like a question, "you…you're really the fourth."

Minato smiles at his son as he begins to explain, "the seal is set so if eight tails are released, I'll appear within youUMPH!" Minato grunts when Naruto punches him in the stomach.

"HAHAHAHAHA," Kurama laughs loudly snapping his head back happily. "Serves you right, Yondaime," Kurama happily asserts, eventually adding, "hit him again, hit him again," as Naruto wipes the tears beginning to trail down his cheeks.

Though his tearing eyes are covered by his forearm, Naruto tearfully bemoans to the chakra image of his father, "I already know all that! I know I'm your son, so, so, you don't have to say it. And before you ask, I'm sixteen… Nnn-nnmmh," his crying voice murmurs sadly.

"Wow, sixteen," Minato empathizes with quiet comfort. "You must've gone through a lot."

Clearing his cheeks of moisture, Naruto shrugs, adding, "whatever. I'm an Uzumaki and a Namikaze. I can take it."

"I'm so sorry, son," Minato solemnly apologizes.

"I know," Naruto says with a sniff. "I know you are, but we don't have time for all that. Listen, I already know about the masked man who controlled Kurama-"

"Kurama?" Minato asked, tilting his head a bit confused.

Naruto thumbs in the direction behind him toward the very large and snarling Kurama glaring at the fourth Hokage, asking, "you didn't think his name was actually Demon Fox did you?"

Blinking wide eyes between Naruto and the now widely grinning Kurama above his son, Minato starts, "he… well… I see. You seem to have the situation well in hand."

"Not really," Naruto responds, shaking his head. "Tobi, the masked guy, is still out there, so I was hoping there was enough time for you to teach me the Flying Thunder God technique."

Blinking wide eyes again, Minato doesn't need long to think as he replies, "I… no, of course. Of course I will, son, but, it'll have to be fast, and, I won't be able to write it all out. I can already feel my chakra begin to deplete, so I'll only write out the segments you can't find in scrolls."

"I may as well bear witness just in case the brat forgets something," Kurama adds from behind Naruto.

Eyes flickering from Kurama to his son, Minato seems skeptical until Naruto adds, "I doubt I'll forget, but, it's okay, tou-chan. Me and Kurama are teammates."

Minato nods toward Kurama before he turns about and begins scribing Fūin characters the air. "The Thunder God tech is actually a combination of Ninjutsu and Fūinjutsu. In order to perform the seal-less ninjutsu of, quote-unquote, teleporting, you must first create a seal contract that stipulates the mechanics behind it."

Naruto's blue eyes light up as he instantly shifts into his familial specialty, quickly asking, "how many metric character arrays?"

"A massive amount. It'll take days to properly write out," Minato happily answers, recognizing the curiosity in the Uzumaki's eyes. As Minato continues to align character after characters, he informs his son, "the Fūin contract utilizes Space/Time jutsu coupled with directional signatures that allows the user to create a dynamic conversion. Now, I'll write out the Fūin contract's centralized arrays in detail and explain all correlating functions, but you'll need to study and understand it before you create your own scroll."

An energetic Naruto hums appreciatively as his father continues to rapidly illustrating characters in the air. "There are three necessary pillars to the entire contract. We'll start with the Space/Time array, which is written like this…" Naruto marvels at the speed by which Minato writes out the characters. "This seal was gifted to me by your mother upon our marriage. She made me swear we'd only pass it along to our children when they were wise enough to wield it."

"Can't imagine Naruto fits that criteria," Kurama chuckles. "You're a hundred years too early for that," he adds with laughter.

"Tch!" Naruto grunts, whirling on his red giant partner. "Not being the wisest worked out great for you though, didn't it?" Naruto calls out before mockingly adding, "since you finally managed to make friends with a _human!_"

"You take that back!" a wounded Kurama snarls, raising on his legs and eying Naruto like prey. "As if the greatest Tailed Beast would ever be friends with a brat!"

"Settle down you two," a mildly amused Minato tells the bickering teammates, adding, "this is a very complex contract to arrange, so focus up."

Smirking, Naruto closely examines the pillars design style of the contract his father is forming and recognizes it, voicing as much, "you're using a borate chain to hexangularly link and group each array like each leg of a tripod atop another tripod; simple, elegant, and strong. Uwwaahh, this really _is_ going to take a massive amount of logic arrays, isn't it?"

"…You truly are an Uzumaki," Minato laughs and Naruto smiles sheepishly. "Yes, it is; a very intricately structured pyramid of many tripods. Each of the three components will require many arrays which can always be added to a borate chain and remain stable."

Carefully analyzes the section of the contract designated for the Space/Time array, Naruto asks, "the first leg is the contract, the second is the Space/Time Jutsu, and the third?"

"The third is the dynamic link in the form of a personal signature, which you can put on an object, like a kunai for instance," Minato answers at the same time he flawlessly writes. "As the Space/Time jutsu is the only array passed on from word of mouth, I'll write that out in its entirety. Most of the other arrays can be found in scrolls or books, so I'll only note what you need and you can write out those subsets on your own."

Naruto's eyes widen as his father continues writing the details of the Space/Time jutsu, offhandedly commenting, "the mechanics behind this Space/Time array looks crazy complicated. I don't even get the theory behind it."

As he writes, Minato voices, "the thing you have to understand about Space—as in an area or expanse—and Time—as in the passing from moment to moment—is that the two are intimately connected to one another. You cannot affect one without affecting the other, which is why it's written out together as Space/Time. The theory goes, the faster you move through physical _space_—let's say the distance from Konoha to Kumo—the slower _time_ actually is. Simply put, time can, in fact, be slowed down."

Eyes squinted and confused, Naruto isn't sure about something he's never noticed or was told about and asks, "uh, okay, but how?"

"Because the natural laws that govern our universe saw fit to make Time relative to the observer," Minato happily answer. "For example, imagine you're running away from a large clock tower at the speed of light, which is about three hundred **thousand** kilometers per second. From your perspective, the clock's hands would look frozen. Time will have, effectively, stopped for you. But just because time has stopped from your perspective doesn't mean it _has_ stopped. No matter how fast you're running, from the clock's stationary perspective, time continues normally."

"Seriously," Naruto skeptically asks.

"Most serious, son," Minato answers as he continues writing the infinitesimal numerical assignments of the Space/Time function. "The Uzumaki clan calls this phenomenon Time Dilation and this array simply states that time is a rubbery thing that stretches and contracts relative to the position being observed, whether that something is as small as a fly or as large as the sun."

"The math in this formula looks a hell of a lot bigger than the sun," Naruto wonders aloud, turning to his father for confirmation.

Minato nods, relaying, "your mother explained to me how, long ago, an Uzumaki by the name of Amaterasu, an expert in the study of the sun, light, and our universe, discovered mass also plays a part in Time Dilation. Amaterasu theorized the larger the mass of an object, the faster it pulls everything around its space to it. Since space is interwoven with time, that means time dramatically slows down around large spinning masses as well. The important point here is that time can, in fact, be altered, and if it can be altered-"

"Fūin seals can utilizing it in jutsu," Naruto says within an astonished exhale of air. "Extreme chakra programming," Naruto recalls Naru-nii saying.

"Correct," Minato states. "However, this Space/Time equation isn't enough to create and utilize the Thunder God Technique. It's just the seal scheme your chakra maneuvers to perform the ninjutsu," Minato states, flawlessly continuing to write out character after character while Naruto absorbs it all.

"The directional signatures," Naruto recalls from the earliest writing on the long wall of seal schemes. "They're linked to the Space/Time jutsu, which means something like a kunai is the focal point of the time Dilation, and since it's contracted to you, you're the only one the slowing of time affects."

"Nearly there son," Minato states with a prideful grin. "The setback to activating the Space/Time array is the calculated mass of influence stipulated within the contract creates a very strong gravitational pull."

"And that's how you move inside," Naruto hums as he reads. It's jarringly amazing how new and old this information feels in his mind. "Mnn, but how do you stop?" he asks himself, carefully analyzing his father's script before quickly answering as if recalling himself, "with chakra!"

Shaking his head at how proud he feels, Minato states, "using your muscles to orient yourself to land properly or attack immediately is nearly impossible under such a strong force. The human body isn't meant to move at such speed around such mass. I mean the force relative to my perspective even allows my body to pass through matter; a home, a tree, or person for example. That's fine for long-distance travel, but it's much too fast for close quarter combat, so, the directional seals—which I wrote on a special kunai I made—also double as a way to fight the gravitational pull thereby slowing your velocity or re-orient yourself for attack or landing."

"So these special kunai not only anchor the stretching of time but also the speed of travel between you and the kunai."

"Or a network of chakra pathways; just in case you have multiple kunai in use," Minato adds. "So, within the pathway, you expel your chakra just like you do in chakra training, and that's how you slow down or turn, or do anything really. Imagine being deep in the ocean and swimming as fast as a fish without your arms or legs; just your chakra."

"That sounds way harder than walking on water," Naruto fearfully comments.

"Practice a great deal, son," Minato advises. "I first practiced expelling chakra from my tenketsu deep underwater. The Hyūga are experts at releasing chakra from their tenketsu so if you know anyone that can give you tips, that'll help quite a bit."

"One of my friends is a Hyūga," Naruto remarks with thoughts of the sweet Hinata. "Maybe she can give me some pointers," Naruto affirms with an amused hum as Minato continues to explain.

Naruto observes carefully, then widens his eyes before he calls out, "holy crap… Since the Space/Time jutsu is linked to the chakra pathways—er, you and the kunai, I mean—that's where the pull on space, time, and gravity is the strongest, but, that's still only from your perspective… which means, from your perspective, you're not moving fast at all! Anything outside the link only thinks you're moving fast because the speed of time relative to their perspective isn't anywhere near as fast as yours!"

Minato laughs happily as his son reads excitedly over his shoulder. "Everyone likes to think the technique is instantaneous teleportation, and to protect the jutsu, I let them think that, but technically, I'm not physically moving any faster or slower than they are. At its simplest form, Space/Time jutsu just enables us to experience the passing of time differently. As long as I use my chakra to control the velocity toward the signature, I see everything—the animals, the terrain, my enemies—as if time has stopped."

"And outside the pathway," Naruto wonders aloud

Smiling fondly, he answers, "outside the pathway, all they see is a yellow flash."

Naruto laughs mischievously as he comments, "I can't believe you're not moving fast at all! That's hilarious!" Minato laughs along with his son, both enjoying the ultra precious moment for how painfully finite it is. Clearing his throat, Naruto strains to move on and ask his father, "the Space/Time jutsu is infinitesimal, so how much can you push the conversion rate?"

"Even though it's instantaneous from their perspective, "Minato starts to answer. "Depending on how much chakra I use to slow myself down, I can make it last a second or hours."

Finally understanding, Naruto reiterates, "because the mechanics of Space/Time is stipulated to be relative to your chakra and contract, you experience however long you need, let's say minutes, in the observer's fraction of a second."

"Correct," Minato happily voices. "In heavy combat situations, it affords me ample time to read the terrain and strategize. However, if you use it in long-distance travel, it can be taxing to use so much chakra to prevent terminal velocity. It's why I use it sparingly. The dynamic signature and the Space/Time array are two of the legs," Minato lectures, filling out more segments of the Fūin contract.

"Connecting it all together is the third leg which is the Fūin contract itself," Naruto answers.

"Correct, son," Minato answers happily. "It's due to the Fūin contract, that the signature—which can be any phrase or word you like—is attached to the function of the Space/Time array. The Fūin contract converts any form connected to the signature into a dynamic link between matching patterns, activating that pathway like a conduit."

"The three legs," Naruto views aloud. "Space/Time to alter time experience and distance traveled in a microsecond, the signature for dynamically linking destinations, and the Seal Contract of bond between the signature and Space/Time jutsu that carefully stipulates the manner of conversion."

"Correct again, however, there's still much more that's needed," Minato claims, writing so close to the grand chamber's wall that the Yondaime begins curving the paper-thin wall of glowing characters. "As you noted, this contract from your mother's clan is expressed using a borate chain to dynamically add logic, but-"

"That function can technically work with two arrays of direction, but it needs way more logic than that if you want it to work properly in any condition," Naruto finishes, adding, "I totally get it."

"I suppose it's impossible for the apple to fall far from the center of the orchard," Minato huffs happily. "That's exactly right. The Fūin contract bonds not only your signature with the Space/Time, but your _self_ as well. We'll need to postulate all the pattern matching as well as all the variables we want the technique to be able to deal with. So, between the Ha characters of each array, you'll write your signature, and as you said, we still have to apply a lot more logic to make sure it all works right," his father says as he continues writing line after line of characters.

"I've seen some versions of this array studying Fūinjutsu contracts, but nowhere near this good," Naruto admits. "Let me guess, with three logic arrays: the signature, the Space/Time array, and the chakra pattern, then you close, it'll work, but only work on the signature; not whatever it's attached to. That's why it'll take days to write out. You have to link more logic arrays to the chain to allow more variables. That way if you draw your signature on any surface and it'll work."

"Or if you use your chakra to mark chakra, it'll still work," Minato states with a grin, accepting he's simply going to continue smiling proudly. "We have to add more logic arrays to encapsulate an almost infinite amount of possibilities because the last thing you want to happen is the jutsu malfunctioning in a pinch. So, you have to add all letters, all numbers—use infinity just in case—all chemical elements, all elemental releases, yin and yang release, sage arrays, proximity alerts, trauma alerts, orientation logic, spatial awareness array, and the echo array so you can navigate between multiple signatures. Please practice a great deal before you use it in battle."

Naruto smirks, feeling fairly confident if chakra control is key, then his clones can help him speed up the training process. He continues reading the squiggly characters like a picture in his mind before voicing in awe, "you can even match individual people, or animals to the logic within the expression, couldn't you?"

Minato can't help his smile before answer, "that you can, son. You'll also need to sanitize the seal to make it impossible for anyone you don't want to hop on the link, for example, if they grab you while you '_teleport._'"

"Sweet," Naruto states looking over the simplified seal.

"Lastly, and this is quite an extraordinary measure," Minato states, finally stepping away from the very long curved wall of characters to admire it with his son. "The entirety of this contract will need to be inscribed with your blood and chakra."

Naruto's eyes widen and he nearly chokes as he looks past his father and over the very long wall of glowing seal arrays, many of which are not even written out to save time. He can't help but yell, "you're kidding!"

Minato shakes his head. "Just like the Space/Time array, this stipulation isn't written down to safeguard this amazing power. As you no doubt noticed, there are many measures in place to prevent the wrong sort from abusing this technique. One of the properties of this contract-based seal design is the blood and chakra necessary to create it, so even if someone stole the contract, and could actually understand it, they wouldn't be able to alter or activate the technique."

"But it's going to take _days_ to completely write all this out perfectly," Naruto gasps. "I don't have that much blood!"

"That's part of the reason why the Uzumaki were a clan to be feared, son," Minato states, patting his son comfortably on his shoulder. Naruto doesn't notice his father's hand beginning to fade as Minato continues, "they have strong bodies, special chakra, and techniques that can mitigate the loss of chakra and blood. If it wasn't for your mother helping me, it would've been impossible for me to survive composing the contract. It was the most taxing technique I ever learned, but it served me and my loved ones greatly."

"And you think I can," Naruto asks.

"I do," Minato answers. "You may look like me but you are Uzumaki strong. The clan I married into, your clan, has the greatest anthology of Fūinjutsu seals and they all required a strong life-force and chakra to function, making it nearly impossible for their work to be stolen without an Uzumaki to facilitate the task." When Minato's arm disappears to the elbow, Naruto frantically examines the rest of his father's state before fearfully realizing the only time in his sixteen years of life that he's ever spent with his father is moments away from coming to an end.

"From the very first moment I saw you, I knew you were your mother's son, Naruto," Minato softly professes. "And she was the strongest person I knew."

For the first and final time, matching blue eyes of father and son gaze respectfully, affectionately, and pridefully at one other, and when Naruto tries to voice all the things he's always wanted to say to his father, his quaking voice struggles to be heard. "Tou-chan…"

"When you're done, you should place the Fūin scroll somewhere where no one will get to it," Minato says. "I buried mine on Mount Myōboku. Don't worry if you don't get to go there."

"Tou-chan, I…" Naruto tries but his throat closes as his clear blue eyes begin to water.

"Remember, I utilize attacks that don't require performing seals, for even if it takes you less than a second to create all the necessary hand-seals for a jutsu, a faster shinobi will stop it, and possibly kill you. So, please, son… please be careful… Live a full life, find love, and have many children."

Naruto can't say it all—a solid decade of questions and confessions—but with his father nearly gone, Naruto declares the most important sentiment he's always wanted to say. Letting the tears fall where they may, he confesses, "I love you, tou-chan!"

Smiling, Minato says, just as he disappears, "I love you more."

And when Minato fully evaporates, an emotional Naruto allows the unheard, "thank you, tou-chan," escape his lips.

KURAMA

Kurama witnessed his jailer heartfelt farewell and couldn't help drawing unwanted parallels by recalling thoroughly recycled memories of his own father and feeling that exact loss. As Kurama silently watches Naruto exit his room to collect a few books and triple-sized scroll for comprehensive Fūinjutsu designs, he loathes feeling empathy for the blond. He may hate humans, hate being controlled by them, and disapprove of his current container, but that doesn't mean they don't share similarities.

Kurama can always recall cherished memories of his father; talking to him, learning from him, being blessed with a gift of so much peaceful land to live on. He loved his father more than anything, but, his father died. This brat never experienced that joy, and for him to try as hard as he can for as long as he can… Kurama couldn't help but believe with near certainty that his father would like and approve of Naruto.

'_If my own father may look favorably on the brat, shouldn__'t I?_"

SASUKE

"Who are you," Sasuke yells from his defensive kneel. "How did you get in here?"

"I am one of the greatest shinobi ever," Orochimaru touts. "A mere door cannot keep me from what I desire, no matter the security."

"Who are you," Sasuke demands to know.

"Oh, how you wound me, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru's scratchy voice playfully vocalizes. "How could you forget me after I bestowed upon you such a beautiful gift," he asks, baring his wicked smile.

"Orochimaru," Sasuke deduces. "What do you want from me?"

"Like a windmill that isn't turning, the world is still, my boy," Orochimaru begins. "Nothing is changed; nothing moves, and living feels very much like choking. You feel it too, don't you? There are some who may find this lifeless tranquility beautiful, but they are complacent, easily pleased, and often end up prey to predators."

"You haven't answered my question," Sasuke sternly states.

"And you haven't alerted your sensei, as I have no doubt Kakashi-kun would've set up such an alarm," Orochimaru states looking at the wall very near Sasuke's hand. Looking around the dark room, Orochimaru happily notes, "I find it fitting we first meet in the Forest of Death and then again in pure darkness; but we see the best in death and darkness, do we not. It's where mankind create their finest accomplishments. When everything that you know and love is taken away from you so harshly, all you can think about is anger, hatred, revenge—the darkness—and no one can save you."

"No one but you, is that it?"

"Only you can save yourself," the legendary snake nin answers. "To achieve your revenge, you must become the wind of change strong enough to move the world and that will not happen without power."

"And I'm just supposed to trust you will give me power without something in return," Sasuke skeptically reasons. "I'll ask you one last time, what do you want?"

"But I've already told you, my dear boy," the smiling missing-nin asserts. "The world is still and I but want it to move. Bringing about your own gain will bring about my gain as well."

"Then tell me everything you know about Itachi," Sasuke commands.

Orochimaru laughs greatly. "Ku ku ku, has your hate made you delusional? Do you truly believe you stand any chance of defeating Itachi as you are? Your teammate would fair better, I would imagine," Orochimaru expresses with clear glee, angering Sasuke near to the point of recklessly attacking the legendary ninja, however, clenching his fists, Sasuke manages to restrain himself. "I'll ask you this one time, Sasuke-kun. Do you desire to remain as you are; attain friends, find love, create a family, like the complacent dead… perfectly still?" Orochimaru takes out a vial of small medicine pills and outstretches it toward Sasuke as he continues to ask, "or do you crave the power to remodel the world as you see fit?"

And Sasuke looks from the amused and confident eyes of a legendary nin, to the small vial of pills and removes his hand from the alarm switch Kakashi had installed by his bed.

HAKU

Despite the restrictions placed on him, Haku had been planning for the past three days to severely attack a well-established citizen and retired shinobi of Konoha. Since the initial warning alert from Naruto's Fūinjutsu security during their lunch after the first test of the Chūnin exam, the beautiful former hunter-nin has been playing possum throughout his day, acting as gentle bait to draw out the would-be thief. Haku's strategy was simple, carry Kubikiribōchō in the open and practice with the great executioner's blade before sealing it in a flashy orange and blue sealing scroll. Haku will then visit Iruka-san in the hospital and end his day by picking herbs in the vast fields and forests of Konoha before mixing medicine alone in the Umino residence.

On the fourth day of subtly surveilling his surroundings for the thief, Haku is pleasantly surprised to find Kakashi-san waiting by Iruka-san's front door. Leaning heavily against the house wall is an exhausted red-haired girl with glasses. While a lovely and vibrant color, the girl's hair is haggard, her shoulders sag, and she looks like she hasn't slept in days. It all makes sense when Kakashi explains about the girl's time with the Torture and Interrogation department, but what's deeply shocking about her emigration to Konoha, is her relation to Naruto-kun.

"Pleasure to meet you," Karin states with an exhausted bow. "I'm Uzumaki Karin."

Haku bows as well, returning the greeting and introducing himself before inviting them in and taking a seat at the dining table. While Haku prepares an herbal remedy to help Karin with the dehydration, malnutrition, and accumulated anxiety, Kakashi explains how this state of affairs came to happen. As Naruto is the only person Karin-chan knows and feels safe with, she naturally wanted to stay with her cousin, and it doesn't surprise Haku one bit Naruto offered Karin a home.

Haku serves them both as Kakashi-san further explains to them, "as I told you, Haku-kun, this village is not without its black-ops. I still believe they wouldn't attempt to recruit you until you've established your allegiance to Konoha to their satisfaction, but Karin, with your unique chakra, they might make an exception. So, be careful," he warns her.

Rubbing her throbbing temple, Karin nods lazily, informing them, "I have no intention of joining any shadow organizations. I'm going to help Naruto restart our clan in Konoha and that's it."

Kakashi simply nods before stating, "you may want to look into the requirements. From my understanding, Uzushio and Konoha were close allies, much like Suna and Konoha are allies, only closer, but I don't know if Uzumaki can simply apply for clan status in the same way other clans already residing within Konoha can. For example, a clan from Suna wouldn't simply be able to restart their clan in Konoha, but, Suna is still around. It'll be tricky, to say the least."

"Since Naruto-kun is a member of this village," Haku points out before asking, "can you say if it'll be easier or harder for him to establish his clan in Konoha?"

"Will you be assisting the Uzumaki," Kakashi first asks Haku, who answers, "of course. I am Naruto's tool to bring about the world he wishes."

Though her face is set to perpetual exhaustion, Karin curiously asks, "his tool?"

Though Haku answers the redhead with a clear nod, Kakashi clarifies, "Naruto would use the word friend rather than tool. I can't imagine you will experience too much difficulty, but you'll want to consult with an expert. From my knowledge, I know you need to meet certain requirements as well as the seal of approval from our Hokage, our Daimyō, the civilian council, and endorsement from an honored or major clan; for example, the Hyūga, the Aburame, the Akimichi, the Nara, and the Yamanaka."

"Would they dislike the idea of more clans within the village," Haku asks, wondering what the political landscape my look like, and if his plan to catch, maim, or kill Dānyī-san would hurt Naruto.

"The Hyūga are the only clan I can think of who would disapprove of your application," Kakashi answers.

"Something to think about, at least," Karin says as her head wobbles and drops a bit, sliding her red-rimmed glasses down the bridge of her nose. "I think the tea is kicking in."

Standing from the table, Haku tells Karin, "I'll prepare a futon for you."

Haku gives Karin his room and mentally plans to sleep in Naruto's until he returns. Dressed for bed, Karin asks Haku to tell her about Naruto, not only to learn some more about her cousin, but to hear a comforting voice to ease her torture-provoked anxiety, however, Haku didn't finish his first sentence before peaceful sleep finally takes Karin.

Recalling his night after being release, Haku stays with Karin. It was a great help to hear Naruto and Kurenai-san after many days of torture. Their conversations, their lovemaking, and even cleaning after them, greatly grounded Haku when his mind felt scattered and in constant turmoil. Haku was able to focus and return to normal because something of comfort was nearby, and he wants to be of comfort to Karin-chan.

His thoughts then hovered around the possible obstacles Naruto may face reinstating his clan within Konoha. The most pressing issue Kakashi-san stated was the civilian council's approval because Haku can't imagine that going over very well. From the very beginning of his life in Konoha, he was constantly introduced to the extent of the village's hatred toward Naruto-kun. In addition to civilian approval, the Hyūga feel like another obstacle. Any further thought is interrupted when he finally senses it.

With Karin sleeping ill at ease in the futon before Haku, it's the worst possible time for Iruka's home to be broken into. As the villain searches the living room, Haku abhors the idea of leaving Karin alone when she's so fretful. Judging ten minutes to be more than enough time to deal with the would-be thief, Haku utilizes a variant of the seals Naruto taught him and creates an ice clone of himself to watch over Karin before exiting the room through the ceiling. Haku creates enough noise to draw the intruder outside to the large forested backyard.

Removing a senbon from his sleeve, Haku calmly waits as the larger man opens the backyard door. But for the man's eyes, his entire body is completely covered in dated black and gray armor, yet, brandishes brand new twin long blades in each hand, Haku recalls is generally referred to as a butterfly sword. Haku is happy the man came prepared for battle, as it would be much easier to prove to the authorities that Haku isn't, in any way, at fault. Tenten's father is clearly here for Kubikiribōchō and Haku pulls out the blue and orange scroll from within his yukata, displaying it.

"You made a grave mistake coming here," Haku tells him.

"The mistake is a magnificent weapon like Kubikiribōchō being in the hands of children," Dānyī-san retorts. "Hand it over and I promise not to kill you."

"Not only is it not mine to give," Haku simply begins, "but you are far too weak to wield it. It would wither under your ownership."

"I tried to be civil about this," Dānyī-san claims with an aggravated huff. "I even offered that demon ryo, but I'm out of time and you're in the way. If you don't hand it over now, your death will be on that boy's conscious," Dānyī-san declares, however, before he can even take a step, a completely silent long sword effortlessly moves from behind Dānyī-san's and around the man's neck in nearly an instant.

The man suddenly behind Dānyī-san is unrecognizable to the unsuspecting eye; wearing a black hospital face mask, his black hair is longer, slick back and under a monk's hat, larger eyebrows over pale-blue eyes and wearing a traveling monk's disguise with many beads around his neck, but Haku saw through it all in an instant. By the man's height, his shoulder to hip ratio, skin tone, and even fingernails, Haku can recognize the Demon of Hidden Mist, Momochi Zabuza anywhere.

"Causing trouble, Haku," Zabuza casually asks in his deep voice. Zabuza's large hand grips Dānyī's shoulder and squeezes painfully hard until Dānyī drops his swords. "You know that's always been my job."

"Wh-wh-who are you," Dānyī-san asks before Haku sends two high-velocity senbons into the man's throat, temporarily paralyzing him and knocking him unconscious.

"Still haven't crossed that line, I see," Zabuza claims. "Not that there's any opportunity too in such a boring country."

"I would prefer to question him, Zabuza-sama," Haku claims, stepping up to the unconscious body on the grass. "He mentioned being out of time and I'd like to know what that meant."

"He's probably referring to the group I traveled with," Zabuza tells his long-time companion. Kicking the body on the floor, Zabuza informs Haku, "apparently this trash reached out to a friend of his; told him he was in possession of Kubikiribōchō and wanted to sell. Mei heard about it through little Chōjūrō and considering the war she's waging against Karatachi, she thought having another of the seven swords in her forces would give her an extra boost."

"Mei-san is here," Haku repeats with clear surprise in his lovely voice.

"Along with three from Kumo," Zabuza adds. "They're around your age, maybe older. Except for the busty blond, the other two are fodder; Chūnin, at best."

"And they're all here for Kubikiribōchō," a concerned Haku realizes aloud. Recalling the open challenge between Naruto and Zabuza, Haku cautiously asks his seemingly recovered special person, "should Naruto-kun be worried?" However, what he meant to ask is, '_should __**I**__ be worried?_'

Understanding the question in Haku's heart, the Demon of Hidden Mist smiles sinisterly before he asks, "I'm here, aren't I? Of course he should."

* * *

This chapter was incredibly difficult to write; More than any other chapter I've ever written. Part of it was because I felt VERY rusty when I returned to writing, but on top of that, I just couldn't get the technical aspect of what I wanted with the Flying Thunder God Technique.

When I first started writing, I always knew Naruto was going to get the technique and that I didn't want it to just be instantaneous teleportation. That presented problems for my grounded/rational/pragmatic mind. It's obviously an incredibly powerful/useful technique to have, so, among many other thoughts, my weird brain wonders, "why doesn't everyone have it?" I assumed it was because it's ultra difficult to use, or he'd be using it everywhere. If they can teleport a whole damn army in canon, I imagine a surprise attack against any village would be so easy to plan and execute. Danzo would have a field day with this technique. SO obviously this tech needs restrictions, chakra being the most obvious, but it needed to be more than that or else anyone with high chakra can use it.

Kishimoto said its space time jutsu, so, as a huge fan of Einstein and the movie Interstellar, I thought I'd dive deeper into the mechanics of how the Flying Thunder God jutsu might work by applying physics, general relativity, and time dilation. That was easier said than done. I really really wanted to get this right but I am NOT a physicist. Still, figuring out the mechanics of time dilation gave me several good restrictions I can add to the jutsu, making it perfectly reasonable why it's not constantly spammed.

I'm bringing in more of an altered Universe now and I can't wait to get to it, BUT, I may not be able to update for two or so weeks. I do apologize for that. Usual life stuff. As always, thank you for your support, for your patience, and taking the time to read. Please, let me know what you think. I'm always happy to read them.

Have a great one,

-Grae

* * *

Hey, guys,

This section is to address understandable comments on my attempt to rationalize the Hiraishin no Jutsu, aka, The Flying Thunder God technique, aka the Flying Raijin Jutsu created by the Second Hokage Tobimara Senju and perfected by Minato Namikaze.

JUST A REFRESHER::::The jutsu itself is explained as instantaneous teleportation by creating a pocket dimension the user immediately passes through regardless of distance or nearly any other restrictions you can think of. The only requirement necessary is marking the intended destination with the mark. In canon, it's shown that this mark can be placed on damn near any surface, including other people's chakra and it can't disappear(unless the story needs it to *sigh*). In canon, they can teleport the user and something else, like an item, or a person or an entire army, or they can simply teleport an object/person without the user of the ability needing to go too. It can also resist the pull of Kamui. Other than Tobimara and Minato, the trio of Genma, Raido and someone else can use a variation of the technique which involves a special formation.

The Hiraishin IS NOT the Body Flicker. They are fundamentally different even if they look similar. Tobimara made a point to mention during the war arc that Minato was faster than him; that's in reference to the flicker, not Hiraishin.

Plain and simple, this jutsu is insane, and with my imagination, there's no limit to its use. If I kept it as is, there would simply be too many plot holes moving forward. Nearly any situation can be fixed with Hiraishin in some way, shape, or capacity, and I don't know about you, but I find that boring. I understand the wow factor about it, but after the wow passes, you then have to figure how Naruto doesn't end every battle in an instant. Not to say my Naruto won't use it in battle, because he will, but with limitations. It won't be an auto cheat code.

ON TO THE TECHNICAL STUFF

There valid points that I'd like to address.

First, the user of the jutsu is NOT traveling at the speed of light or near it. He's moving faster because the contract seal uses space/time calculations to create/program time dilation. It just so happens that time is connected to space which incorporates mass which of course incorporates gravity. And it's the gravitational force that propels the user through the link.

This of course can't happen in real life. The gravitational force alone would pull a person so hard they'd stretch like spaghetti and hopefully they'd be dead before that. I figure since this universe has chakra and chakra can do just about anything(they're sealing giant spirit monsters inside people and doing other insane stuff with it), I don't see why it couldn't withstand the gravitational force. Speaking of, the use of chakra within the link is basically the brakes, so the user doesn't go too fast and pull like 30 g's of force. The contract only stipulates the user and whatever the user decides will be transported, so just because someone is standing next to the 4ths kunai doesn't mean they'll experience the effect.

Also, I'm not planning on using the jutsu for anything more than transporting from one location to another, whether within battle or across vast distances. So, he will not be punching someone at near the speed of light/within the activated link. I understand that amount of energy would vaporize the atmosphere, rip apart atoms, essentially destroy the earth. Naruto will just be traveling.

Lastly, I'm not done explaining the jutsu. Naruto still has to train with it and that's going to shed more light on the rules than one short conversation with his father had. I try to explain as best I can within the narrative. I don't spoon feed information, so if a character doesn't have a justifiable reason to ask, or their thoughts don't need to think about it, then I don't write it. It's a flaw, I know, but, meh...

THE WORMHOLE ANGLE

Truthfully, I didn't even think of making it a wormhole. It's called space/time in canon so I just went that direction. I think wormholes can definitely work but it has its own issues as well. It would teleport the user or items/people/armies, but Tobimara has a sword attack using the hiraishin and I don't know how that would work with a wormhole. Also, part of the problem that canon doesn't even bring up is the mental disorientation from beating an entire army with the hiraishin. If he's passing through space instantaneously, his mind could only process flashes of reality, like watching a moving with three or four frames cut out. Not that it wouldn't work, but I think if I had thought of that, I wouldn't use it. Also wormholes are purely theoretical. Time dilation is proven. Also, just because it wasn't shown, doesn't mean someone can't grab a user as they teleport. It's a possibility that I don't want to deal with later.

I think that about covers everything. I do apologize for the unnecessary confusion. While I don't feel quite as in the zone as I did before summer, that shouldn't be an excuse. I'll get there tho.

-Grae


	22. 22The Prelims

Hey Friends,

First, my deepest apologies for the delay. "Life," is the general shoulder shrug answer I'd give because I usually feel a reader is here to read a story, not so much to read about what's going on with the author. However, considering what's going on and the alterations to my life I will now have to make, I decided to create some social media accounts. These methods of contact will be for more than just explaining the loss of my job, but also for fanfic support, discussion, updating you guys about what I'm writing, delays, etc. That being said I'll leave that info after the story.

This chapter is 11.4K and I wrote several versions for 3 reasons. 1)It was difficult to organize the POV's. 2)I wanted to get Gaara and the flow just right. 3)My laptop crashed to high hell and I lost most of my info.

Warning: Graphic Violence.

Anyway, I've held you up long enough. Enjoy!

* * *

KABUTO

Under the forest's shade of the early morning sun, walking away from the tall tower at the center of Training Ground 44 where the preliminary matches will take place, a distracted Kabuto couldn't keep his highly efficient mind from replay his exchange with Naruto-kun. So focused on his disturbing recollection, the silver-haired '_genin_' felt more comfortable walking than traveling through the trees.

_"You're quitting!?" Naruto asked, despite the three-man lines of genin around them._

_"Sadly, I'm out of chakra, Naruto-kun," Kabuto regretfully said, ignoring the attention the blond headache tends to draw with his loud voice._

_"And?" the blond immediately questioned. Kabuto could easily sense Naruto-kun's urgency as if trying to reconcile two conflicting halves of himself. Whatever the talk Haku had with the boy, Kabuto's instincts tell him that Naruto is trying to reach out despite his clear reservations. "Your hands and feet work," Naruto continued. "And you still have weapons. You can still fight."_

_ Smiling his perfected smile, Kabuto maintains, __"from a logical standpoint, it's best if I don't risk my safety for false validation."_

_ When Naruto-kun seems disappointed, Kabuto felt he was finally starting to make some progress with the blond headache. If he was ever going to secure a place for Haku in Sound, Naruto-kun would either need to be with them or dead__… whether Orochimaru-sama approves Haku-kun or not._

_'No,' he mentally assured himself. 'I'll make Orochimaru-sama see Haku's value.' _

_ Thoughts of picturesque brunette always lead to a chaotic mind for Kabuto, and though he won__'t admit to himself that anything is wrong, when Naruto says, "I don't know what Haku sees in you," Kabuto felt the first painful stabs of a deeper meaning behind the very beautiful boy. In a balanced world, Haku should not affect him so, and yet Kabuto's priorities felt incredibly conflicted by the mere thought of him. _

_'All I needs is Orochimaru-sama,' his stubborn mind repeats._

_ Naruto adds wind to fire when he continued. __"Whatever he sees, I doubt it's this gutless stranger in front of me." Though his teammate Haruno-chan admonishes him for being rude, Naruto adds the final cutting word. "You want to know why I don't trust you around Haku? It's because I can't see you. I don't know what you stand for. You could betray Haku just as easily as you could care about him and I won't __**ever**__ let you hurt my friend.__"_

Traveling over the grass, a subtle snap unlike grass bringing his attentive eyes down to a beautiful flower he's stepped on and Kabuto's deviant mind repeats Naruto-kun's cutting words without his consent.

By the time he exits Death Forest all he wonders over and over is, '_who am I? Does Haku know? Does Orochimaru-sama know?_'

With a superior like Orochimaru-sama, Kabuto can feel how these dangerous thoughts raise his anxiety level, and more than anything, he needs to stop it. Orochimaru-sama is counting on him and everything needs to go according to his plans, but deep deep down, he can feel his _need_ for Haku to endure the devastation that's to come.

TEMARI

"This exam is a replacement for war," Hiruzen continues to announce to the remaining seven teams for the Chūnin exam. "The strength of a country is the strength of its village, the strength of a village is the strength of its shinobi, and a shinobi's true strength is born only through life-risking battle. That is the true meaning behind taking the exams together."

"I don't care about the true meaning of this exam," Gaara calmly states, though Temari can feel the underlying blood-lust in his voice. "Hurry up and tell us what this life-risking battle entails."

"Hello everyone," a sickly proctor steps forward. With dark bags under his eyes and a persistent cough, he informs everyone, "I'm Gekkō Hayate, your proctor for the preliminary test to decide who among you will advance to the third test."

Subtly observing the remaining genin with an analytical eye, only one shinobi decided to quit and the loud blond seemed to take real offense to it, going so far as to call the silver-haired boy with glasses a coward. Temari didn't understand the situation but she was simply happy the blond disappeared for the past four days and she didn't have to engage in ridiculously flirtatious conversation with the loud-mouth.

"There are basically no rules," Hayate tells the genin after some coughing. "No matter what, the fight continues until one of you admits defeat, is knocked out, or dies. Now, if there are no-" The sickly proctor pauses to cough for a few moments, making many worry about his health. "If there are no questions, the first match will be…"

As the electronic score-board continuously beeps with every name change, Temari had a funny wish for that blond to match up with Gaara. She found it funny he would finally get his wish to meet her youngest brother, only to finally see how utterly outmatched he is… '_as they all are against him_,' she thinks.

THE PRELIM'S

Blond brows raise and Naruto's countenance is completely taken by the first match up. His baby-blue eyes widen at the names and his mouth absentmindedly comments, "well that's definitely different…"

On the large screen high on the wall for all to read, Uchiha Sasuke vs Uzumaki Naruto is displayed. As Sound's Jōnin-sensei grins wickedly, Sasuke focuses his confident onyx-eyes on his blond teammate, grateful for the match-up, but also, optimistically invigorated in a way Naruto hasn't seen before, like when a far-fetched plan works out perfectly.

For Naruto's part, he had expected to fight Kiba, as Naru-nii had, however, he's fully aware that his past decisions and their resulting outcomes have already diverged from his future counterpart's experiences. It's why Naruto thought he might fight Gaara, Rock Lee, or maybe Neji. Clearly, Naruto has changed too much for things to go precisely as Naru-nii had told him, which means, moving forward, he'll always need to be ready for the unexpected.

'_And now I have to fight Sasuke,_' Naruto thinks, wondering how different this fight might be from the fight Naru-nii and future Sasuke had at the Valley of the End.

Recalling their month-long story session, Naru-nii had explained, '_**I let my selfishness get the better of me.**_'

At the time, Naruto was laying on Kurenai's couch, waiting on dinner as his headache subsided when he thought back, '_what do you mean?_'

'_**At first, I truly didn**__**'t think he'd ever abandon his friends, his teammates, his village,**_' Naru-nii softly voices, as if vividly recalling the very moment. '_**But Sasuke was serious**__**—dead serious—and it wasn**__**'t until he plunged his hand through my chest that I realized I'm going to have to fight him for real.**_'

'…_He tried to kill you_,' Naruto couldn't help but ask, dumbfounded to learn Sasuke would fall so far as to try and kill him.

'_**Yeah, and can you believe I still wanted to bring him back**_,' Naru-nii presses. '_**I never gave up hope he could return, but instead of just summoning Gamabunta to help me stop him, like I could**__**'ve done, I selfishly wanted to fight him, match him, beat him.**_'

'_To prove that you matter,_' Naruto asks in the affirmative, thinking of his dwindling rivalry with the raven-haired genius.

'_**Yeah,**_' Naru-nii regretfully agrees. '_**He wasn**__**'t just a brother to me, he was the bar I always thought I had to clear to turn around all the bad stuff, so rather then do everything in my power to keep him from being corrupted by his hate, I unconsciously used that moment to prove a point to myself; that I had value, that I was strong, that everyone was wrong about me… which is why I failed. Ever since then, I trained as hard as I could, every day, for another chance to fix my mistake.**_'

'_But eventually you learned keeping Sasuke from his hate wasn__'t your job,_' Naruto connects the dots from their month-long story-time.

'_**Sasuke already had a brother helping him and it wasn**__**'t me,**_' Naru-nii agrees. '_**Had I known of the true villains out there, I might**__**'ve spent less time worrying about Sasuke and more time training because it shouldn't have taken me so long to get this strong. Things might've gone completely different if I wasn't so selfishly stubborn.**_'

'_Well, if the Valley of the End happens this time around and I brawl it out with Sasuke,_' Naruto states in a light and energetic voice, hoping to break Naru-nii of his funk. '_I__'m just going to kick his narrow ass,_' and Naruto felt content to hear Naru-nii snicker and approve before their mystic prayer ended.

The sickly proctor, Hayate, turns to the surprised Hokage before Hiruzen turns from the scoreboard to a masked shinobi beside him. The man then disappears as Asuma and Kurenai, along with their students walk toward Kakashi as he walks to his team. Guy-sensei is nearby as well, with Hyūga Neji taking enough of an interest to move closer to the gathering Konoha ninja.

"What freaking luck, eh, Sasuke," Kiba laughs, though Sasuke hadn't taken his menacing eyes off Naruto. Shikamaru and Chōji agree with their own corroborative comments, Chōji going so far as to yowl, "aww man, Naruto-kun was the one person I wanted to match up against…"

The Jōnin Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Guy all stare at the Hokage as Kurenai tells Kakashi, "that shouldn't have happened."

Turning away from her teammates, Sakura says in a questioning tone, "Kakashi-sensei," while giving Ino a knowing sideways glance. This match-up means a great deal for Sakura as Sasuke is a never-ending source of turmoil between her heart and her mind, and Naruto is a good person who's always treated her with loving care; even when she didn't deserve it.

'_And now they have to fight_,' her concerned mind states. Regardless of how obvious it is she ought to be cheering for Naruto, she simply can't. Her aching heart can't cheer for Naruto, her miserable mind can't cheer on Sasuke, and yet, she still feels lucky compared to Ino.

Ino ignores Sakura's aware green eyes as they both understand this isn't a simple fight between teammates. For years, Sasuke was the most dominant affection in her young heart, but, after all the unexpected perspective she's recently gained, she's not the same girl she was when she graduated, and her love for the beautiful Uchiha has waned significantly. Sasuke has the crown for longest love of her life, but Naruto is the unexpected, can't-quite-believe, quality feeling making Ino's heart throb now.

'_And now the most disregarded boy in the village, who I like, has to fight our class__'s strongest genin that everyone loves,_' Ino thinks glumly. Ino felt like this colliding engagement was a deciding moment for her heart and mind. '_It__'s put up or shut up_,' she harshly thinks, and so, her pupil-less blue eyes spy on Kurenai-sensei for strength, wisdom, or just any sign that it'll be alright. Ino only sees unexpected concern in the beautiful woman's ruby-red irises.

"The electronic match-up board may be random," Kakashi informs the gathering of genin. "But it shouldn't pair genin within the same team."

Adding a little more detail for the gathered teens, Kurenai states, "that could easily be viewed as duplicitous. Like Hokage-sama said, this selection process involves prospective clients, which then involves trade, ryo, and a village's prosperity. In this case, if two Sand or two Sound nin fought each other, that would lower their chances of reaching the finals with more participants and attracting business without any Konoha genin needing to fight them. It's a clear advantage for us which is why the scoreboard is programmed to randomly generate one genin from each team."

"In short," Asuma adds moving to stand next to Kurenai and cross his large arms. "If you want to avoid a diplomatic nightmare, it's better if everything remains as fair and above-board as possible."

The masked shinobi that had disappeared returns beside the Hokage and whispers information before the Hokage turns to the gathering, announcing to all, "my apologies to our Chūnin candidates and their Jōnin-sensei. While the match-ups are indeed selected at random, for the purposes of balance, it has been programmed not to pair teammates. If no one has any objection, we will run the generator again-"

Hiruzen is interrupted when Sasuke purposefully walks to the center of the stone ring, telling the Hokage, "I object," then turns to eye Naruto, calm in his bold move as he awaits the blond thorn in his side.

"…Sasuke," Naruto hears Sakura mouth from beside him.

"I object as well," the smiling Jōnin-sensei from the Hidden Village of Sound announces.

Baki-sensei from Sunagakure also objects, prompting Hiruzen to assert it will not be changed should their genin teammates have to fight each other. Naruto notes Gaara eying Sasuke before moving with his teammates toward the stairs to the upper walkway. Like with Haku, Naruto is certain he'll also be good friends with Gaara, and though he can't be sure how the future will play out, if there's a chance Gaara can see that Naruto is, in fact, worth the redhead's time, then maybe the pair of Jinchūriki can bridge the gap a little faster.

"Don't be discouraged, Naruto-kun," Lee calls with a clenched fist and fiery eyes, bringing Naruto out of his thoughts. "Amidst the truly strong exist the genius types and the hard-working types. Sasuke-kun may be a genius type, but those who work hard and never give up can truly be strong too!"

"OHHHH!" Guy-sensei calls, also with clenched fists and fiery eyes. "Well said, my beautiful student! That is what youth is all about!"

Naruto can see why Naru-nii likes them so much as Hinata walks up to him, despite being observed by her sensei, teammates, and peers, and wishes him, "g-good luck, Naruto-kun."

With a smile and a strong nod, Naruto replies, "thanks, Hinata-chan," bringing out different measures of envy in a raven and blond-haired kunoichi watching.

Turning at a very troubled and baneful avenger, Naruto decides not to wait for Valley of the End. As his Konoha peers move up to the second-floor walkway, Naruto walks to the stone stage as their sickly proctor gestures Naruto and Sasuke in opposing positions. With a small smile, Sasuke voices, "it's about time, dumbass."

As Naruto took his place, from the walkway above, Kiba calls, "two thousand ryo says Naruto loses in under two minutes."

"Make it three thousand and you got yourself a deal," Chōji counters between the loudly chewing of his potato chips.

"This can't seriously be allowed," Ino calls looking between Kurenai and Asuma. "They're teammates! Is the Hokage really going to allow this?"

"Why do you even care," Kiba asks from a few paces ahead. "It's the Dead-Last. If Sasuke-kun even thinks about losing to anyone, it's going to be me."

"Kiba-kun," Kurenai coldly voices. "I'm sure I've expressed my distaste for belittling fellow shinobi. More importantly, I've taught you better than to underestimate an opponent and you've failed to properly assess Naruto-kun's abilities."

Kiba is visibly shocked by the sharp ruby eyes behind his sensei's retort, shaking his hooded head before doubling down and assuring his sensei, "even if Naruto's gotten stronger, Sasuke's the real deal." Puffing out his chest he boldly claims, "and only another genius can beat him," with a knowing grin.

"I guess we can look forward to Sasuke-kun vs Neji-kun in the finals then," Tenten says from beside Rock Lee.

Removing his unlit cigarette, Asuma turns to Kakashi and asks, "they're your students… who do you think'll win?"

The only answer Kakashi offers is his hand raising his eye-concealing bandanna so the Copy-Ninja's Sharingan won't miss a thing. Observing as much felt sobering of group's levity and all of them pay more attention to the boys at the center of the stage.

Growing far too nervous, Hinata disregards what may be improper and quickly performs her clan's signature eleven hand seals ending with her index and middle parallel to her nose as she calls, "Byakugan." It surprised many around her, especially her cousin who reluctantly follows suit.

On the opposite observation deck, Kankurō couldn't help smiling as he says, "Kami, I hope that midget gets pounded into the dirt," then turns to his sister before adding, "I bet you're happy you didn't have to use those wiles you hate so much."

"Yes, Kankurō, I'm quite happy I didn't have to whore myself out for information," Temari flatly answers.

"Quiet," Gaara commands his older siblings, ending any further conversation.

Arms crossed, the Jōnin-sensei behind the sound genin watches on, smiling in anticipation, eager to see how Sasuke enjoys the gifts he's given him. '_Show me, Sasuke-kun_,' he humorously thinks.

Hayate starts, "the two participants in the first fight are," only to pause to cough. "Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Sasuke states at the same time Naruto answers, "yeah."

"Please begin," Hayate says after clearing his sore throat, however, neither genin move.

"This won't be a friendly spar," Sasuke warns. Thinking about their near-spar after his and Kakashi's return, the Uchiha adds, "don't expect them to stop it because it's a little dangerous. I've already awakened, Dobe," Sasuke calmly states as he drops into his clan's stance. "Come at me with everything you have so I can show you why it'll never be enough!"

On top of being belittled by the hate-filled Uchiha, Naruto notices Sasuke hasn't activated his Sharingan. Setting his own stance before his rival, Naruto can easily understand why Naru-nii wanted to use this moment to prove to himself that everyone was wrong about him. He could feel that powerful life-long _urge_ unconsciously energize his fists, however, with the blond's inability to forget the trouble that will befall so many people he holds dear—including the friends he's yet to make and the future for all that's at stake—Naruto can see well beyond this fight.

With confident eyes matching his assured tone, Naruto proclaims to his troubled opponent, "I'm telling you here and now, even though I totally get your whacked-out anger issues, it's not my priority. _You_ are **not** my priority. I won't be the one to truly help you… but we're teammates, so, after I smash your delicate little face in, I'll definitely get the person you need."

Though the boys' gazes are intense, Sasuke's onyx eyes are far angrier. The room and its spectators vanish from their tunneling their vision—focusing instead on simply detecting the sheer determination of one another—and in the blink of an eye, both boys spring from their positions, meeting each other center-stage in no time at all. They catch each other's heavy punch, and though they both want to simply hit the other as hard as they can, they acknowledge each other's speed before spring-boarding into a back and forth trade of fast-paced blows.

Maneuvering effortlessly, Sasuke dodges a three strike combination before countering into a four strike combo that Naruto evades, guards, and counters himself. The sound of snapping wind and heavy muscle thudding flood their ears. The pair dance and somersault around each other, each of their fists chasing for that elusive flaw in the other's defense, however, after nearly a minute of sliding, leaping, and sidestepping between repeatedly speeding punches, elbows, knees, and kicks, neither boy relents.

Creatively fluid in his strikes, Sasuke proves yet again he is a genius combat specialist, however, Naruto's work ethic cannot be overlooked. Regularly sparing against multiple clones, against Sakura's intelligence, against Hinata's technique, and against Haku's speed and experience, Naruto is keeping pace with the genius…

…Until he's not.

Suddenly, Naruto feels like he's fighting against air. None of his attacks are landing. Instead, Naruto is being countered, effortlessly struck painfully hard in the stomach, chest, and face before Sasuke buries a roundhouse kick into his teammate's stomach, rocketing him back. A grunting and hurt Naruto hits the stone floor hard, rolling several times before sliding onto his feet. The blood-red dōjutsu of Sasuke's three tomoe Sharingan stares amused as Naruto winces from the rolling pain of the perfectly countered hit.

Naru-nii had warned him Sasuke's eyes can predict what he's going to do, but he also said, '_**there**__**'s predicting it and then there's actually dodging it.**_'

From above, when Hinata voices, "Sasuke-kun activated his Sharingan," Kiba calls, "that's it. It's over. I win."

"This is why I don't gamble," Chōji glumly states.

Crossing his index and middle fingers, Naruto yells, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" With half-a-dozen puffs of smoke, six clones charge after Sasuke's sides and Naruto runs straight for him, surprising Kiba, Shikamaru, Chōji, Neji and Rock Lee while the Jōnin watch on impassively as Naruto uses numbers to overwhelm the genius Uchiha.

'_This idiot went through similar pain_,' Naruto's mind yells, jumping in the air as his clones surround and assist him as he descends. Looking for any blind spot or weak guard, seven Narutos attack with carefully practiced precision with the goal of learning a better timing to Sasuke's attacks, but the raven-haired avenger continues to demonstrate why he's a genius, swatting away predicted attacks or combining offense and defense to smoothly elude and attack at the same time.

'_We became teammates under one of the strongest shinobi in the village, and instead of letting anyone in, he__'d rather stay this way,_' Naruto's mind hotly remarks. Catching Sasuke's smirk, Naruto may be hit, he may be parried and brushed to the side, but his insides are rapidly boiling. Naruto's angry. Angry that this fight has to even happen when both of them could be uniting their significant efforts to stop Obito and his boss, Madara.

'_SASUKE!_' Naruto's mind yells, and crossing fast fists with his rival, hearing sharp inhales, grunts, tight skidding of sandals against stone, high-speed swishing of clothes, the meaty smack of muscle covered bone and cartilage. It was like a conversation through their fists identical to when he fought Haku, and Naruto could understand his opponent more simply by crossing unrelenting fists with the Uchiha.

Sasuke's leaping windmill kicks allows for evasion, leg sweeps, and counters to the face or body of Naruto's clones as the Uchiha's precognitive eyes helps him land intercepting strike after strike on clone after clone, and still, Naruto's fighting limbs won't stop targeting Sasuke. Mentally seeing a flash of a very young Sasuke sadly sitting alone on a wooden dock of the lake, Naruto knows with the certainty of the dawn that he can't stop.

No matter the sharp throbbing pain to his body, Naruto's indomitable will only thrives as the impassioned blond mentally yells, '_you were alone like me!_'

The pair continue to trade meat-grinding blow after blow, each trying to attain the better offensive position to land something truly devastating when Naruto swears he hears Sasuke's voice say, '_you can__'t stop me. I'm nothing like you!_'

Absolutely aching to show Sasuke who he really is, Naruto's driven heart demands his body move faster, and with each clone dispelled, his multiple perspectives pick up on more of the Uchiha's rhythm. With all his clones dispersed, Naruto can't completely dodge Sasuke's painful attacks, but he's blocking more… an irritation Sasuke can't stand.

Naruto's ears then distinctly pick up the unmistakable sound of cold steel sliding sharply against leather as Sasuke pulls out a kunai, spinning it before slashing down to take Naruto's eye. Opening his fist to open-palm strikes, as Hinata has often shown him, Naruto redirects and continuously parries Sasuke's repeated kunai slash until Naruto's first available chance to withdraw his kunai.

"That's…" a surprised Rock Lee starts to say before turning to Neji. The sight of Naruto incorporating Hyūga clan taijutsu prompts him to turn a sharp pale eye on a blushing Hinata. No one noticed Kurenai smirking proudly.

The boy's kunai clang against each other, sparking loudly until Sasuke's Sharingan sights an opening and Naruto takes a foot to the stomach. With a grunt, Uzumaki flies back from the inhuman kick, giving Sasuke more than ample time to string six seals in rapid succession before yelling, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" And launches a great fireball directly at his floor-skipping teammate.

Skidding to a chakra-assisted stop, Naruto leaps high and fast, reaching and sticking to the ceiling of the large room as the fireball scorches the stone floor below, however, Sasuke had already launched two more balls of fire, and without answers for them, Naruto springs back down to the ground, exactly where Sasuke's eyes foresaw. Naruto launches a line of shuriken to intercept the raven-haired avenger, landing on the floor just as Sasuke breaks through his guard with the hardest kick he's felt yet. Naruto is launched back farther than the room would allow and hits the wall, radially fracturing the stone around him before landing hard on the floor.

One look at the black flame-like markings across Sasuke's skin, and it became clear why Sasuke was suddenly much more powerful. Naruto's insides felt like boiling soup and his vision goes in and out of focus as the sweaty blond slowly rises to his feet, however, ever the tactician, Sasuke won't allow him to do any more than that. He attacks with a combination of speed, power, and perception Naruto has never faced before, giving him no chance to make clones or use Rasengan.

"Uh, aren't they going kind of fast," Kiba asks struggling to keep up with the boys from Team 7, and Chōji adds, "what's that black stuff on Sasuke-kun's skin?" Watching the way the inexplicably tattooed Sasuke is savagely beating Naruto bloody, Shikamaru poses critically, "oi, oi, isn't this getting a little out of hand?"

With a heel-palm to the face, Naruto feels his vision's haze worsen, his nose clog, and he can taste a river of copper travel both out of his mouth and down his throat before Sasuke's lightning covered hand thrusts straight through ribs eight, nine, and ten, through part of his stomach, and punctures with a red splash out his back.

Doubling over from the gut, as if horrifically struck through their own bodies, a repulsed Hinata is dead-frozen, paralyzed, and a woefully distressed Kurenai mentally yells what a gutted Ino actually screams, "_**NARUTO!**_"

The agonizing pain blinds Naruto's entire body from sensing anything other than excruciating stabbing. His outstretched mouth screams piercingly loud, reverberating throughout the room. His body twitches as electrical signal involuntarily spam odd parts of his body. With his vision nearly blacking out, he hears someone yell his name but he can barely perceive it over the rod of spikes sawing through his bloody torso.

Along with Kiba and the other genin, Sakura eyes a fearful Ino. The sheer worry on the Yamanaka's face was more than her own love for Sasuke, after all, Sakura's learned that a girl could care about her crush for a boy more than the boy himself, and what Ino's pupil-less blue eyes are telling her, is her former best friend and rival is terrified for the impaled Naruto.

Sakura feels gutted herself, not simply because her blond teammate was just grievously injured by her other teammate, nor because Sasuke has just forcefully ripped away Naruto's chances of ever becoming Hokage, but because she's actually witnessing the depths Sasuke's hatred can lead him toward. It was easy for Sakura's mind to overlap Naruto's pain-curdling scream with her parents screaming and the pinkette grips the railing that much harder to stay upright on her drastically weakened knees.

Overlaying her knowledge of the human anatomy, she analytically understands Sasuke's Chidori punched right through the false ribs eight, nine, and ten, and part of Naruto's stomach. Sakura gravely notes the specks and splatter of red on the floor, thinking, '_that__'s a lot of blood._'

Distastefully astonished, Kiba mutters what the other genin are thinking, "damn, Sasuke…"

"His own teammate," Chōji slowly voices in horrid awe, never in a million years thinking a teammate could do that to another.

Though Kurenai hides her rapidly devolving turmoil behind her glazed mask, her heart is beating painfully fast, and at the reverberating sound of Naruto's scream, she's stopped breathing. Her body overheats, her knees feel paper-thin, and her toned gut tightened to steel as she mentally screams, '_nonononononono!_' Despite being a kunoichi who believes in village unity, especially among countrymen, her angry red eyes land on Kakashi, mentally yelling, '_**you**__ let this happen!_'

After redirecting what would've been a strike to the heart, Naruto's weakened hand desperately grips Sasuke's bloody forearm as he screams till he's out of breath. With a face of unbridled anguish, his sweaty blond head falls forward, locking piercing blue eyes with Sasuke's three-tomoe Sharingan.

Through the salting spikes of pain drills continuously down to his twitching toes, Naruto's blood leaking mouth gasps, "you… really…"

"It's over," a stern-eyed Sasuke calmly asserts, roughly removing his arm from the bloody hole he created. He grips Naruto's neck as he comments, "you may have deflected my attack but you can no longer- NGGH!" Sasuke grunts as Naruto's jittery hand grips Sasuke's wrist before doubling then tripling in strength.

Within the dank depth of Naruto's seal, in the dark room of the flooded grand chamber, and before the tower-tall shoddy gates, Naruto grimly stares up at an impressively irate and growling Kurama. Feeling just as insanely provoked, Naruto extends two fingers to his orange-furry partner and Kurama chuckles. Red chakra then flows forward with purpose, enveloping a very willing Naruto in the seal as it does in the dueling chamber.

Kurenai was contemplating beating an apology out Kakashi when the atmosphere in the room suddenly spiked violently, nearly instantly fluctuating the displaced molecules in the air so hard the entire room forcefully heats with an odd blueish-white glow.

The audience is unprepared, shocked, and confused, however, none more so than Sasuke. The energy in the room quickly grows dark, poisonous, sinister, and before Sasuke could react, Naruto punches him meters away harder than he's ever been hit before, to the point Sasuke ignores the skin-scrapping pain of his body skidding on the ground tearing at his shirt, as well as hitting the wall, for the terrifying sensation radiating from his face, like his fractured skull and torn facial muscles were melting off.

Through his disorientation, Sasuke unleashes the full power of his cursed seal, turning his pale skin dark-gray, his ebony hair long light-blue, adding a black four-pointed star on the bridge of his nose, and sprouting wings in the shape of a hand. He hasn't practiced entering the third stage of the cursed seal, but Orochimaru explained enough for Sasuke's mind to figure it out on the fly. Fortunately, the throbbing pain to his face diminishes as more power swells within him, infusing more chakra into his shocked Sharingan as he beholds a slant-standing Naruto.

Naruto's blond hair whips ferally as the gaping red wound just below his left pectoral heals impossibly fast. The room's spectators all view Sasuke's blond and bloody opponent reform muscle mapped bone before searing skin sizzles and bubbles into place in seconds. All the while, chakra energy rushes around him so forcibly, it rips the zipper of his jacket open, revealing the wire body mesh underneath.

Recognizing the chakra, Kurenai along with the other Jōnin prepare to intervene before it's too late when their Hokage waves them off with a single raised palm. Kurenai isn't sure why her Hokage would allow this unnecessary risk to everyone in the room but her fear for Naruto immediately doubles.

"…I don't understand," Ino bemoans with a clear sniff, clearing the rolling tears streaming down the corner of her eyes. Looking from the suddenly demon-like Sasuke with wings clutching his wincing face, to Naruto as red chakra envelops every part of him, Ino asks anyone, "how…"

"What's going on," Shikamaru slowly asks his sensei in disbelief only to take note that Asuma has his chakra blades out sharpened with his blue chakra as he keeps his eyes focused on the stage. It's then that Shikamaru notices his sensei, Guy-sensei, and Kakashi-sensei are all in a defensive stance. Even the other Jōnin and the Hokage are positioned in high alert, as if expecting to enter the fight themselves.

Naruto hunches over as his power multiplies exponentially, visibly layering his form in red chakra, and unlike the previous occasion on the bridge against Zabuza, the shroud bubbles a long red tail as well. The tail whips hypnotically as his thrashing chakra super-charges the atmospheric pressure violently, disrupting the air, stone, dust, and ninja in the room with painful waves of itchy energy. The pressure in the atmosphere burns hotter around the feral blond, nearly making him glow as the floor and walls rattle, only becoming worse when a second tail begins to bubble and form, nearly suffocating those nearby.

"What's with this creepy feeling," Chōji yells, staring at his hands as he feels the oppressive oily energy pushing on his skin.

Watching Naruto with two tails and elongated ears made entirely of chakra, Ino commands to know from Sakura, "what's going on with Naruto?" There is no response Sakura can give as the gathered genin simply stare in unacceptable disbelief.

"That's… not possible," a thoroughly bewildered Sasuke utters.

The black slits within Naruto's red eyes glare mercilessly at the further enhanced Uchiha. Through clenched, sharper canine teeth, a feral chakra-covered Naruto growls a long-drawn-out sound, and though he's nearly delirious with the staggering amount of power surging ferociously through his system, his mind and focus are clear.

Naruto throws out a large red arm, causing a shock-wave too large for the small room, shoving everyone back. Sasuke jumps over the angry red hand. Not expecting another arm to shoot out from the previous extension, Sasuke's meaty wings flap him out of the way, only to be grabbed by the feet by another red hand before Naruto whirls him through the air like a ball at the end of a string and slams his teammate into the stone floor at the other end of the room, fracturing a three-foot radius of stone around Sasuke's battered body.

With an ear-piercing roar, the large room shudders in the unrelenting hot density waves bombarding everyone. Naruto pulls on the red chakra hand, explosively drawing Sasuke to him with all the abundant strength in him. The gray skin of Sasuke's bleeding face flaps like paper in a tornado before contorting around Naruto's iron fist as he's punched so hard, the last Uchiha rockets through the wood and stone wall to the room beyond.

After hearing a meaty crunch and snap in the same breath as heavy stone falling to the ground, and rolling rubble, the room stills. For many moments, all that can be heard from the stage below is the sizzling of Naruto's chakra heating the air and his low snarl.

For all who remember Naruto's antics, Naruto's grades, Naruto's thoughtless boasting… the chakra-covered genin below was such an impossible sight to witness. It was unthinkable to see the blond Dead Last of their class stand tall and dominant against the rookie of the year, the genius Uchiha Sasuke, yet, to deny it would be to deny reality and descend into delusion.

For most, it was like the game they've all been playing since their Academy day was suddenly outdated and boring, especially when Rock Lee asks his sensei, "Guy-sensei, are your sure Naruto-kun was the Dead Last of their class?"

Naruto huffs in mild amusement when Sasuke's shaky gray hand grips the broken stone wall and he slowly staggers through the hole and over rubble. He's hemorrhaging from his nose, mouth, swollen left eye, and unswollen right eye, sweating profusely, dirty, and his heavy breathing causes some twitching of his torso, likely from broken ribs. Naruto wonders if his teammate has a punctured lung but with three slow hand-seals, lighting erupts from Sasuke's left hand along with the sound Chidori is described after.

Naruto sprints faster than an exhausted Sasuke can physically react, cracking the stone floor with his every sprinted step and embeds his body-launching, overpowered fist into Sasuke's gut, instantly snatching Sasuke's left arm to keep the boy from flying away. Like a running dog chained to a stake, Sasuke grunts loudly as his withheld arm is dislocated by the explosive motion of his catapulted body.

Grunting loudly, the Uchiha grips his dislocated shoulder as his disheveled hair begins to return to its coal-black color, his gray dirty skin to its pale tone, and his single visible Sharingan deactivates. When Sasuke feebly tries to remove his arm, Naruto doesn't let go, and instead squeezes his forearm that much tighter, drawing a wincing grunt from the last Uchiha.

"I don't expect you to do a complete one-eighty and change the way you think just because you lost once," Naruto tells Sasuke. "But you better start getting it through your thick skull you aren't the only one suffering."

Naruto lets a heaving and bleeding Sasuke go and the raven-haired avenger drops to a knee so near to passing out if not for his sheer will to refuse to. Instead, he vaguely hears Kiba gasp, "I don't believe it," before the proctor calls,

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto."

NARUTO

As attendants begin rushing to clean the war-ravaged stage of blood and debris, Naruto hops and sticks to the railing in front of a provoked Gaara, eying him sternly as he expresses, "I'm being serious about becoming friends, you know," as his red chakra-tails ebb and flow hypnotically.

Gaara's icy blue eyes—eyes of death and hatred that long for absolute strength—glare at the latest and clearest threat to his very existence. If his father ever hired this blond boy to try and kill him, Gaara hates to admit he may succeed and it only makes the redhead want to kill Naruto more.

"I still am," Naruto adds. Looking at the tattoo of love on his forehead, Naruto can't help but explain, "I think we have a lot in common, like, I'm sure we've both had a tough life, but, I know we can get along if we give it a try."

Relishing in the thought of destroying yet another one of life's plans to end his life, Gaara heartlessly shares, "loneliness is the only companionship that exists, so I have no need of yours."

"Are you a fortune-teller," Naruto asks with a smirk. "Can you see the future? If not, I can't imagine how you would know if you don't need a friend."

Like his ultimate defense, Gaara's cold face is impassive as he reveals, "I fight only for my sake and I live to love no one but myself. A soul needs a purpose to live and I've come to learn my purpose is to kill everyone besides myself. It's how I feel alive."

"Well, I don't believe that, like, _**at all**_," Naruto emphasizes, a little surprised by the redhead's bitter enmity. From Naru-nii's stories, Naruto knows they've gone through the same challenges in life, and while one-by-one, Naruto gained Teuchi-jiji, Ayame-neechan, Iruka-sensei, and Ji-chan, followed by Nai-chan, Haku, Ino-chan, Hinata-chan, and his teammates, Gaara only met betrayal after betrayal from his village and even his family. It took no effort at all for Naruto to imagine that large, dark, chasm of loathing hatred if he didn't have his loved ones.

So with a great longing to help the murderous boy in front of him, Naruto declares, "friends and family are what help you feel alive. You probably just need the right friend and I'm going to show you exactly that."

Assuming his intentions to be threatening, Gaara leans forward, primed to attack as he coldly avows, "I will not cease to exist. Your bitter corpse's crimson tears will flow and mingle with the endless sand, feeding the chaos within me, making me stronger. Your bloody death, will make me stronger." The cork from the gourd wiggles free, prompting Temari and Kankurō to take several steps back from their young brother as they look to Baki.

Overflowing with Kurama's chakra, Naruto isn't worried. What's important to him is that he doesn't blink. He stares down Gaara's icy blue eyes, determined to show his fellow Jinchūriki that no matter how much he fights or doubts, someone will stand by his side. If there's anyone in this world who can understand him, it's Naruto, and just like Haku, he won't give up on the potential for another great friend. So, with two chakra tails whipping behind him, Naruto's intense slitted red eyes confidently assert his defiance in the face of Gaara's hatred.

"Naruto-kun," he hears Kakashi call from the wrecked stage below. Immediately the tenseness in the air dissipates as he momentarily glances to his sensei below. Returning his attention to the triplet of sand-nin he's hoping to one day be close with, Naruto sends Kankurō a snide, "hmph," Gaara one last hopeful look, and Temari a smile before hopping down to the damaged first floor to meet his serene sensei.

Due to Kakashi's curious eye, Naruto realizes his red chakra cloak is still active and calmly allows Kurama's chakra to return to its owner.

"That was unexpected," Kakashi casually comments, and a less feral Naruto can sense the underlying question regarding Kurama's chakra.

However, since his amped body is still feeling hot contention from his ridiculous and unexpected fight with Sasuke, with squinted eyes, Naruto scratches his head as he asks, "oh, you mean when Sasuke used a technique you taught him to skewer me through the chest? Yeah, who could've seen that coming?"

As the attendants behind them rush to reset the stage for the next fight, Kakashi momentarily eyes the Iryō-nin—followed by a team of Anbu—rushing an unconscious Sasuke away before he asserts, "I'll be speaking with Sasuke-kun as soon as he's able. Your control over the red chakra has gotten better. Care to explain how that happened?"

"It happened the same way everything else I can do has," Naruto states, thinking of Naru-nii. Though the agitated side of himself wanted to answer, '_without you_,' he lamely concludes, "with training."

With a single nod, Kakashi states, "so long as you're in control," and Naruto watches his jōnin-sensei shunshin to Ji-chan's side to whisper the information, then shunshin away; likely to check on Sasuke's condition.

Without Kakashi blocking his view, Naruto finally notices the observation deck above full of his shocked peers all staring down at him. Looking around the room, Naruto is alarmed when he realizes all of the genin and Jōnin are highly observant of him.

Turning to the sound ninja who Naruto guesses is Orochimaru in disguise, he, yet again, wants nothing more than to take care of him here and now, however, he's been told that would be a tall order. Naru-nii had explained how Orochimaru fought and killed Ji-chan, fought Tsunade-baachan without working arms and survived, fought a four-tails cloaked Naru-nii without properly working arms and survived, and even came back from the dead. Naru-nii suggested they wait and set the ultimate prank, and after hearing all of that, Naruto wholeheartedly agrees. So he quickly returns his attention to his ponderous comrades.

Except for Sakura and Kakashi, none of them have ever seen him fight to such lengths before. He's trained under Kurenai-chan, fought Tenten-chan, sparred with Hinata-chan, spoken about his training with Ino-chan, but they've never seen him battle with his life on the line. The others either only remember him from how he was in the Academy or have never heard of him. Sakura is the only one who's even seen him fight with a tail and now that they've all seen him beat Sasuke with two, Naruto is at a loss as to how he should react.

The first thing the blond shinobi wonders is, '_have they guessed my secret?_'

His whole body was covered in red chakra, and he had two tails and long ears made out of Kurama's chakra. The fact that he's a Jinchūriki wouldn't be a hard leap to make, especially for someone with deductive reasoning like Shikamaru. '_Would they hate me now? Like all the villagers?_'

Judging by their glare, the two from Kabuto's team seem to. Looking at the circumspect faces of Shikamaru, Chōji, Kiba, Lee, and Tenten, Naruto can't imagine they'd ever want to hang out now. However, looking at Sakura, Hinata, Ino, and Kurenai's mournful, agitated alarm, he soon realizes there's something more important to worry about.

His relationship with Kurenai has taught him how others might feel if he died or was seriously injured. That night with her made a deep impression on him that cannot be removed, and due to that reflection, he knows Hinata-chan and Kurenai-chan will have been worried about him; possibly even Ino-chan. Kurenai has grown to be just as irreplaceable as Iruka-sensei, Ji-chan, Naru-nii, and because of the raven-haired jōnin, Naruto can imagine they might feel the same about him.

'_Another reason to help Gaara_,' Naruto thinks as he walks the length of the stage toward the stairs. '_So he can feel that love as well_.'

Thinking along those lines, he can't imagine Kurenai, Ino, Hinata, and possibly Sakura felt good about witnessing him be impaled. Walking up the stairs, he wonders if they might've felt like the time when he was helpless to watch Iruka-sensei protect him by taking a Fuma Shuriken to the spine. Being forced to watch someone he cares about be grievously injured was devastated for Naruto, and even if Kurenai, Ino, and Hinata don't care about him to the same degree, he doesn't want them to worry about him any more than they need to.

Traversing the final step to the walkway, Naruto takes his blood-smeared jacket off and wraps it around his waist knotting it by the sleeves. There's still a reddish hole in the wire-mesh armored shirt but his tan skin is clear and without a mark. The thoughtful blond reasons, '_if they see I__'m not hurt,then that'd obviously make them feel better_.'

Nearly to the stunned group, the electric board begins bleeping as it runs through random names, and a widely smiling Naruto calls out to his fellow Konoha ninja, "yo!"

His face was cheerful, his posture was upbeat, and his hand waved to them, but he doesn't receive quite the reception he was hoping for. Shikamaru, Chōji, Kiba, Tenten, and Lee were staring at him in disbelief, lost for words. Neji's sharp eyes are practically glaring at him. Kurenai and the jōnin were unreadable, Ino-chan and Sakura were a mix of relief and doubt, and Hinata was blushing, reserved, and eerily still.

Fortunately, the electronic board chooses another pair of names to duel. Kiba and another Konoha shinobi named Yoroi begin their walk to the newly swept stage below. Upon passing the Inuzuka, Naruto notices Kiba's small pupils, made worse by widened eyes, parted mouth, and drawn brows at him.

Rather than force himself within their circle, Naruto simply leans on the railing several paces away as Kiba and Yoroi take their place, however, he's surprised when Ino-chan leans against the railing beside him. She's so close to him, her shoulder touches his, and while her focus remains on the match below, he notices the red hue on her cheeks as she tells him, "you scared me."

He marvels by her warmth and willingness to be beside him and absentmindedly answers, "I'm sorry."

Giving his shoulder an affectionate shove as her pupil-less blue eyes remain on the stage as she tells him, "don't think you're getting out of making this up to me."

Smiling with growing relief, he confidently tells her, "I wouldn't dream of it." Her cheeks redden and even her neck grows passionately colorful when he's further surprised by a blushing Hinata-chan slowly, yet bravely, taking the space at his other side and shyly tells him, "Co-Congratulations, Naruto-kun."

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," he happily replies, overjoyed she doesn't seem afraid to be near him. Sakura stands next to Ino-chan and watches the match below before Kurenai-chan leans against the wall behind him. Shino stands beside Hinata-chan but Naruto assumes it's to stand beside his team.

Twisting his body to see the sexy Jōnin, Naruto ignores the beautiful mask of her impassive face for the arduous soul behind her ruby-red eyes and effortlessly recognizes longing just below the surface. He was right to be concerned about those close to him. He feels she was indeed scared for him, and oddly enough, that makes him happy; so happy he couldn't help expressing to her his own feelings with an uncharacteristically tranquil and grateful smile.

'_I__'ll make it up to you too_,' his mind promises and effortlessly communicates with his confident blue eyes. With her slight ruby-red smirk, Naruto returns his attention to the pair down below.

Asuma stands beside Kurenai, followed by his genin, Rock Lee, Tenten, and Guy-sensei. Neji was the furthest away but he still moved closer, and Naruto couldn't believe how surrounded he is by friends and fellow ninja. It made him happy, grateful, and giddy; so much so, he eyes Gaara at the very opposite end of the battleground before them, staring right back at him, and Naruto makes a promise to help him.

"Umm… Now, we will… begin the second match," Hayate eventually says through his coughing. "Please begin."

Though Naruto had been told of the matches, it was interesting to see Kiba best Yoroi, Shino best the sound nin Zaku, and Gaara's brother, Kankurō best Misumi.

HINATA

For the fifth match, the scoreboard matched Hyūga Hinata versus Haruno Sakura, and Hinata could only be happier if her opponent was Uchiha Sasuke himself; not that she expected to win against the raven-haired genius—she wasn't so confident in her skills. Simply put, Hinata was aching for an outlet to vent her frustrations, and the only way the opportunity to do just that could've been more proper is if it was with the Uchiha himself.

Venting isn't like her. Hinata is not an angry person. Even after her dearly beloved mother passed away, Hinata has never wished ill-will on others or sought to assault anyone out in anger or retribution. The only resentment Hinata could ever claim to feel was in herself, for her many weaknesses, her meekness, and the shame she burdens upon everyone around her. More than anything, Hinata wants for everyone to understand and love one another amidst a lasting life of peace and laughter for all she holds dear—her hurting cousin, Neji, her beautiful sister, Hanabi, her strong father, Hiashi, but, none more than Naruto-kun, her north star…

…And only minutes ago, Hinata witnessed, with her hyper perceptive eyes, her most cherished person nearly die… very nearly _murdered_ in the most horrific way… at the bloody hand of his teammate… for no other reason than refusing to be a stepping stone for the very person Hinata knows, for a fact, Sakura-chan has loved since their Academy days: Uchiha Sasuke.

'_Sakura-chan loves Sasuke-kun,_'Hinata's mind blares, clearing from coast-to-coast any other thought in her mind. The sight of Naruto's blood still staining the stone floor below made her feel anger unlike anything she's ever experienced. It made her chest tighten every time she recalled the raven-haired Uchiha burying his arm to the elbow inside of Naruto's torso… it made her heart beat furiously when her eyes focused in on Sasuke-kun's satisfied grin… it made her blood rush hot when her omnidirectional vision closed-in on the horrid pain on Naruto-kun's screaming face… and turning her pale eyes accusingly at Sakura-chan, her mind screamed, 's_he loves the shinobi that nearly killed the person I admire most in the world!_'

After Naruto's victory, Hinata hadn't known what to do with her horribly displacing, irritatingly dark, and fear-inducing memories of Naruto nearly dying at Sasuke's hand—even seeing Naruto miraculously well didn't alleviate this tsunami of energy—until she saw her name match up with Haruno Sakura.

All her cherished memories of dinners with Naruto, sparring with Naruto, talking to Haku-san about Naruto… to so nearly lose all that, the Hyūga heiress' Byakugan activated on its own and her only target was Sakura. When Sakura joins her in the stage below, Hinata drops in her gentle fist stance, absolutely eager for the proctor to begin their match.

'_Sakura-chan loves Sasuke-kun, and Sasuke-kun nearly killed the love of my life_,' Hinata's pained and angered mind yells right before Hayate coughs, then says, "please begin."

SAKURA

Sakura may have been stronger, sturdier, and more intelligent than the indigo-haired heiress, but after one painful bout of close-quarter taijutsu, her strategy quickly shifted to doing everything in her power to keep her internal organs away from Hinata's Gentle Fist. Without the ability to set traps, Sakura's ranged attacks were as ineffective against the Byakugan as her close-range attacks.

Ultimately, the frightfully angry Hyūga heiress closed the distance, and though Sakura's taijutsu could block or evade the indigo-haired girl, she couldn't safeguard her internal organs or her chakra circulatory system from Hinata's large and imposing veined eyes coupled with superior taijutsu. With every painful strike, Sakura felt herself becoming weaker and slower until she took a palm to the liver, the electric shock, of which, dropped the bruised pinkette to her knees.

Worse than being unable to think of a strategy through the suffocating pain, Sakura couldn't even get up. Fighting back embarrassing tears, Sakura couldn't help but once again, acutely feel the harshness of her grand weaknesses. This quite heiress isn't anywhere near Orochimaru's league, yet Sakura is still losing to her, embarrassingly bad. It spoke volumes about her lack of significant training, her lack of grit… her lack of heart; the fighting spirit she's heard of that keep a ninja going when everything says the battle is lost. Weakly, with tears flooding her green eyes, her thoughts weep, '_Naruto has it__… Sasuke has it… Why don't I?_'

When she hears, "**COME ON SAKURA-CHAN**," yelled from the pathways above, Sakura struggles to tilt her head enough to see an angry Naruto gripping the rails as he yells, "_**GET UP!**_"

For no reason that mattered, it pissed her off that Naruto would yell for her to try harder. '_Of course I want to get up, you idiot!_' And with that anger, she slowly struggles to her feet, not that it mattered to the match. In the end, she may have stood when she thought she couldn't, but the match was over. Mercifully, Hinata avoided her torso and attacked her legs to bring her down before a perfect aimed fist knocking her out.

Sakura couldn't hear the proctor call, "winner, Hyūga Hinata."

NARUTO

Naruto rushes to the stairs as Hinata takes the final step, calling out, "I didn't want you to lose!" Hinata only has time enough to blush and express surprise before Naruto continues. "I didn't want either of you to lose… which I get isn't possible. I guess I mean, it didn't matter who won as long as you both did your best."

To his joy, she smiles her sweet, red-cheeked smile and softly explains, "I know, Naruto-kun. I- I know… you're…" her blush doubles as she takes a deep breath. "I know… you're a ca-caring person. I know, more than anything… you would've done the same for me, if I was in the same position."

"Damn right I would," Naruto assures her with a clenched fist. Confident in his friend's words, Naruto smiles as he congratulates her. "You were awesome! Your taijutsu was as devastating as ever- Oh! Did you see when I used some of the techniques you taught me? Speaking of, do you think we can talk later. I'm hoping you can help me with some chakra control training."

"Excuse me," Tenten calls from behind them.

Naruto and Hinata allow her to pass, wishing her luck before they return to the others. Tenten lost to Temari nearly exactly as Naru-nii had described, however, Tenten had managed to unseal electricity from a scroll and connect it to wired weapons as she attacked from a distance. It surprised Temari, however, not enough to affect the outcome.

Naruto was amused watching Shikamaru best Kin, however, no matter how much he screamed from the rafters, Ino had lost to Neji. Though Neji didn't appreciate all his yelling, but Naruto expressed his mind by saluting the Hyūga his stiff middle finger.

When the next match is announced, a resolute Naruto walks over to Guy-sensei and sternly whispers in the man's ear, "_Gaara is like me. Lee could open five gates and it wouldn__'t be enough to beat Gaara._" Fortunately the man was too shocked about the threat to his student to ask how Naruto might know of the inner gates.

Before the test, Naruto had debated whether he would intervene or not. In his mind, it always came down to whether sparing him some pain now will help his future, or hurt him in some way Naru-nii couldn't predict. After all, Naru-nii explained that Lee eventually makes a full recovery. In the end, he decided to leave the choice with the person who knows him best; Guy-sensei.

To everyone's grand amazement and awe, Lee's fight against Gaara was the most astonishing testament to guts they've ever seen. His disadvantages, the weights, the speed, the strength of the inner gates, it was pivotal; no moment more so than when Gaara's sand seized Lee's left arm and leg, however, before the future can repeat itself as Naru-nii had described, Guy-sensei leaps like a cannonball shot out of a cannon and blows away the crippling sand, staring menacingly at an unstable Gaara.

The match is called in Gaara's favor due to outside interference, and though Lee wanted to argue, he could hardly stand without great exertion. Naruto knows Lee feels deprived by his sensei's intervention, but Guy whispers something to his student, who glumly nods before passing out. Gaara may have beaten Lee, but for his guts, inner gates, and raw tenacity, everyone gained a new appreciation for the black bobbed genin.

For the last match, Naruto thinks as he watches the boy struggle to get up, '_what__'s important is you tried your best, Chōji._'

"If you look at the scoreboard," Hayate begins to explain to the remaining genin. "You will see your match in the final task of the exam."

The board reads Naruto and his opponent Gaara, Neji and his opponent Hinata, Shino and his opponent Kankurō, Temari and her opponent Shikamaru, and lastly, Dosu and his opponent Kiba.

With the Hokage and the Jōnin-sensei behind the sickly proctor, he announces, to the candidates, "you all have a month to prepare as best you can for your matches. Good luck," he finishes before Ji-chan dismisses them.

GAARA

After being dismissed, Gaara watches the blond try to approach him with a smile that eerily reminds him of Yashamura, to which he feels a searing pain on his forehead. Rather than face him, rather than kill him, Gaara's sand flows around him before he shunshins away and the voice in his head laughs at his weakness; that he would flee rather than kill. Gaara becomes more agitated with every second.

'_Heeeheeeheehehehe_,' an errant voice screams more than laughs… '_or is it my voice,_' Gaara asks himself as he flies through the air and out of the training ground on his sand. '_You run, but where__'s your fight!_'

Never quite asleep nor awake, Gaara struggles with his thoughts throughout his return to the main populous of the village. His loopy logic eventually offers a debilitated sense for why he would run rather than kill the blue-eyed leaf-nin. His tired and strained mind easily realized the blond shinobi was special, more so than that Uchiha, which clearly meant he needed to die in the most singular manner. This blond, like his uncle's explosive demise, needed to die with a smile on his face. This leaf-nin's death needed to be significant to truly exemplify his existence in this cold and spiteful world.

'_Your existence will be erased_,' a grueling and exhaustive thought gripped his worn pale body. '_You will not survive him! Heeeheeeheeeheeheeheehehehe!_'

Looking out the window of their domicile into a very bright day, onto a picturesque village, and down on all of the villager's content faces, Gaara's worn and warped mind plans how to completely destroy the smiling, lying, blond as he waits for his siblings to return to their assigned villa.

'_He smiles just like Yashamura,_' the voice probes… or Gaara thinks. He can't be sure, but he's long past caring. Gaara needs quiet, but he can't rest, not until he kills him. When his blood-sacks finally enter the villa, Gaara immediately calls, "Temari," making her and the others tense. Disgusted by such a carefree village, Gaara asserts without actually looking at them, "a quick death will not be enough for him."

Temari looks from her distant youngest brother to the others before asking, "enough for who?"

Without clarifying, Gaara answers, "I want to see him suffer before I kill him. He must suffer, as I have suffered."

"Okay," Temari tentatively agrees before calmly asking again, "who?"

Gaara turns to them, and at the thought of the smiling blond liar, his cold eyes widen madly as he exhales an unsettling, "Himmmmmm." He's practically glaring at them when he specifies, "that blond."

Kankurō, Temari, and Baki all grow more tense, dreading the possibility of another one of Gaara's manic episodes. They've gone through this before, but unlike being in Suna, they can't send him on a mission to sate his blood-lust, and so, they try their best to accommodate their homicidal little brother; their village's weapon.

Kankurō swallows audibly before asking, "uh, what did you have in mind?"

Recalling an unsavory comment she made earlier, Gaara eyes his eldest blood-sack like a tool rather than a human being—much less family—and demands of her, "you will gain his loyalty and complete trust."

She's unsure of what her little brother means, but rather than question the directive, she assures him, "…he won't trust me."

"We only have a month before the third test," Kankurō remarks. "That's not enough time to establish that level of trust-"

"Don't bother me with how you do it. Your only value is to see this done," Gaara coldly tells her. "Use your heart, your mind, your body to manipulate him. I don't care what you do or how degrading it is, so long as he completely trusts you."

Aghast by what he was asking, Temari couldn't keep her silence and questions, "why?"

Recalling images of Yashamaru looking at him, smiling at him, as he conveys how his mother always hated him sparks a pang of pain in Gaara's head. Wincing as he grips at his love-tattooed skull, the huffing redhead declares, "the moment his trust—his heart—shatters upon witnessing your betrayal, I will kill him. And with his dying breath, he will know love is the worst death of all."

"You can't make her do this," Kankurō yells.

"I don't think anything of either of you," Gaara coldly informs them. "If you get in my way, I will kill you."

"Gaara, stop this," Temari tries. "We're family-"

From within the gourd, they can hear the sand whirling around, as if agitated, and his cold blue eyes say as much as his voice relays. "Family? You're just lumps of meat linked by hatred and murderous intent. I _am_ alone. I won't believe in anyone, I won't love anyone, and you will do this or you have no further value to me."

Temari and Kankurō turn to Baki, but as expected, their glorified babysitter does nothing. Gaara retires to his room and rather than plan how they're going to make this outrageous demand happen, Temari calmly walks into her room.

TENTEN

"Tou-chan," Tenten calls out with a hint of curiosity as she enters her father's shop. At first, she didn't understand why the shop was closed, and then she's further bewildered by the dark room. She turns on the light before she walks through the shop into the back and up the stairs to their apartment above. All the while she can't help but constantly replay the fight between Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun.

Absentmindedly, she recalls her team meeting around Lee's bed. He was awake, however, having used the Inner Gates, he'll be bedridden for at least a week. The only two questions the three of them had was why he stopped Lee's match and about Naruto-kun. Having fought the loud blond herself, never in her wildest imagination could she have predicted such an absurd amount of strength. Guy-sensei wouldn't completely reveal why Naruto-kun was so powerful but he assured his team it's not too unlike Lee's gates.

"He can call upon power when he truly needs it, very much like that young Gaara-kun," Guy-sensei told a bedridden Lee. "I'm sorry Lee-kun. One of life's greatest difficulties is no one ninja is capable of defeating everyone they come across."

Focusing on herself and Neji-kun, Guy-sensei adds, "none of you are. No one shinobi that can beat everyone. If Konoha expected as much out of its ninja, our village would surely be weak indeed. We fight as a team because this world and its monsters are much larger than any one man."

Turning to Lee, their sensei tells him, "if I allowed the match to continue, I feel confident he could've ended your career as a shinobi."

Lee was dejected to hear such disheartening news, as was Tenten, because it means Naruto went easy on her. She thought it was impressive that he could create so many clones of himself, but that didn't even scratch the surface of his full capabilities…

'_I__'m not good enough to bring out his best_,' she loathes to accept.

With a sigh, she enters the living space of their two-bedroom apartment to the startling shock of seeing her father tied and gagged to a chair. Before she can even utter a syllable, the very long blade of Kubikiribōchō advances from behind her, passing the side of her head so the corner of her vision can see an ill-defined reflection of her entire face against the flat of the blade. The edge was pointed to the floor, and if whoever was wielding the blade brought it down, it would cut through her trapezius muscle, her collar bone, her ribs, lungs, liver, and she'd surely die.

"Far too lax," a deep and dark voice calls from behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck stand, however, she manages to control her breathing as he continues. "Your life hasn't hovered near death enough, girl. You're no ninja."

"Wh-Who-" Tenten starts and is interrupted by her father's muffled yelling.

"Your trash of a father made a grave error when he tried to sell my sword," the ominous voice imparts.

With wide eyes, a shaky Tenten realizes aloud, "you- you're Momochi Zabuza…"

His sinister chuckle was his only response.

* * *

1st, as I said, my laptop crashed and I lost most of the chapter, which really hurt my soul, if I'm honest. I've now set my settings to back up EVERY SECOND! I went over the chap often but if I missed anything, please let me know.

2nd, I don't want to hear anything about Sakura losing to Hinata 😉. Chūnin-Sakura vs Chūnin-Hinata? Hinata would totally stomp on Sakura with her taijutsu alone. If you're a logical person, it's a fairly accurate conclusion to reach. But this will ultimately help Sakura. I feel like both Hinata and Sakura are in a good place for more attention.

3rd, The way Naru-nii was preparing Naruto could be considered covert changes to history because it was just him training in his little pocket of the world. But now, everyone saw him. Orochimaru saw him, Baki saw him, Gaara, and everyone in the room from Konoha really and truly saw him in a visceral way they couldn't have at this stage in canon.

For example, in canon, if Sakura actually saw Sasuke skewer Naruto through the chest, would she still feel the same? Probably, but the image/memory would be very powerful, and something that would be difficult for her to forget, especially with her memory.

In my fic, Naruto and Sasuke's fight means a lot to the various stages the girls are in. It will be a moment that I think will stay with them for some time to come. It hit Hinata right away. I know she's not typically an angry person and when she fought Pain in canon, it was mostly to protect Naruto, but with my version of Hinata, I like to think she was, at least, a little bit angry to see that with her vision.

4th, Yes, I know, no lemon in this one 😢😭. Soon. Promise.

5th, As you can tell, I'm working Temari in next. I've read a bunch of old quotes from Gaara, and let me say, I had forgotten how nuts this guy was. Some of you may notice some of his quotes in my fic. How could I not with such a character? Anyway, with a brother like Gaara, I didn't have a hard time imagining Gaara demanding something of Temari if it served a greater purpose. There will be more in the next chapter, so wait for that.

6th, just a reminder: Kurenai and Ino are the closest, Sakura close, Tenten and Temari need more story, and I still need to fully introduce Mei, Samui, and Mabui more than that soft intro. And Hinata, of course. Those are the girls currently in my head, and with relation to Naruto, they're all in various stages of forming a relationship with him.

Lastly, I'm not a fan of FFNet's comment section(which has the most traffic for this fic) only because it doesn't let you guys see my responses to many of your questions. I wish it was a little more like AO3 but whatever. If any of you would like to contact me or read answers to rather commonly asked questions for either From Ruin or The Last Prayer, my social media contact is below.

Facebook: Grae Foxx

Reddit: GraeFoxx_

Twitter: FoxxGrae

Thank you for your support. I'd love to hear your thoughts and as always, have a great one,

-Grae

PS. I haven't forgotten about From Ruin. Soon, I swear.


	23. 23The Threshold

Hey everyone :)

Sorry for the delay, but of course, I've been slacking in that department. I thought I was going to write a chapter a week like I used to but it hasn't been working out that way. Truth be told, the reason this chapter took so long, and is so long, is because there are a lot of moving parts, new characters, additional training, and story threads that needed closing. So organizing all of that to something more streamline was very challenging since I didn't want to forget anything or anyone along with character motivations and how canon is changing. It was a lot. That being said, I managed to block out a good pathway ahead and I've written stuff for 3 chapters, so writing should be easier moving forward.

If you don't know military time, I apologize. I just figure since they are soldiers, they use that.

This fat sucker is 15.8 K words and it's a mix of the aftermath, expanding characters, and set up for the month before the Final Test.

Warning: Language and Blood.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

KAKASHI

'…_I fucked up_,' Kakashi's simple thoughtfully expresses.

Standing at attention with his fellow Jōnin-sensei before their Hokage's desk, Kakashi couldn't help but recall his ever-lengthening list of miscalculations. Avoiding thoughts of his failures to Rin, to his Sensei, to Obito, his perceptible mind fast forwards to his neglect of Sakura and Naruto.

'_Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan may not contribute to the village as much as Sasuke can, but that__'s okay,_' he thought. Kakashi knew he could still form a team around Sasuke. The last Uchiha would elevate his teammates, in turn, they will do their absolute best to keep up. If one died in the process, such is the life of a ninja. If not, they will always grow stronger with Sasuke as the bar.

Considering Naruto is at the heart of this matter, Kakashi saw fit to bring a clone for this meeting, if only to offer his opinion. Watching the clone lazily stand next to Hiruzen's chair, Kakashi couldn't figure out how the amiable blond completely blindsided him. The bored blue-eyed blond may be his sensei's son, but, it was evident early on he was no ninja; not in the truest sense of the dark word. Naruto was simply too bright, too optimistic, too good for the heinous deeds a ninja is meant to do.

Many children hear stories of saving princesses or protecting towns, however, Kakashi knew that was the shallow end of their world, and for most of his life, he's operated in the deep, dark, murky depths of death and survival. Rather than saving lives, ninja serve countries better by taking lives; politicians, merchant princes, tycoons, feudal lords, warlords… innocent or not.

'_Anything for the mission__…_' his mind voiced.

Naruto does not represent the full depth a ninja must struggle with. For this deeply damaging way-of-life, a shinobi must be a little dead inside and Kakashi was content with Naruto not embodying that motto. If it meant preserving that ray of hope within the boy for as long as possible, he's certain his peaceful and caring sensei would approve.

'_Because even if Naruto can__'t bear the worst of a shinobi's struggles, the world still need ninjas like him_,' Kakashi believes. Shinobi like Naruto and Sakura are the future dark-horses like Kakashi and Sasuke will protect. It's the best way broken shinobi like them can contribute.

Still, as the contemplative Hiruzen turns from the heedful window in his office, and takes a seat, Kakashi thinks, yet again, '_I fucked up_.'

As Sarutobi observes the five Jōnin-sensei standing at attention before him with elbows on his paper stacked desk and hands fastened together by interlaced fingers, Hiruzen doesn't initiate security protocol just yet. Guy, Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Yari all await their Kage's directive over Naruto's red chakra cloak witnessed not more than two and a half hours ago.

"Appearance only regulates mere scraps of what is truly underneath," Hiruzen's wise and airy voice starts. As he continues, however, the sudden shift to a commanding tone is quickly evident to every Jōnin in the room. "It is why we teach our own to always search underneath the underneath, so we are never unduly surprised."

Despite the clone of Naruto yawning, Hiruzen's piercing eyes land sternly on Kakashi, and ignoring the urge to swallow his embarrassment as a Jōnin-sensei, he, yet again, thinks to himself, '_I really fucked up_.'

"As you all may have guessed," Hiruzen addresses his captains of education. "I risked everyone's lives to answer one question; Could Naruto-kun retain control under extreme distress? I agree the answer to that question shouldn't have such high potential for loss, however, I've been blessed with the fortune of observing this young man beside me grow up since his birth."

Kakashi notices Naruto pay more attention as the Sandaime resumes saying, "regardless of the very real risks to you, your students, my countrymen, and warriors, I wanted to believe in Naruto-kun…" Hiruzen turns to the surprised clone and finishes, "and this very old man is proud to witness his trust has not been misplaced."

With closed eyes, Naruto couldn't help a chuckle through his bright smile, and again, Kakashi feels that boy is the future he needs to protect. '_It may be too late for Sasuke-kun, but Naruto can still remain clean of the sickening darkness of the shinobi world_.'

Hiruzen tells the line of Jōnin-sensei, "your students will doubtlessly have questions. As their sensei, it is understandable if you're inclined to satisfy their curiosity."

"I want to tell them," Naruto states from beside their Hokage. "They're going to figure it out eventually. Why not now?"

Hiruzen takes a moment to consider his words. Leaning back in his chair he takes a slow drag of his pipe before informing the gathered Jōnin, "under my authority, I will allow you to inform your students only vague details." Sitting up straight, he orders the sensei, "reveal nothing by name. The general narrative should imply since Naruto's birth, he's had two chakras. Nothing more-"

"Aw, come on, Ji-chan," Naruto bellows and it still marvels a the long veteran Kakashi that a subordinate—no matter the relation—can be _that_ casual with the strongest shinobi in their village. "There's no reason not to tell them everything. If Konoha ever gets attacked, trust me, I'm going to use **all** of my strength to defend it. It only makes sense they know what to expect."

"I appreciate your forethought, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen tells the blond genin. "But until I am confident this will not blowback on you, we will proceed with caution."

"Blowback how," Naruto asks with a quirked brow.

"Without getting into too much detail, the village's trust in you is tentative," Sarutobi tells the blond, and Kakashi knows what exactly what he means. The village will turn on the Fourth's son much easier than they would thank him for his service.

"There isn't an adult within these walls that have forgotten that day," Hiruzen explains to Naruto. "If we're going to ensure the village fully trusts you with preserving their safety, accidents mustn't ever happen. For now, we will give the genin half-truths." Turning to the Jōnin-sensei, he dismisses them. As Kakashi expected, his leader calls, "Kakashi."

Pausing, Kurenai asks, "with your permission, Hokage-sama, if it involves Naruto-kun, I humbly request your permission to remain."

"Thank you, Kurenai-kun, but that will not be necessary," he smiles as he responds to her. "If there's a manner by which you can be of assistance, I will not hesitate to ask it of you."

"May I speak to a clone," Kurenai asks.

Though Kakashi finds it odd she can't simply wait till tomorrow, he watches their Hokage nod his consent and Naruto make a clone of himself that follows Kurenai-sensei out. When the three are alone in his office, Hiruzen activates the Kage's security protocol. Once the windows are blacked-out, the walls illuminate with glowing blue Fūin seals, and the lamps at the corners of the office light, the Hokage speaks to Kakashi.

"Despite Sasuke-kun breaking no rules in his match with Naruto-kun," the elder slowly voices. "He nevertheless attempted to kill his teammate with an assassination technique _you_ taught him."

Kakashi says nothing. He had no defense against the obvious and so simply responds with all the shame and regret he currently feels, "hai… Hokage-sama."

The elder takes a deep breath and leans back against his chair before he swivels to Naruto and asks, "how do you feel about Sasuke-kun's actions against you?"

Comically tilting his head with squinting his eyes, Naruto takes a moment to gather his words before answering, "well, I was pretty pissed at the time, but, like I told Sasuke, I get his whacked-out anger issues. So, while I don't like the way he is right now, like, at all, I know he needs help more than anything else."

"You never cease to surprise," Hiruzen gaffs, and Kakashi feels the same, strengthening his desire to always protect that light, even if he has to keep his distance to do so. "The life of a shinobi may very well be a dangerous profession, to the mind as much as the body, but we train hard every day, as individuals as much as teammates, to defy death's grasp. I still believe Sasuke-kun can be an asset to this village. It's possible I'm simply an old fool who believes in even the most troubled youths…"

Hiruzen's pause easily signals to Kakashi the elder's travel in the far back memory banks of his regrets, but soon begins again. "The method by which we guide Sasuke-kun is a more daunting task than previously expected, however, I have not yet reached the conclusion that he is a lost cause-"

"He isn't," Naruto casually states, leading Kakashi to wonder why his young student seems so confident, then appreciating his sensei's son for his positive life force in the face of Sasuke's darkness. "I'm not sure how just yet, but I think I know how to help him."

A curious Kakashi asks his student, "what makes you think that?"

"Nobody knows the truth," Naruto tells the older men, confusing both of them. "Honestly, I don't know how just yet, but I'm working on it. I'll let you know when I have something more solid."

Hiruzen nods, showing Kakashi the trust the elder seems to place in his young genin. "Until then," the Sandaime continues, turning to Kakashi. "When Sasuke-kun recovers, I want a full report on the cursed seal, along with everything he's done to achieve that level of capability."

In the dark sealed room, Kakashi replies, "hai, Hokage-sama."

"Until we learn otherwise, we have to assume Orochimaru was involved, which alludes to some level of participation from Sasuke-kun. Kakashi, from this moment forward, he is to remain in your vicinity at all times, and if the young Uchiha doesn't approve, remind him there are other preventative measures that are much less accommodating."

Though he doesn't show it, Kakashi is surprised by the Sandaime's directive. Some part of him felt for sure he would be reassigned to a task more suited to his lethal strengths. Instead, it seems Sarutobi Hiruzen will not allow him to quit, and so Kakashi proclaims, "I request all my students live under the same roof."

"What?" Naruto yells. "But I like living at Iruka-sensei's and he's nearly out of the hospital. Who's going to help him out if I'm not around?"

"Naruto-kun may stay in his current residence," the Hokage declares. "You may offer Haruno-chan the option of staying with you, or if she would prefer, with Kurenai-sensei. I want Team 7 insulated. Understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi responds.

"Now," Hiruzen continues, turning to the young blond. "Naruto-kun, as I said, I was quite impressed by your control over the Kyūbi's chakra, but I would like to know how you managed to gain that level of command. You said you trained, but how?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I command it or anything like that," Naruto states, though Kakashi feels like it's an evasion. "I asked and he gave it to me."

'_He__'s holding back_,' Kakashi, and no doubt Hiruzen, instantly think as Kakashi asks, "just like that? It didn't attempt to take over your mind?"

"Nope," Naruto answers before he explains to his Hokage and sensei, "though, at the time, we were both pretty pissed so I probably could've asked for more and he would've given it to me."

"…So you speak to it," Hiruzen mumbles more than asks, likely noting Naruto's use of the word '_he_,' as if it's a person. At the rather casual relation between Naruto and the Kyūbi, Kakashi feels a small seed of nervousness at the pit of his stomach.

"Mnn," Naruto hums his affirmative answer, adding, "like four or five times."

"What do you talk about," Kakashi wonders.

"Well, when he's not bitching about how much he hates all humans, we talk about how disappointedly weak I am, or girls."

"…girls," both men repeat, surprised to hear _**any**_ interest to the demon beast, let alone girls. However, with red cheeks, both highly observant males can effortlessly picture how any angle of a seductive and shapely woman holds the power to easily break down seemingly insurmountable barriers.

"…Yeah," Naruto slowly answers, staring curiously at the deeply pensive adults. "But that's private so I don't want to say anymore."

Clearing his throat and his thoughts, Sarutobi asks, "is it possible you could tame the beast?" Though Kakashi understands how beneficial to the village having a Jinchūriki on the capability of Killer Bee can be, he can only imagine a much darker path for Naruto than he would like.

Naruto quickly asserts, "nope! I mean, no more than you can tame a person."

"Is it possible you can convince it to cooperative with Konoha," Hiruzen then asks.

"I don't know, I never asked," Naruto shrugs as if he doesn't even care to. "It doesn't really feel right to push like that. I don't want him to think I'm just using him for his chakra."

'_Again with the __'__**him**__,__'_' Kakashi mentally notes.

"I can't even describe how thoroughly impressed I am, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen proclaims. "None of your formidable predecessors have ever conversed with the Kyūbi, let alone made use of its chakra in a combat situation."

"Yeah, well, you never know what tomorrow will bring," Naruto tells them. "You have to be ready for anything, right Ji-chan?"

"Very wise words," the elder agrees with a proud smile. "I think I've learned all I needed, Naruto-kun. I'd appreciate it if you spoke with me or your sensei after any future conversations you might have with the Kyūbi."

"Sure," Naruto answers before the clone dispels in a thick puff of white smoke.

Hiruzen's very strong and disapproving eyes finally land on a very rigid Kakashi. The elder's stern and powerful voice asserts, "since you were a boy, you've never failed an assignment within reason. You may have erred, as we all have, but never failed in a thing you've set your mind and considerable talents to. You are a man, grown, Kakashi-kun, and now you are failing. At this very moment, you are failing your students, you're failing yourself, and you're failing me, which means you are failing your village."

Shamed to the point he can't take a breath as his chest is so tight, an ashamed Kakashi weakly responds, "Hai… Hokage-sama."

"This is a first for us both, as I never expected to have a conversation such as this with you," Hiruzen sadly observes. "However, these missteps do not have to mean our defeat. You **must** do things differently, Kakashi-kun, beginning with a closer association to the living. I understand why your mind and heart remain in the past, but, the many sins we must atone for lay in the future, not in the heavy shackles of our shameful past. We need you, Kakashi-kun. For yourself as much as your village, do _**not**_ fail me again."

"…Hai, Hokage-sama."

KURENAI

Exiting the Hokage's office and keeping the clone in front of her, Kurenai finds Asuma waiting for her down the empty hall.

"I haven't had a chance to say, congratulations," Asuma begins to say upon reaching him. "Your entire team… that's quite an accomplishment for a fresh Jōnin-sensei, but I can hardly be surprised."

"Oh, yeah," Naruto thoughtfully recalls beaming at her. He usually doesn't think much of Shino and often prefers not to think about Kiba, but he knows how passionate Kurenai is about teaching, and so still can't believe it slipped his mind. This would obviously be an amazing achievement for her and he praises her as much. "That's awesome, Kurenai-sensei! Congratulations!"

"Don't forget you're my student as well," Kurenai gratefully tells him. Turning to Asuma, she congratulates the tall man as well, adding, "Shikamaru-kun has impressive deductive reasoning and critical thinking ability."

The gruff Jōnin chuckles before mentioning, "can't really take credit for that one."

"Still, he's learning from you," Kurenai tells him. "You're clearly a good influence on him."

An errant thought of Asuma as a positive father figure to their child wiggled its way to the forefront of Kurenai's mind, and rather than bring shame, doubt, and impropriety along with it for her current relationship with Naruto, she's amazed by how far she's come without even realizing it. Here she stands with her manly ex in front of her, her blond passion beside her, and there's a clear separation of what once was and what currently is.

Even in his presence, her relationship with Naruto no longer feels wrong, just different. Standing between these men, she can discern that it's not supposed to feel better or worse, but her current state of affairs is simply a more honest understanding of who she is and what these men represent to her.

Kurenai could, very well, be that fantasy mother she imagines with a dutiful and loving husband, taking care of their beautiful child in a charming home. That desire for her future is still there, but, the husband she has her child with isn't as clear as it used to be. And that's okay. At the opposite spectrum, not only does Kurenai love teaching the future of the village, she also enjoys the day-to-day fulfillment of working her students to the bone, picturing how their hard work will one day be to the benefit of the village. And that is also okay.

What her mind seems to effortlessly map out is, opening herself to Asuma again feels like it wouldn't be long before she's discharged from active duty, her students would be reassigned, she'd be left home most days to tend to the house and her growing belly, eventually joining the Allied Mother's Force, and completely giving up her influence over the true Hokage of the future.

Though she wouldn't be opposed to such a future, Kurenai can also continue on her current path as a strong kunoichi sensei who adores her team, cherishes the profession of guiding the youths of tomorrow, and absolutely loves mind-blowing sex with the most surprising, resilient, and amazing boy she's ever met. Aside from the thrill of standing between two of the most prominent avenues her young life is more than capable of traveling, she also feels solace by her acceptance of it all, and ultimately, is in no hurry to change a thing.

Kurenai is so staggered by this monumental self-revelation, she nearly misses Asuma ask, "how about we celebrate? I don't have to meet my team until later. How about a celebratory drink?"

Surprised by the proximity of her former boyfriend asking her out as her bored lover watches patiently, Kurenai says in a slightly elevated tone, "uh, actually, I need to speak with Naruto, so, now isn't ideal for me."

"I can wait," Asuma shrugs casually.

"It'll take some time," Kurenai explains, feeling her armpits prickle in rising body heat. "I wouldn't want to keep you."

"I've got nothing better to do," Asuma voices assuredly. "It's one drink. It'll help distract me from a celebratory smoke."

"I only mean to say, if you _did_ have something else, I wouldn't want to keep you," Kurenai clumsily tries to kindly rebuff his invitation, an action she never thought she'd ever do to Asuma.

"Yeesh, it's one drink, Kurenai-chan," a clueless Naruto phrases with a bored look upon his face, as if he's completely unaware of her personal romantic history with Asuma. '_Which of course, he doesn__'t know_,' she thinks with inward agitation as Naruto adds, "the man's practically begging."

Slightly embarrassed, Asuma huffs, "I wouldn't say _begging_," as Kurenai weakly answers, "okay," with a roll of her eyes. Any more dismissals and it would've been awkward. Additionally, it isn't as if they don't need to have a frank conversation in the not-so-distant future. Life couldn't have given her a clearer sign to pick an avenue.

"Meet you at the usual spot," Asuma states, nodding at Naruto before he leaves.

Turning to his gorgeous sensei, Naruto casually asks, "so, what'd you want to talk about?"

Shaking her head by the unplanned turn of events, Kurenai mundanely tells Naruto, "come with me."

With a happy nod from the blond, they walk the much more crowded streets of Konoha. The open shops are buzzing with chatty activity, discount signs hang in every available cord or post, featured services for the month were being yelled out around the street, or services are being hung or merchandise carts where traversing the streets due to the welcome influx of travelers, families, out-of-country traders, and journeymen from distant countries.

When they enter the nearest tea shop, it's far too lively to have a private conversation. The intelligent kunoichi didn't need more than a second to simply make her way up the side of the wall to the roof with the blond following right behind. Judging Naruto's old apartment to be the closest privacy she could hope for, they sprint for nearly fifteen minutes, but before they could rest, the pair had to rid the abandoned building of a bunch of gangsters and thugs trying to set up their base.

Once in the living room of Naruto's old room, Kurenai comments, "I heard about Karin-chan. I can't tell you how happy I am you found some family in this world. It's truly an amazing gift." The blank white room lost all its furnishing and with no place to sit, Kurenai leans against the wall near the balcony door.

"Thanks," Naruto says, opening the sliding door to look out into the beautiful day of their village. "She's gone through a lot already, so I definitely want her to find a home here and know I'll be there for her from now on."

"I'm certain she will," Kurenai assures him with a small yet confident smile.

"Uh, I've been wondering," he starts, and Kurenai easily notes the blushing rising in his cheeks. Humored, she isn't surprised when he continues, "if I'm your student too, doesn't that mean we ought to celebrate too?" The double meaning in his voice is unmistakable to Kurenai and her body responds with blushing excitement. Turning to her, he asks with a bratty smirk, "not just '_one drink_' though?" Though she tried, she couldn't restrain her broad smile as he adds, "maybe nine or ten rounds of '_drinks_?' I mean, I'm parched here, sensei. Feels like I'll die if I don't drink something soon."

Kurenai's panties met with a flood of lubricating discharge she'd be more than happy if he licked up. Her heart began pounding and her face felt flush from the rush of hot blood flaming her neck and cheeks. Even beating up the thugs didn't get her this flushed as her thighs tightened at the clear intention in his clear baby-blue eyes of ravishing her body all night long.

It's been over two weeks since their last lesson, and in that time, her dildo has done a less and less adequate job of satisfying her active libido and the orange vibrator she purchased only helps with the worst pangs of her tireless lust or vivid fantasies. Her fierce hunger has grown to a fever pitch in that time. Her disciplined mind finds it better left ignored, fore if she thinks about how much she misses their deeply satisfying and intimate connection, she'd do something drastic like break into the room he was sleeping in before the preliminaries.

'_That was before I witnessed his destructive strength and near-death_,' she thought.

Even though she can see he's fine, her ribs still feel hollow simply by the memory of Uchiha-kun's vicious attack. Looking at him now, she wants to touch him, to feel him, but in the vulnerable open air, she hates that she has to control herself as she answers, "I've missed you… more than either of us imagined." Inhaling his unique scent of sunshine and forest, she notes, "so much has happened, I don't know what I want to do more; talk about it all or _celebrate_ in a dark room for several hours."

"I don't see why both can't be an option. It's called pillow-talk for a reason, Nai-chan," he says with a wicked grin.

Rolling her red eyes with a luscious smile, Kurenai informs him, "I'll be having a proper celebration with my team tonight. Afterward, Hinata will return to her family for the weekend. I know you'd like to spend time with Karin-chan, but-"

"I do," Naruto's clone claims. He asserts, "the boss definitely wants to get to know Karin-chan better—we're starting our clan, after all—but, going any longer without seeing you feels like I'm going to be sick. This growing feeling reminds me a lot of when you're on an away-mission for too long." She observes the need in his expressive blue eyes equals her own when he achingly confesses, "it's like you're my village, and every day, I want to go back more and more, like I'm starving to come home-"

Despite the open view of the balcony doors, she abruptly places a finger to his lips. An aroused Kurenai feels so wet, if he said one more heartfelt word, she'd take the clone home and make do with him till he popped. Her heart is pumping hot life-sustaining blood throughout her body but no organ was more engorged with liquid life than her soaping sex.

She's moist enough to drench her panties and release her aroma in the air, though retains enough control to desire the real thing, and tells the clone, "I need you, Naruto, like a flower tolerates the nightly loss of the sun. I'm never more alive than when I'm with you, feeling all of your passion gushing inside of me. Expect the very moment you and I are finally free to be alone, I'm going to lap you up, suck you off, and squeeze every ounce of your white, hot, cum into me until I'm overflowing and leaking rivers. So, how much longer are you going to make your Nai-chan wait?"

Acting with pure horny instinct, a shocked clone whips out a clone kunai and committed harakiri right then and there. Watching the puff of round white smoke quickly fade, Kurenai smiles to the village she loves so much with giddy anticipation in her heart and wet excitement in her core.

SAKURA

Sitting in front of her custom and proficient desk with extended surface space for large print or book placement, elevated shelves for her color-coordinated pens, markers, brushes, and inks, and cabinets on either side of her, Sakura is chewing on a pen as she forms her training regiment. Creating goals, charts, and schedules have always come easy to her, however, at the moment, she's having difficulty with one part.

There have been two absolutely dominating forces occupying all of her available conscious thought: her weakness and her womanhood. Sakura was deflowered, thoroughly. She'd had sex with a boy—many times—enjoying it far more than she'll ever admit because it still baffles her that Uzumaki Naruto was not only her first sexual partner but phenomenally good at it. Sakura was a woman now and Uzumaki Naruto made her so. She's a woman now but with the wrong man and in the wrong circumstance.

Likewise, she's thriving in her studies but how has that helped her? She couldn't answer. Much like her days in the academy, she's nearly prodigious when it comes to soaking in all the challenging information of Iryō-ninjutsu and performing to an impressive degree. Since graduation, Sakura has done plenty to be proud of, and yet, it all meant nothing in the face of true combat ability.

'_Hinata-chan beat me_,' she can't help but glumly repeat over and over. Orochimaru of the Sanin exceeds the Hyūga heiress's skills by miles, '_but I still lost to someone who is painfully shy and reserved?_'

Only one member from Team 7 is proceeding to the third test, and even if Hinata-chan's entire team is advancing, Sakura couldn't blame her shortcomings on Kakashi-sensei. If not for the scoreboard glitching, she's certain Naruto _and_ Sasuke would've made it to the finals. Though Kakashi is not the best sensei and can benefit from being more efficient, when it comes to their actual instruction, his style always brings the best out of them.

'_And Hinata-chan still beat you_,' her mind reminds her as her frustrated heart compels her to yell aloud, "Hinata-chan!" Staring dejectedly at the open scroll before her, she begins, again, to reevaluate her time and energy.

OPTIMAL PLAN FOR HIGH-LEVEL PERFORMANCE

Daily Schedule

05:00-05:30 AM Wake up, Stretch.

05:30-08:00 AM Training-Physical conditioning, Ninjutsu, Taijutsu.

08:00-08:30 AM Meal-Breakfast, shower.

08:30-09:00 AM Family Time or Meditation, Travel to destination.

09:00-14:00 PM Team Meetings or Study Iryō-ninjutsu w/Butai-Medic Corps.

14:00-14:30 PM Meal-Lunch, Meditate.

14:30-17:00 PM Team Meetings or Study Iryō-ninjutsu w/Butai-Medic Corps.

17:00-17:30 PM Meal-Dinner, Meditate.

17:30-18:30 PM Recreational-Stress relief.

18:30-22:00 PM Train-Ninjutsu, Taijutsu.

22:00-22:30 PM Stretching, Shower.

22:30-05:00 AM Sleep.

Hour Breakdown

Under the designation Study, I've allotted myself a total of 7.5 hours.

Under the designation Training, I've allotted myself a total of 7.5 hours.

Under the designation Meal, I've allotted myself a total of 1.5 hours.

Under the designation Recreational, I've allotted myself a total of 1 hour.

Miscellaneous time spent is 1 hour.

TOTAL HOURS: 18.5 hours/24hr.

Study Breakdown

Text Manual Reading, Read Recent Studies, or Attend Lecture.

Create Notes and Flashcards.

Practice Problem Solving and Critical Thinking.

Write comprehensive reports.

Training Breakdown

Strength: to progressively overload a ranged motion, allowing the body to adapt and get stronger in relation to the movement being performed.

Power: Speed and explosivity in relation to the movement being performed.

Hypertrophy: Efficiency in muscle growth. Focus weight and work to individualized muscle groups.

Metabolic: Causing burning fatigue to individualized muscle groups. Pushing to, and through, the burn.

Total Body: Performing a series of conjoined exercises that incorporates a variation of push, pull, leap, and press. Four sets of eight exercises, alternating days between lower body, upper body, and core to allow for optimal recuperation time.

Ninjutsu: Hand-seal speed, Chakra Control, Yang Release, Chakra scalpel, and Double and Single Palm Chakra Transfer.

Taijutsu: Academy Style Katas.

Meal Breakdown

Breakfast: Rice, Fish, Miso, Omelet, and Herbal Tea.

Snack: Dates, Walnuts, or Fruit.

Lunch: Omurice, Chicken & Egg Bowl, Riceballs, or Katsudon.

Snack: Celery, Carrots, or Fruit.

Dinner: Salmon and Stir Fry Vegetables, Mapo Tofu, or Soba Noodle Salad.

Dessert: Syrup-coated Anko Dumplings.

Recreational Breakdown

… … … …

Tapping underneath the Recreational Breakdown again, Sakura becomes more and more frustrated. Not too long ago, every available minute that wasn't her study time or her team meetings would've been dedicated to maximizing her chances of securing her place as Sasuke-kun's girlfriend and future as his dutiful wife. She thought about her raven-haired avenger all the time, loved him—the man of her dreams—with all her heart and she had never wanted anything more, but, like the changing of the seasons, times have grown colder, darker.

In the mind of her heart, her love for Sasuke is now like an important question going unanswered, a peace ended by war, a spectrum of color reduced to drab gray-scale; her life has become emotional anguish without the beauty of her pure love all because she believes him when he said he'd kill her, her parents, their village, all for revenge. No matter how her mind tried to reconcile that setback, Sakura couldn't manage to deny how wrong that is.

Now, she has no idea how to spend that time. She likes trivia games but with all the training and studying she'll be doing daily, that alone won't be enough. A worthwhile recreational break is a pivotal hour of the day or it's likely her nervous system will release a flood of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, keeping her body in a continuous emergency state. Sakura knows the human body isn't meant to stay stressed for too long or it will negatively impact her productivity.

Without spending every available minute perfecting herself for Sasuke, it's left her with a gaping hole in need of filling, an odd choice of thought that returns her mind's eye to the vivid memory of her night with Naruto. Like a switch, her body temperature rises as she recalls how he spread and rubbed her sloppy snatch as he drilled her from behind. Her strong legs tighten when her very muscles recall the thrilling spasms of her quaking quim. Her heart-rate skyrockets as her hand begins to descend to her humid crotch when she hears a, "yo," from the window behind her.

Sitting painfully straight before Sakura snaps around, she sees out of her window, "Kakashi-sensei." Slowly rolling the scroll up to give herself plenty of time to calm down, she eventually makes her way to her window and opens it. Per usual, he doesn't enter, which she's more than fine with at the moment.

She asks, "what are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"More or less," he casually tells her.

Without details, she habitually asks, "how's Sasuke?"

"He'll likely wake up tomorrow," Kakashi answers.

"That's good," Sakura nods with a fake smile over an out-of-sorts face.

"…Not too long ago, his condition would've been the only thing you asked me about." Thinking of her weakness, Sakura can't help but feel saddened to hear that from her sensei. Even Kakashi could sense her melancholy and expresses, "it's alright to lose when the only thing at stake is your pride. As a medical ninja, you'll see that there are often far worse outcomes."

"I just…" Though Sakura knows what she wants to say, she doesn't truly want to voice it aloud, '_how could Hinata-chan beat me?_'

"You didn't expect it," Kakashi easily guesses, as if he's aware of that look. Ashamed, Sakura only nods. Humming a moment, Kakashi calmly states, "elite or not, it can happen to any of us." Having heard of her sensei's numerous accolades, a doubtful Sakura is about to argue when Kakashi reminds her, "Momochi Zabuza is as elite a ninja as they come, and he lost to a genin fresh out of the Academy because he didn't expect what Naruto-kun did."

"I don't think any of us expected that," Sakura jokes, recalling his fight Sasuke.

Nodding, Kakashi asks, "and whose fault is that? Zabuza for his lack of awareness, or Naruto for fighting despite the odds? Always be wary of a shinobi with conviction, Sakura-chan. Like Zabuza, you fought Hinata-chan as if it was any other match-up, but like Naruto, Hinata-chan gave me the impression it meant more to her. That's all."

Easily recalling Naruto's determination to protect his team against the Demon of Hidden Mist, Sakura wondered why it mattered more to Hinata-chan. Deciding then and there to train later, she asks a question she wasn't sure was appropriate earlier in the day. "Are we going to celebrate Naruto making it into the third test?" Sakura simply can't imagine Sasuke attending that gathering.

"Of course," Kakashi answers. "We're a team. We celebrate our accomplishments and our defeats together." Sakura isn't confident that's going to go as well as her sensei seems to imagine when she hears him add, "speaking of our team, as a precautionary measure, I want Team 7 to stay together."

Drawing her brows close in curiosity, Sakura asks, "precaution against what?"

"Not a what," Kakashi corrects but doesn't elaborate.

"…Orochimaru," Sakura easily guesses. As the only threat in her team's lives, the legendary missing-nin is the only answer that makes sense. Recalling Sasuke's fiendish transformation, she remarks, "I saw where those dark marks on Sasuke originated from. It's the same location Orochimaru bit him."

"I'll let you know when I decide where we'll be staying," Kakashi continues, subtly informing her that's all he'll say about that at the moment.

Curious about a certain point, Sakura asks, "is Haku coming as well? I can't imagine Naruto agreed to leave without him; and I guess, even Karin-chan."

"Naruto-kun is staying at Iruka's," Kakashi asserts.

"I don't understand," Sakura slowly states.

Her sensei casually answers, "he'll be fine on his own," instantly reaffirming her disparaging thoughts.

"…But I won't," she glumly voices.

"It's just a precaution, Sakura-chan," he tries to placate.

To Sakura, the thought of staying with Sasuke didn't seem as appealing as it would've been two or three months ago. He nearly killed Naruto and even if they're trained in the art of assassination, to casually do so against his a teammate… the raven-haired avenger has grown to become a source of confusing turmoil. '_But Sasuke always said as much_,' her efficient mind always reminds her, making her wonder, yet again, how long she's been blind to this side of Sasuke.

She then asks Kakashi, "can't I stay here?"

"It's not advisable," he says with a head tilt. "Until we're certain there is no threat, strength in numbers would be for the best which is why I'd feel more comfortable if you remain with active shinobi. If she consents, you're welcome to stay with Kurenai-sensei."

'_Hinata-chan stays there_,' Sakura thinks. Not liking either option, Sakura asks, "can I ask someone else?"

HINATA

"I see," her father states eying both his daughter and nephew. "Regardless of who the victor is between you, you will both represent the Hyūga clan with strength and distinction." Turning to Neji, he commands, "leave us."

When they are alone, her father frankly tells her, "six months ago, I could never have predicted you would secure a place in the finals of the Chūnin exams. Even now, I can't be certain if you earned it through your own efforts or the competition this year has grown lax. In either case, I will be in attendance and with my own eyes, bear witness what your true worth to this clan is. It would be in your interest to do all you can to please me, fore your future will be decided upon the outcome of your match."

Hinata barely heard anything her father said, only half paying attention. Everything that happened in that room of the prelims was still freshly replaying in her mind; from Naruto's reaction to Kabuto-san, to Naruto's fight with Sasuke, the grievous injury she always tries not to recall, Ino-chan's screaming of Naruto's name, Naruto's red chakra, her unexpected anger throughout her fight with Sakura, her entire team reaching the final test, and the favor Naruto asked of her.

"I said, dismissed," Hiashi nearly growls.

Returning her full attention to the dire present, Hinata blushes with embarrassment as she stands and bows, but before she leaves, she recalls with vivid clarity the favor Naruto had asked her.

_After being dismissed by Hokage-sama, to be called by Naruto made her heart hammer into her ribcage as he runs over to her._

_ She nearly passed out as he leaned in to whisper, __"do you know how to release chakra out of all your tenketsu's? I need some help with that sort of chakra control training."_

_ A beet-red blushing Hinata had never wanted to learn a thing so much in her life and it crushed her heart to have to tell him, __"I-I'm so-sorry, Na-Naruto-kun," and shakes her head when she couldn't finish her sentence, hoping he understood she was letting him down and praying he didn't hate her for it._

_ To her immense joy, he simply smiled and shrugged, saying, __"that's okay. I'll figure something-"_

_"But I'll learn it for- for- for-" A red-faced Hinata swallows her overbearing stress to edge out her nervousness so she can finish, "for you."_

_ His sensei had called him then, but he happily extended his fist for a bump. Hinata struggled to meet his skin, but did so through tremendous grit and effort, and thanked Kami Kurenai-sensei showed up and kept her from fainting with a comforting palm on her shoulder. Naruto said goodbye to them both before rushing to meet his sensei and Hinata knew she wanted to be better for him._

Naruto had asked for her help and she's never felt so much motivation to improve. So it's with great ease that Hinata returns to her seated position and bows to her stoic and curious father as she ardently speaks, "Otou-sama, as you've always noticed, I lack training. I humbly request to be instructed in the ways of the Eight Trigram Palms Kaiten."

"No. You're not strong enough," her father simply states, and Hinata easily hears, '_not strong enough to defeat your younger sister, not strong enough to defeat your cousin from the branch family, not strong enough to be the heir of this clan_.'

With thoughts of what this means for Naruto, for how proud she wants to make him and her sensei, Hinata maintains with love-guided determination, "if I am not strong enough, then I must become strong enough. I must, Otou-sama, and there is room for nothing else."

She only heard her father hum deeply which all but told her she'll be able to help Naruto.

TEMARI

Laying in bed, repeatedly counting the wood beam and flat paneled ceiling, Temari concentrates on nothing but her breathing and her counting. It's a coping mechanism that was taught to her for dealing with stressful thoughts or being in agitating situations. She's nearly certain there are a total of seven hundred and thirty-four hairline fractures on the ceiling when a knock on the door completely disrupted her tranquil train of thought.

Suddenly she remembers where she is, why she's there, and what she'll likely be ordered to do. When they wouldn't stop knocking, she yells to the ceiling, "_what_?" She doesn't turn to him as she hears him enter without permission, to which she declares, "Kankurō, I don't want to talk."

"Baki should be back soon," her brother quickly relays.

Eyes still on the ceiling, she can almost hear the hope in his voice, as if the world were black and white and good triumphed over evil. But he doesn't know or doesn't want to see how gray the world is because solutions to problems are rarely neat, moral, or fair.

'_That__'s not how a country stays in power,_' her mind hears her father repeat. '_By any means necessary._' Temari recalls her father's lessons before and after her mother died. '_Power is shaped by concepts and ideas for the express purpose of solving problems, whether selfish or selfless, and it is man that give meaning to ideas and concepts_,' he would coldly tell them, post her mother's death.

Having thought of all relevant variables, Temari knows her orders before Baki even left to message a request of authorization from her father, and glumly asks her younger brother, "what's it matter? I already know the answer."

"You don't know that," Kankurō retorts, but he can't question her intelligence. "Tou-sama will tell Gaara no. He could get Gaara to change his mind and kill that brat another way."

"No. Otou-sama wouldn't even if he wanted to," Temari assures her little brother, having already thought of that possibility. "You don't remember how much destruction is involved trying to change Gaara's mind because it hasn't happened for a long time. He may be older now but if Gaara wants something, Otou-sama and the council have learned to just give it to him. They're lucky he only ever asked to be left alone."

Hesitant grumbles from his throat tell her he wants to argue, to fight, to resist, like in those stories he liked to read when he was younger, but, as always, her sweet little brother is caught up playing the protector. It's why his optimism can feel like thorns wrapped around her heart when Kankurō states, "I know you understand why they had to keep us apart a lot, but that doesn't mean Tou-sama doesn't regret it. He wants us all to be a family and he'll stop it because he knows _this_ is going too far."

Still ignoring her brother for the drab white paneled and wood ceiling, Temari asks, "will he?" Clenching her fist at the thought of their shameful past, she retorts, "our father ordered our uncle to kill our brother. He's ordered shinobi and kunoichi alike to try and kill him, and Gaara always survives without a scratch. Rock Lee is the only time I've ever seen Gaara wounded, and if they didn't concede the match, I'm sure he would've died. Otou-sama doesn't care about my virtue so long as the plan remains secure."

"The plan can remain viable without you needing to do this," Kankurō insists.

"That's where you're wrong," she flatly maintains. "Or at least, it's not how they'll see it. In their eyes, Gaara's completely focused on one goal that benefits them. Not only will their greatest weapon be easier to deal with, but his killing intent is now solely focused on the very sudden and most dangerous wildcard."

"I'll admit that brat surprised the hell out of me," Kankurō hates to say. "But '_most dangerous wildcard_' is a bit of a stretch."

"You need to start paying better attention," Temari huffs with irritation. "Recall the way the leaf Jōnin reacted—I'm certain Baki noticed their battle-readiness and reported as much. Recall the chakra ears and tails on Uzumaki. Recall his words. He's been trying to make friends with Gaara since the beginning because, as he put it, they have a lot in common. It's a fair bet Uzumaki Naruto is the Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails, and I think that detail wasn't something they planned for. From a strategic standpoint, that makes Uzumaki Naruto incredibly dangerous."

"I thought the Two-Tails was in Kumo," Kankurō wonders aloud.

"Jinchūriki are a village's top-secret, so reports on them is either speculation, subterfuge, or a sentence or two, at best," Temari informs her brother. "Chiyo-baasama is certain the Eight-Tails is still in Kumo, but hardly anyone knows the identity or whereabouts of the Two-Tails, though they're fairly sure it's a blond. Aside from Gaara, possibly Uzumaki, Killer Bee, and the Mizukage, Katarachi Yagura, nearly nothing concrete is known about the other Jinchūriki or their tailed beasts."

"That they'll tell us," Kankurō points out, knowing full well they don't have the security clearance necessary for top-secret information.

Temari will admit it's only due to their status of the Kage's children they know as much as they do and responds, "we may not be completely in the loop, as of yet, but this is precisely why I told you to talk to Chiyo-baasama and Ebizō-jiisama about more than just puppeteering. They're a wealth of strategic information and profiling that can help you avoid diplomatic disadvantageous."

Annoyed by the conversation and her apparent interest in the ceiling, he looks up as he asks, "what are you doing?"

"Getting used to the view on my back," she glumly answers. Guessing how much that would bother her brother to hear, she immediately regrets it, but before Kankurō can get even more worked up, Baki silently steps into the room.

Kankurō quickly asks what only seems so obvious to her, "what did tou-sama say?"

Turning to Temari still laying in bed, on her back, and counting the dots on the ceiling, their sensei answers, "Temari, for the security of Suna's future goals-"

"_Of my father__'s ambitions_, you mean," she quickly interjects.

Baki at least has the decency to exhale as if exhausted by it all. "Considering what Uzumaki Naruto is, for the success of the mission, it's been decided that Gaara must absolutely kill him. He may be the only one from our forces who can, which means, your involvement is vital for the good of the village. Additionally, it would be a demoralizing blow if it was done during their match, so, you have a month to… _gain_ his trust and manipulate his emotions."

"No!" Kankurō yells. "You can't ask that! Tou-sama wouldn't allow-"

"This comes directly from Kazekage-sama," Baki states.

"But if Gaara's the only one that can beat him, then it's too dangerous to send her alone," Kankurō argues.

"Remember yourself, Kankurō-san," Baki calls. "You're shinobi of the Sand; our entire way of life is fraught with danger. We survive the harshest environment because we let our pain neither define us nor defeat us. It is our pain which strengthens us and this will make Temari strong."

"Then you do it," Kankurō yells at his commanding officer with all the authority of the Kage's son. "What you're ordering her to do isn't even necessary, let alone right! How could tou-sama…"

Baki tries to reason with the Kage's son. "If Uzumaki suffers emotional instability right before his fight, it offers us the highest chance of completing our mission-"

"Leave me," she tells them.

Swallowing, Baki slowly speaks, "…the Kazekage bid me ensure you're instructed on the best methods of completing this sort of-"

"Baki, if you don't get the fuck out of my room this instant, the next veil you'll be wearing will be in your coffin covering your entire face."

She held back until they left before allowing the tears to stream down the sides of her face. Her face doesn't contort in emotional anguish nor does she make a sound. If it wasn't for the warm tears streaming down her stone face, it would be difficult to guess Temari was, in fact, sad. Tame though her crying is, in her mind, she simply needed to let her tears out now—needed her heart to feel despair—so it wouldn't happen at all during her mission.

NARUTO

After being dismissed and leaving a clone for Kakashi-sensei, Naruto rushes from the tower straight to Iruka's and is fortunate enough to speak with Naru-nii along the way. Despite how difficult it is for Naruto to navigate the busy streets of Konoha, Naruto had explained everything that happened earlier.

'_**Holy hell**_,' Naru-nii gasp. '_**I can**__**'t believe you beat him- and he speared you through the chest too!**_'

It isn't until he enters the shinobi residential area that walking with elbow room became easier and Naruto thinks back, '_I know! I totally didn__'t think that would happen. I was so pissed, he was lucky I didn't go three-tails on his ass_.'

'_**No doubt**_,' Naru-nii hums. '_**Oh, hey, I know we don**__**'t have a lot of time left, but would you mind repeating the Fūin contract tou-chan told you?**_'

'_Of course not_,' Naruto happily tells him. '_After everything you__'ve taught me, I feel like I owe you for the rest of my life!_'

'_**Sheuut up**_,' Naru-nii calls back good-naturedly. '_**You**__**'re already helping the future so you don't owe me a thing**_.'

'_You__'re wrong_,' Naruto sounds back through their divine link. '_We both know how long it would__'ve taken me to learn what I know now. Without you, it would've been years until I learned what Kage Bunshin can do. I would've hated being ignored for so long when I can learn things so much faster than other ninjas. You're wrong, because of the people in my life, the strength I'm gaining, the future I'm helping is all because of you. I owe you everything, Naru-nii_.'

'_**Shesheshe, now you**__**'re just embarrassing me**_,' Naru-nii sheepishly sings. '_**Thanks but, we**__**'re a team. Your success is our success. So, let's keep the train rolling and tell me how the Hiraishin Fūin scheme structured. I might be able to improve it…**_'

They didn't have a lot of time left and explaining it without the visuals took longer than anticipated, so by the end of their prayer, the Narutos realize it'll take a few sessions to completely relay the length of the contract.

Palming the Fūin security on the door's frame of Iruka's home with a chakra covered hand, Naruto rushes in to find Karin writing at the dining table covered with a large number of scrolls and books. Wearing a purple skirt with a green shirt, her vibrant red hair is tied back and out of her concentrated eyes. In his casual light pink yukata with the sleeves rolled up and tied to the shoulders, Haku is in the kitchen mixing what smells like another one of his herbal remedies when they both turn to his entrance.

"Karin-chan," Naruto yells before rushing over and taking her in a great big hug.

"Ugh, again," she says though she still hugs him back. Missing his friend a great deal, Naruto hugs Haku immediately after.

"Oh man!" Naruto hollers as he steps away from them. "Who's down for Ichiraku's? There's so much I want to tell you guys."

Instead, Haku asks, "would dining-in be okay with everyone? There are a few things I'd like to discuss and I feel it would be better if we spoke in private."

"I don't mind staying in," Karin states sliding her glasses back up the bridge of her bonny nose. "Your cooking is fantastic."

"Isn't it," Naruto happily agrees with Karin. Naruto can't help rejoicing in the wonderful feeling of having family related to him by blood. He loves so many people; Ji-chan, Iruka-sensei, Nai-chan, his team, his village, but there's a subtle difference loving someone who is blood-related. To know he has that kind of family connection now—no matter the horrors that befall them—is a joy he never thought he'd ever have the joy of experiencing. Having met his father, Naruto tears up in front of them, and before they can ask a question, he pulls them both in an impassioned hug.

"Naruto," Karin calls, though looks at Haku questioningly. Haku simply shrugs and hugs him right back.

"Sorry," Naruto calls stepping away roughly rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. "Yeah, we can do anything. As long as we're together, I don't care."

The three settle comfortably in Iruka's and talk while Haku begins their early dinner. They decide Naruto and Haku will now bunk together while Karin takes Haku's room. They plan to meet Iruka during visiting hours the following day so Naruto can personally tell him the great news. They talk about each candidate and their matches, swap some light stories about festivals and favorite foods, and generally enjoy the pleasant simplicity of their companionship. All three have had a difficult upbringing and to simply talk about mundane interests and hobbies makes a world of difference to each of them.

With their giant bowls of ramen before them, Naruto laughed hard when Karin admitted she only insisted that she and Haku shower together because nobody told her that Haku was a boy.

"I mean, look at him! How was I supposed to know," Karin long-windedly calls out. "I'm really sorry Haku-kun."

Shaking his endearing head to dismiss any need for an apology, Haku states, "I've already said an apology is unnecessary. It happens quite often and you've more than made up it."

"How so," Naruto asks between long slurps.

"Karin-chan is quite good with administrative work and research," Haku explains. "She's gathered all of Iruka's books on the subject of Clans and is already exploring the details around establishing your clan here in Konoha."

"Really," Naruto beams at Karin before correcting Haku, "and it's _our_ clan."

"Naruto-kun, I am not an Uzumaki," Haku states.

"So," Naruto answers with a shrug. "You're still apart of our clan."

"Agreed," Karin tells the beautiful boy, then continues to explain, "I've only just started, so there's still more to research, but I read a section on members of clans. To be a lawful member—that is to say legitimate in the eyes of the clan and the village—the person must be blood-related, married to a member, adopted by a member, or concubine of a prominent member, like the Head or heir. Though concubinage seems to be one of the lowest ranks of a member."

"What are the other ranks of a low member," Haku asks, wondering if this'll work out. Knowing Naruto, he's not going to care about some law and simply declare Haku a member.

"A slave," Karin answers and despite the noodles in his mouth, Naruto is clearly disgusted to hear it. "Not to be confused with an indentured servant, who merely works for the clan," Karin continues. "Slavery isn't really around anymore, which leads me to believe I read an out-dated book, but when it was more common, a slave was considered the property of the clan, thus, technically members but in the worst possible way."

"This should go without say, but when we make our rules, absolutely no slavery of any kind is allowed," Naruto tells them. Thinking of Hinata, he also adds, "even if one of our members marries a slave or low-rank member of another clan."

"Are you thinking about Hinata-chan," Haku asks, happy to see Naruto's cheeks blush.

"Ooooooohhhh," Karin sounds, scooting closer to the table as Naruto denies it. "Who's Hinata-chan? Is she your girlfriend?"

"No," an embarrassed Naruto calls back to Karin. "I don't have a girlfriend. Unfortunately, your cousin isn't exactly popular with the girls."

Haku actually snorts, and Karin practically bounces in her chair, asking Haku, "I want to know _everything!_"

As Haku starts, "well, Hinata-chan is just the sweetest girl and she looks like a princess, Ino-chan is stunning, a bit abrasive, but her heart's in the right place, then there's Sakura-chan… so far, I don't approve…"

Something sparks in Naruto's brain when Karin said she wanted to know everything. Sitting at a dining table, eating an awesome meal with loved ones, he suddenly realizes he has secrets that he doesn't want to keep from them but must. However, it's also true Karin and Haku aren't normal people so it should be okay to tell them, but Kurenai's voice tells him, '_those closest to us are in the best position to betray us, even if they don__'t want to._'

Shaking his head, Naruto calls, "um, guys," interrupting gossip chatter. "I… don't want to lie to either of you. You both mean so much to me—I know I only just met you, Karin-chan, but you do too and we'll only get closer. Anyway, I have secrets, three of them, actually, and I don't want to keep them from you, but for now, it feels better that I do."

"Why not tell us," Karin asks.

Thinking of his role as a Jinchūriki as well as Naru-nii's existence, Naruto explains, "it's very dangerous and or very heavy information." As Kurenai strictly forbade him from telling anyone about them, Naruto won't disclose that as much as Naru-nii or being Kurama's Jinchūriki, but he'd rather explain how much he dislikes keeping said secrets than continuing to lie by omission. "That's really all I can say for now, but, I promise, the second I'm able to be completely honest, I'll tell you both everything."

"Please don't feel any undue stress over telling me, Naruto-kun," Haku serenely declares. "I already know everything about your character I need to. Anything else is pleasantly superfluous."

"Um, well, I don't know if I want to know dangerous secrets just yet," Karin confesses. Being new to an entire way of living, she'd rather take it a day at a time. "Let's get to know each other a little more first, then we can go from there."

"Of course," Naruto happily agrees.

Curious if speaking in front of Karin about a specific topic is acceptable or not, Haku asks Naruto, "would what happened in the country of Wave be one of those secrets?"

"Nope," Naruto answers before asking, "why?"

Smiling, Haku cheerfully answers, "because I've been meaning to tell you that Zabuza-sama has finally returned and is in Konoha right now."

"What!" Naruto gasps, setting down his chopsticks as he yells, "really?"

Content and nodding, Haku adds, "and he'd like to speak with you."

Karin asks, "who's Zabuza and why the honorific?" Naruto and Haku then explain the broad strokes of what happened on his Land of Wave mission, to which Karin stands up, slamming her palms on the table as she yells, "you beat a former Kirigakure Anbu, now hired assassin! Are you insane!"

With an overly exhausted exhale, a resigned Naruto answered in a tuckered out voice, "maybe I should just start answering yes to that question. It's like it's the only logical reason for fighting Zabuza-jiji, as if Haku wasn't worth it."

"Well, it's… just…" Karin comes up short on how to explain it.

"Uncommon," Haku answer with a serene smile.

"Yeah," Karin agrees.

With everything he knows about the future, Naruto explains to both of them, "I don't have a death wish, but you guys should be prepared. My dream to be the absolute greatest Hokage means I have to fight the strongest guys out there. I can't avoid them, but I can promise you, whatever is out there, whoever I face, I'll always try to come back."

"You speak as if I won't be fighting right beside you," Haku asserts.

"Or like I'm going to let the Head of our clan die from his wounds," Karin adds. "I may not be much of a fighter but I'll heal any injury you take."

Heart-hammering happy not to say more, a jovial Naruto instead asks Karin, "I thought you were going to be the Head?"

"May I start calling him Naruto-sama now," Haku merrily interjects.

"I don't see why not," Karin tells Haku with a shrug.

"Hey, wait," Naruto calls out feeling the conversation run away from him. "Why me? I don't know the first thing about running a clan."

"And you think running a village is going to be easier than running a clan," Karin asks. "Being Hokage isn't just fighting the toughest threats, you know. Like, eighty percent of the time, it's all sorts of meetings and a ton of paperwork and that's exactly what the head of the clan does."

Though Naruto looks nauseous at the thought of paperwork and meetings, Haku adds, "if you truly wish to become Hokage, this would be a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable experience."

"Besides, you're from the main branch of the Uzumaki bloodline," Karin points out. "It only makes sense that it's you… Naruto-sama."

"Well, if there's any chance of me accepting, then we're _definitely_ not doing the whole -sama thing. No one's ever called me -san before. To go straight to -sama… that's too weird."

"Fine. Let's table this until after your coronation, Cousin-dono," Karin smirks. Before Naruto can dispute that honorific, Karin continues, "so Zabuza-san is in Konoha. Isn't that bad for you, Haku-kun? I know they told you to report meeting anyone from your past."

"They did," Haku confirms with no sense of fear for the repercussions. It's fairly evident Haku won't reveal Zabuza's presence in Konoha to the authorities. "He wouldn't be a master of silent killing if he wasn't also an infiltration specialist."

"If he already has Kubikiribōchō," Naruto starts. "Why doesn't he just take it? I wasn't going to use it anyway."

"That's not Zabuza-sama's way," Haku explains. "Despite his vices, he has a strict code of honor. He must defeat you to properly reclaim Kubikiribōchō, and he won't let it go until he's done so."

Grumbling uneasily, Naruto hoarsely asks, "so when does he want to fight?"

"He'd like to meet tonight to discuss just that," Haku answers.

"Fine," Naruto states, thinking, '_as long as it__'s talking and nothing else_.' Turning from a happier Haku to Karin, Naruto asks, "do you want to come, Karin-chan?"

"Sure," she answers with a shrug. Pressing her glasses back, she comments, "anything to do with you is basically clan business."

"Right back at ya," Naruto asserts.

Karin smirks as she then attests, "also, if this is round two, I should be there in case you need some healing."

Despite imagining being cleaved in two by a heinously evil and laughing Zabuza, Naruto shakes his head of the sickening thoughts and tells Karin, "I've been meaning to tell you, I don't like the idea of anyone taking advantage of you for your chakra. Only heal the people you want to, and if anyone gives you crap about it, you send them straight to me."

Trying and failing to hold in her joyful grin, Karin avows, "of course… Cousin-sama."

Naruto rolls his eyes when the memory of his clone's arousing conversation with Kurenai perforated his memory banks. He whole-heartedly thanked kami he was sitting with a table blocking Karin and Haku's view of his towering steel erection. With the pressure of his balls directing his very next action, Naruto crosses his fingers and calls, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," perplexing the other two.

The blond then hastens to tell the clone, "head to the library, check to see if they have that new scroll we've been waiting for, then head over to sensei's house to study." Due to Karin's presence, Naruto didn't voice the rest, but he didn't have to. His clone knows to alert him the moment Nai-chan returns home from her team's celebration so he can race right over.

"You got it, Boss-dono," the clones calls before he rushes out of the room, making Naruto groan at the honorific now being used by his clones.

Watching the clone leave, a very concerned Haku asks Naruto, "you won't contact the authorities, will you?"

"Of course not," Naruto answers his friend. He knows Zabuza isn't here to hurt anyone but him, and also comments, "I know what he means to you." When Karin asks what he's studying, Naruto answers, "our clan's specialty; Fūinjutsu."

Fighting through her sudden timidness, a huffing Karin asks, "w-would you be open to t-teaching me?"

"Of course," Naruto confirms, allaying her fears. "Everyone in our clan gets to learn whatever they want."

"Don't forget to add her to the Fūin security," Haku starts, however, when the beautiful boy continues, "we'll meet Zabuza-sama near midnight and it'll be best if she can enter Iruka's home on her own," Naruto panics. With swollen testicles and thoughts of an achingly aroused Nai-chan in his mind, she's the only person he wants to meet that late in the night.

With a hopeful tone, a pink-cheeked Naruto bids to know, "any chance we can meet tomorrow?" Thinking about how backed up he is and where he wants to unload it all, he adds, "like, in the afternoon? I mean, it's the weekend. Who fights on the weekends, right?"

"I think the sooner the better," Haku serenely answers. "He wasn't a fan of Dānyī-san's attempts to steal Kubikiribōchō and has decided to stay there in the meantime. I believe he'll stay there until it's dangerous to do so or this matter is concluded."

"Wait, Tenten-chan's dad," a curious Naruto calls as he recalls the man. "What about Tenten-chan?"

"He wanted me to let you know he'll kill them both if you do not show," Haku calmly explains.

Slamming shocked hands on the table as he stands, an act he can only do because the imminent threat to fellow Konoha ninja is an effective boner killer, Naruto loudly asks, "and you're just telling me now?"

Haku shakes his delicate head, reassuringly waving his palm as he confidently declares, "it's okay, Naruto-sama. I can assure you he will only kill them if they try to kill him first."

Rolling his eyes by Haku's extreme and incomparable logic, Naruto tells him, "forget about waiting until tonight. We need to go now."

"Shouldn't you rest first," Haku tells him. "It's barely been half a day since your fight with Uchiha-kun."

"I can't relax knowing Tenten-chan is being held hostage," Naruto returns as he rushes to his room to change into his usual orange jumpsuit and gather his combat gear. Exiting his room, Karin and Haku are waiting for him.

Moving in front of him, Karin extends her left arm in front of his face, "go ahead. My chakra will revitalize you."

Naruto shakes his head as he gently takes her hand and lowers it to her side. "Thanks, Karin-chan, but I'm not going to hurt you so I can feel better. Besides, I'm good to go."

As Naruto adds Karin's chakra to the security, the vibrant redhead half-jokingly points out, "didn't think I'd be meeting a notorious Kiri missing-nin today."

INO

At the dinner table, picking at her light meal, Ino couldn't stop thinking about the preliminaries. Everything about her during that monumental moment was… pitiful. Naruto nearly died and she was so pathetic she couldn't hug him as she wanted. She hadn't even wished him luck before his match because she was so confused by Sasuke's part in it. And the most she could manage was bumping his shoulder and acting cold toward him.

That's unlike her, but she'll admit she's never been tested in such a way. Before Naruto, having only one love made her priorities and responses easier. Additionally, publicly chasing after Sasuke during their academy days almost seemed like a right of passage for every young kunoichi. It was easy to proclaim to all her love when everyone could easily understand why.

'_Liking Naruto publicly takes a lot more courage than I realized_,' she mentally sighs. '_And I failed_.'

She didn't think she'd be so pathetic she couldn't hug the person she liked just because he wasn't popular. It was one of the now many moments in her life where she didn't feel like herself. She shouldn't care who's watching and what they might then say, but it's also true that Naruto is a very personal spot in her heart, in her life. When he walked up those stairs she wanted to hug him right away, but instead, she grew nervous and scared by the feeling.

That pissed her off.

'_I __**need**__ to be me_,' her mind yells and when her parents bring her out of her deep thoughts by asking, "when are you meeting your team-"

Eying them both, she interrupts them by admitting, "the boy who gave me the Fire Slipper Orchid was Uzumaki Naruto."

The shock on their faces is acute as they both set their eating hand down. Taken aback not only by their daughter's sudden admission but also by the one boy they hadn't expected, it takes them several silent seconds to process the information. Their daughter's eyes are serious but her eyebrows are drawn together, nervous, and her lips are pressed thin pulled to the corner of one side showing a hint of a dimple.

Her father clears his throat, then decides to eat rather than speak as her mother slowly voices, "I can't say I was expecting that…"

Ino feels more in line with her center—direct and fearless—and delves to further admit, "and I want him to be my boyfriend."

"Boyfri-" Inoichi manages before his throat forcibly ejects the nourishment half-way into his throat. "KOFF! CRUGHGH! Uuhhh… Uhhhh…"

"…Breath, sweetie," her mother reminds her father as she pats his hand. Turning to Ino, her mother comments, "you've certainly given us a lot to think about."

Just then, the entrance bell sounds, to which Inoichi gasps, "oh, thank Kami." Still clearing his bung-up throat, he hoarsely asserts, "I'll get it."

After her father rushes out of the room, her mother remarks, "you're going to send your father into an early grave if you don't ease him into information like this."

"Sorry," Ino says, though she can't help but feel a little better about speaking her truth. "I wasn't thinking, plus, I wanted you both to know."

"Well, I'm happy you finally told us," her mother responds. "What changed your mind?"

"You did," Ino admits. "I feel lucky to have parents like you and tou-san."

Mother reaches for her daughter's hand and gives her a grateful squeeze when they hear Inoichi call, "Ino, it's for you."

Unexpectedly following her father is Sakura, and Ino asks her parents, "may I be excused?"

"Actually," Sakura starts, turning to the head of the Yamanaka clan. "If I may, I have a favor to ask of you, Inoichi-san."

TENTEN

The very edge of Kubikiribōchō bit across the length of Dānyī's less than muscular chest, drawing blood and feeding the legendary sword. For as much as his daughter as his pride, the tied down retired shinobi does not allow more than a groan out of his throat upon the slow and long laceration of his skin and flabby muscle. The bleeding wound wasn't deep enough to kill or maim, but an agitated Tenten pulls at her binding at the horrible sight, trying desperately to free herself to help her groaning father.

"Alright," Tenten yells, looking from her restrained father to the Kiri madman. "Alright, ask me whatever you want! Just leave him alone!"

Though Zabuza stops slicing millimeter by millimeter into the seated and restrained older man's pectoral flesh, he doesn't remove the blade either. Zabuza simply holds the large heavy blade cutting into her father's flesh with a single extended arm as if it weighed no more than paper. Her sweating father's breathing is shallow so as to not inflate his chest. The large blade doesn't allow a single trickle of blood to leak down his torso as it fed on him.

"Tell me about the blond ninja you were trying to steal Kubikiribōchō from," Zabuza demanded from a distressed and tied up Tenten.

"I don't steal," Dānyī hollers at the Kiri assassin through shallow breaths. "It's not stealing when you and that demon brat are the filth beneath the heel of society!"

Trying to keep her father from aggravating the situation, Tenten hisses, "Otou-san," pulling on her restraints as she leans forward.

Turning his curious attention from Dānyī to Tenten, Zabuza quizzically repeats, "demon brat?"

"It's- It's what a lot of the villagers call Naruto-kun," Tenten quickly answers the assassin's small curious brows.

Wide-mouthed and head back, Zabuza laughs greatly from his thin gut, and to Tenten, there was nothing joyful about the cruel mocking sound. The Kiri-nin eventually rubs his eyes as he comments, "of course he'd be a demon."

Unsure if she was being brave or foolish, a very nervous Tenten fights the vibrant paralyzing mucilage coursing through her motor functions to ask, "how- how d-did he get Kubikiribōchō?"

"Ten," her angry and wounded father calls, impressing her he could be so angry under such killing intensity. No one in that room is under any delusion; Zabuza can kill them both before their brains can even grasp the end of their life has been reached. Along with her wounded father, Tenten doesn't have her team, the skills, or the diplomacy to survive this tall pale man, and under such a state, the most her training and strength can conjure is avoiding weeping tears of doom. Even speaking to this known killer is taking great effort for a kunoichi who's never been so near to death.

Dryly, Zabuza asks, "you want to know how he claimed Kubikiribōchō?" His small eyes glare into her stressed brown eyes, and though feeling like her insides are ready to spontaneously combust, she can only manage not looking away. Watching him lean back in his chair, uninterested, Tenten knows instinctively she's nothing to him and feels further dismissed when he shrugs and says, "it'd be a waste to tell you? You're the furthest thing from a ninja there is."

Taking a deep breath, she adds a courageous amount of heat behind her words, replying, "I- I am not!"

"Ooohh," Zabuza mildly smirks, humored, as her father calls, "Ten- Ugh!" Her father's words are cut off when Zabuza digs Kubikiribōchō just a little deeper, cutting a good inch into the elder man's loosened muscle.

"Otou-" Tenten tries when Zabuza interrupts her again.

"I've killed your type more times than I can count," Zabuza retorts with disgust. "You delusional-type talk because it's all you're capable of and because you're an obedient little sheep that follows."

Though his sweating and wincing head lulls some, Tenten's father calls out, "as if there's something wrong with following the laws and regulations of the land! That's how proper civilization runs you degenerate bastard- UGGHH!"

"Rather chatty for a thief with a big ass sword cutting across your chest," Zabuza amusingly comments, delighting in the pain he's causing the ryo grubbing thief. "Kubikiribōchō appreciates the grub though." Turning back to a highly worried and moist-eyed Tenten, Zabuza continues, "fuck society. One of the best lessons I ever learned was that people are nothing but sheep." Removing Kubikiribōchō from Dānyī hemorrhaging chest, the long wound finally bleeds red trails down his round torso as Zabuza moves closer to Tenten.

Dānyī yells, "stay away from my daughter-" and is cut off with a cry of pain when Zabuza slices a fresh gash against the tied man's stomach. The thin trails dribbling from the pulsing red wound at his chest reach Kubikiribōchō edging into her father's stomach, feeding the starving blade yet again.

"Say one more word and you're not going to like what I do next," Zabuza warns the helpless father. Returning his small devilish eyes on Tenten, he tells her, "my father was the monk of the only temple in our village. I was five years old at the time, a young demon even then, and one day, before he spoke to the gathering of followers, he pulled me aside and told me, '_son, this is wherefore the function of a Nins__ō shall at each moment always be superior to that of a lowly shinobi._'"

Zabuza took a moment to let out a heated, anger-restrained exhale, tickling his vocal cords to produce a low growl and send a frightfully cold paralysis down Tenten's spine. Cornered and captured mentally as much as physically, Tenten can't even stop listening if she wanted to as he demoralizes and deconstructs something previously safe within her.

"In an effort to teach me the strength of his position, he gave me a horn big as I was that I was to blow in every seven minutes during his sermon. He was a weak and petty man, so I didn't care, but I did it anyway. The first time I sounded that horn, he stopped preaching, dropped to one knee for two silent seconds, then got back up and continued yapping. Everyone there naturally thought it was odd; looking around like idiots. I thought he'd lost it, myself, but the second time I sounded that fucking horn, two followers dropped to their knee along with him; for two seconds before standing back up again. The third time, a dozen worshipers took a knee with him before standing. The fourth time, they all took a fucking knee. Not out of obligation. He didn't order them or even make mention that he was going to act that way. They simply followed blindly, and to this day, with all the murders and slayings I've committed, that's still the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my life!"

Gripping Dānyī's entire face with a painfully tight grasp, the angry assassin glares directly in the choking arms dealer's eyes and practically yells, "it's when I learned that none of you mattered more than nourishment for the strong. Your sheep-daughter was born to warm my bed and you were meant to feed my sword, you thieving cow."

Turning back to back to Tenten, he grips her by the throat, gripping her thin anatomy shocking hard as he stares into her shaking eyes and states, "I see the same quit in your eyes, girl."

"N-no," a hollow and tearful Tenten manages.

"Ten," her father weakly voices. "He's g-goading you. There's nothing wrong… with b-bein a fol-lower. We _**all**_ follow!"

"She's a quitter," Zabuza accuses her.

"I'm… not," Tenten tries to yell through gritted teeth.

"If you don't die now," he starts shaking her thin but strong neck. "You will, peacefully, in your own bed from old age. And no one but your pathetic, fatherless offspring will know your name," Zabuza assures her with all the certainty of his decades as an elite ninja.

Trembling, Tenten couldn't respond. To be so easily forgotten, to be passed by unnoticed, to amount to nothing, it was her worst fear. And without knowing her, Momochi Zabuza easily grasped upon the very thing she feared most about herself. It's why her father's capitalistic nature or her mother's abandonment is never worth mentioning. The only thing that mattered to her was becoming someone important to the people of her village. It was a beautiful dream that filled her with warmth when she was alone.

Zabuza then adds the final thorn in her heart.

"Sheep like you will never amount to anything," cutting her deeper than his sword ever could when a distant fist knocking against wood sounds throughout the room. The grip at her throat tightens but it didn't matter to Tenten; she already felt lifeless. As the man's senses traveled well beyond her home and business, Tenten wanted to find a hole, crawl in it and die. Instead, Zabuza cut her binding with his short fingernails, and with her father as a hostage, he orders her to open the shop's door.

Spiritless, Ten drags her feet down the stairs to the door, and the closer she moved to the freedom beyond the doorway, the more she hoped and prayed for the person knocking to be the answer to this madman. With her father held to his sword's edge should she disobey, she does as instructed and unlocks the door to allow Ōyashiro Izumo to enter the store.

He was a tall skinny man with long beige hair, a trim cut goatee, hazel eyes, and milk-white skin. He wore a baggy brown tunic over a teal long-sleeve shirt and pale green pants. Tenten doesn't recall meeting the man, but she's heard of him often enough from her father and immediately looks for and finds the pink bangle around his right wrist, a trade-mark accessory of the Ōyashiro family.

"Upstairs," Zabuza orders from the back of the store though it sounds as if he's right next to them.

On their way, Tenten whispers to the tall and stern man in a tunic, "_get help. He__'ll kill us_."

"My dear," Ōyashiro sweetly calls from beside her as they walk to the back of the store. "I remember your mother when she was younger and you are even more radiant than she. Time and death certainly have a wonderful feature of showing us what truly matters, do they not? Though I would not like you to think less of me, I must be who I am and explain that despite knowing your father and your mother for some time, my business comes first, followed by my safety, and if at all possible, I'll certainly help those in need, for a small fee, of course."

In the seconds it takes Tenten and Ōyashiro to travel from the front door to the apartment upstairs, Tenten hopelessly acknowledges that this man is cut from the same clothe as her bleeding father, faithful servants of the almighty ryo. With Zabuza at the far end of the room, casually leaning against the dining table, Tenten moves beside her tied up and now gagged father.

Observing the sweating, bleeding, and pale Dānyī, Ōyashiro callously begins, "I'd wondered why my old colleague failed to meet me at the scheduled time." Turning to the tall assassin with the executioner blade, the veteran dealer continues, "when Terumī-dono introduced you as a traveling monk of her acquaintance, I believed her—you were quite convincing, after all—however, I'd have to be blind not to recognize Momochi Zabuza, the _previous_ owner of Kubikiribōchō."

"You should leave, Ōyashiro," Zabuza orders, confident the merchant isn't going to draw attention, considering the ninjas he's smuggled into the village.

"I certainly intend to do so," Ōyashiro kindly states. "As soon as my business in Konoha has concluded."

"Then get out while you can," Zabuza warns the old merchant. "Because if you think your business has anything to do with Kubikiribōchō, then you've wasted a trip."

With a short bow, the merchant calmly speaks, "with all due respect, Momochi-dono, I don't believe it is."

Kicking the chair Dānyī is tied up to with his long leg, the Demon of Hidden Mist tells him, "don't blame me because you trusted this filth enough to sell you smoke."

"Then I ask, why are you here," Ōyashiro almost ponders to himself rather than ask Zabuza. "The executioner blade is already in your possession. Why not flee? Whatever more could be keeping you here, I wonder."

"…I don't see how that's any business of yours," Zabuza cautiously comments.

"But I believe it is," Ōyashiro continues. "As you know, I have two legitimate buyers for the legendary Kubikiribōchō, one hailing from your very country, the other from parts I will not disclose. How slighted do you believe this other party would feel toward you, Terumī-dono, and your country, for not only wasting their time and resources, but additionally taking away their opportunity to at least bid on such a magnificent weapon?"

"I can't tell you how excited that makes me," Zabuza happily expresses. "To think they might come after me… _mnn!_ There's nothing better in this world than feeding Kubikiribōchō still-warm blood from hacked and butchered bodies."

"I understand, Momochi-dono," Ōyashiro apathetically articulates, not bothered by the man's clear blood-lust. "Then, if I may ask, who does Kubikiribōchō currently belong to?"

Ōyashiro waits a moment for an answer but Zabuza only grows irate and silent. Without concern for his safety, Ōyashiro continues, "you said it wasn't Dānyī-san's to sell, and I know my old friend wouldn't have lied to me if he didn't think he could, at the very least, attain the weapon before I arrived, which tells me it couldn't have been in your possession. I've been a tradesman since I was a little boy, Momochi-dono, and currently, my instincts are telling me this amazing sword isn't yours to do as you wish either. So I ask again, who does own Kubikiribōchō? So that I may speak to him."

Barely coping with Zabuza's growing tension, Tenten wanted to yell to Ōyashiro to get help, but she's also amazed that such a slight and weak old man would be unshrinking in the face of such a monster. Tenten attributes such gall to his many years navigating perilous negotiations with villains from every corner of this world.

"If I may ask my old colleague," Ōyashiro says as he takes a step to Tenten's father, however, Zabuza effortlessly levels the heavy-sounding Kubikiribōchō right against Ōyashiro's neck, stopping him from speaking with the gagged man.

"It'll be mine soon enough," Zabuza admits.

"I see," Ōyashiro smoothly admits. "That's wonderful, Momochi-dono. May I assume it will occur through a challenge of some sort?" Zabuza's stern silence is answer enough for Ōyashiro, and the merchant continues, "I see. Might I know the date and time of the match so that I may bear witness? You have my word I only wish to observe the outcome."

"There's only one way it'll end," Zabuza confidently claims. "Kubikiribōchō will be mine once again."

"And if it isn't, would you give me your word you will not interfere in the sale-"

Ōyashiro is halted when Zabuza presses his giant sword against his pale skin, mastering the weapon to irritate the skin red rather than cut into it. Amused, Zabuza heralds, "you have a pair on you, Ōyashiro. Perhaps I should feed Kubikiribōchō your blood. My blade is starving for more."

The moment drags on in painful and tense silence until there is a patterned combination of knocks on the door downstairs.

"It's your lucky day," Zabuza remarks to the tradesman, removing the blade and settling it on his back. "Be a good sheep and get the door." Despite being called sheep, Ōyashiro bows before he exits the apartment.

_When_ this nightmare will end doesn't concern Tenten nearly as much as _how_ it ends. Bandits, thieves, protection detail, fighting other genin, lawn work, runaway cats, other mundane tasks have all been her ninja experience up to that point, but she's never come across an enemy shinobi of this strength. This was an assassin who wouldn't spare a second thought about killing them for attempting to take his sword, and still, her mind wonders how such a weapon could've possibly ended in Naruto's possession.

The blond was such a mystery to her she was beginning to hear his voice say odd things like, "who are you?" Her frazzled mind's mental slip corrects itself when she realizes that came from downstairs. "Where's Tenten-chan," she hears yelled, so grateful to recognize the loud voice, she's near to tears.

Tenten had been amazed by Ōyashiro's bravery despite Zabuza's clear strength, but she was absolutely dumbfounded when the blond oddity rushes upstairs, takes one look at her and yells at the Kiri assassin, "what the hell Zabuza-jiji!" Naruto rushes to her despite the constant threat Kubikiribōchō poses in the hands of a former Anbu and suddenly her vision is filled with the worried, blue-eyed countenance of one Uzumaki Naruto.

The blues of his eyes search her over for any wounds as he asks, "ne, are you okay, Tenten-chan?" He then spots her heaving, pale, sweating, bleeding father and calls out, "ah, uh, Haku could you make sure he's okay?"

"As you wish, Naruto-sama," Haku immediately responds.

"When did that brat upgrade to -sama," a lazy Zabuza asks and Haku plainly tells him as he walks to Dānyī, "he's the head of his clan now. It's unofficial, though, not for long."

But Naruto only cares to yell at the assassin, "what gives? Why didn't you just come to me? You didn't have to involve them."

"Ah-ah, shut it," Zabuza yowls with mild irritation. "I didn't touch Buns and that trash had it coming. Trying to steal Kubikiribōchō is a crime punishable by death."

"Says who," Naruto asks loudly as he helps Tenten up.

For some reason, Tenten couldn't let go of his orange sleeve and she didn't understand why. She wasn't hurt, nor does death seem as likely anymore. Holding his sleeve like a lost little girl was humiliating, and yet, she simply can't make her tight hand let go.

"Might I hazard a guess and say you're the owner of Kubikiribōchō," Ōyashiro asks Naruto from behind him.

"Who cares about that," Naruto tells the merchant. "Come on Haku, let's get him to the hospital."

"He'll be fine," Zabuza calls, effortlessly bringing Kubikiribōchō to Naruto's neck, and to Tenten's immense surprise, Naruto just shoves the blade away, as if it was nothing more than an annoying twig. Smirking, Zabuza reminds the blond, "we still need to settle our showdown, brat."

"It's Naruto," her fellow genin calls back, gently patting Tenten's hand. It was an unexpected comfort she was immediately grateful for, and to her relief, it helped. She felt control in her hand once again, yet, she chose to hold on for just a little longer. "You'd think you'd remember the name of the ninja that beat you."

"Tch, it was luck," Zabuza declares defiantly.

"Lucky you survived, jiji," Naruto tells the Kiri-nin as Haku and a red-haired girl treat her weakened father. "I know how you old dudes tend to be brittle in your old age."

Quickly setting his shoulders for a fight, Zabuza growls, "you fucking- I'm not even thirty yet!"

"Now that I think about it," Haku comments aloud as he looks at Zabuza. "You've never once told me your age."

"Do eyebrows recede," Naruto asks Haku.

With eerily calm confidence, Zabuza growls, "I'm going to kill you," raising his killer intent to the point Tenten feels like she can't inhale a decent breath of fresh air. She grips his sleeve tighter, yet, to her amazement, Naruto doesn't buckle.

Naruto simply glares defiantly as he asks, "why are you here? I thought you'd still be recuperating."

"Obviously, I'm here to kill you so Kubikiribōchō will once again be mine."

"Hmph!" Naruto calmly rebuffs. " You're not going to kill me so you might as well forget about that right now."

Staring daggers at the daring blond, Zabuza growls, "I can't wait to see the look in your eyes when it finally sinks in tonight'll be the last night you breath."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto bemoans, cleaning his ears much to Zabuza's growing annoyance. "Let's just get this over with."

"It feels like you're not taking me seriously here," Zabuza notes. "Not that I care, but from one demon to another, only the last one breathing keeps Kubikiribōchō."

"I don't want Kubikiribōchō," Naruto responds. "That sword doesn't fit with my fighting style."

Stepping closer to the blond, Haku suggests, "Naruto-sama, this would be a good opportunity to try diplomacy. You're going to have to learn to settle things with other strong and angry men without resorting to violence."

"There's only one way this is getting settled," Zabuza tells Haku.

As Naruto tilts his head in deep thought, Haku responds to Zabuza, "it doesn't hurt to try."

"How's this for diplomacy," Zabuza irately tells them. "When I win, not only will I take Kubikiribōchō, but I'm killing the thief and taking his daughter. Of course, Haku will be my weapon again."

Tenten freezes at the plausible turn of her fate. Haku remains serene as ever, unbothered by the possibility of murderous change while a confused Karin asks Haku, "uh, are you okay with that?"

"Of course," Haku serenly answers. "As a tool, I love both these men more than life itself. If one dies whether by the other's hand or not, I will mourn him while following the other."

"You're a special cookie, aren't ya," Karin mumbles, though Haku only smiles merrily.

Naruto was quiet throughout the exchange, staring sternly into Zabuza's eyes. After another moment of silence, Naruto tells the tall Kiri-nin, "that won't work, but, it doesn't matter because I'm going to win. And you're not going to die because I'm not going to kill Haku's special person. So, when I win, I'm lending you Kubikiribōchō and you have to stop doing bad stuff like kidnapping people and hurting them for no reason."

"Counter-proposal," Zabuza insists. "I kill you and everything else falls into place like I expect, but if for some ungodly reason you manage to pull off another little miracle, I'll… _borrow_ Kubikiribōchō and I'll give you the option of keeping Haku or the Bun Head."

Shocked by a ludicrous counter-proposal, Naruto yells, "what?"

Zabuza threatens, "we both know if I say the word, Haku will come right back to me."

"You can't do that," Naruto asserts, glaring at the much taller assassin.

However, Zabuza gravely reasons, "if you can't choose Haku over everyone, then you don't deserve him."

"But that's wrong!"

As he sets Kubikiribōchō comfortably on his back before Zabuza raises a hand seal to his chest as he asserts, "then prove it, Naruto." Chakra created mist swirls around the tall Kiri-nin, shrouding the man, his scratchy voice rings out, "Haku knows where to go. If you don't show, I'll kill the thief and his daughter," before the Demon of Hidden Mist disappears.

* * *

So, a couple things,

I was having the hardest time trying to put Naruto in multiple places and have it all make sense when it suddenly hit me, he CAN be in multiple places at once. I felt like such a moron, lol!

I hope all that talk didn't bore you guys, but trust me, I only kept what I needed to move the plot forward. Like I said, this was a lot of set up and expansion on characters. The next several chapters will have more Action, LEMON-Y LEMONS, Training, and good closure. Again, sorry about the lack of lemons, but, seriously, next chap!

I know some of you may have wanted more of a punishment for Kakashi than that grim warning, but I just couldn't stop thinking about how amazing a younger kakashi must've been. He probably rarely failed. True Sasuke nearly killed Naruto and that's crazy bad, but they're ninjas in a dog-eat-dog world and Naruto is fine. Any other time, any other person, for sure, victim is dead and attacker and likely teacher are jailed. Reasonable stuff like that just doesn't quite mesh well with my Naruto. It could be just me. I certainly don't like Naruto having a hard life, but such is the path of the hero.

If you didn't figure it out, Sakura asked Inoichi if she can stay with them. More on that next chap.

Hinata is getting a little ballsy. More on that as well.

I do sort of feel bad for Temari. Someone mentioned in the comments why Gaara would even know about sex if he's always alone. I assume he's not an idiot, that he's also a male, that he also reads books, and he didn't specifically tell Temari to have sex with Naruto. He wanted her to use her body or mind to make Naruto fall in love with her. Subtle difference.

Lastly, I created a page, NOT for fanfiction, as I don't want to violate any sort of copyright laws. It was suggested to me by many lovely fans that I should get a page, so I did. For those who would very much like to show support of my person beyond the realm of comments, likes, and favorites, the link is below(hopefully it works), plus, fanfiction is about the passion of a fandom not monetary gain.

The page I created will be for original novels I'm going to write(but I'll answer questions or post stuff about my fanfic) and if anyone would like to support me in that regard, I'd be blown away by any donations. At the moment my donation is only $1 dollar until I figure out additional benefits worthy of higher tier.

Also, I posted that Naruto/Tsunami scene I had originally wrote and cut out on there. You don't have to donate in order to read, because, again, it's not about the money, but, it's there and free if anyone wants to read what I had written about those two crazy kids :)

Pay-Tree-On.

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The name on the page is Grae Foxx

If you read the Naruto/Tsunami Lemon scene, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you thing, and as always, thank you and have a great one,

-Grae


	24. 24Always

I did not think I was going to update today. For those that follow me on social media or , you know that I nearly lost this entire chapter. I was in the final stages of editing when the computer crapped out and corrupted the file. Because my google drive auto syncs and saves, it then saved the corrupted file. With u/NarutoNamimaki and u/Cannibalisticapple help on reddit, I found an older version, before it corrupted, that I was able to work from and finish this 18K chap. So, a very grateful thank you to them!

This chapter is quite large and it technically could have been two chapters but everything felt better together. Plus, I still have a lot planned for the chapters ahead so this is a nice clean break before the next update.

Warning: Violence, Blood, Language, Descriptive Lemons.

18K. Enjoy!

* * *

INO

After her father happily agreed to help her pink-haired former friend, former rival, and current undetermined relation, Sakura follows Ino into the blond heiress's bedroom before closing the door behind her. Ino doesn't find it strange at all for Sakura to once again be in her room, let alone ask her clan for assistance. Their bond was strong that way.

With concern, Ino asks, "do you really think you're in danger?"

"Kakashi-sensei is just being cautious," Sakura answers as she stands in the middle of the clean and fragrant room with her luggage over her shoulder. To bring her luggage with her to ask, Sakura must've assumed they would say yes, making Ino smirk at the audacity.

"I'll make sure tou-san knows to beef up the night patrols," Ino comments as she moves to her walk-in closet. "Our cousins always ask for extra hours anyway."

"Thanks," Sakura mentions, looking around awkwardly before slowly asking, "um, I'm not staying in here, am I?"

"Of course you are," Ino states loudly from within her closet, visibly looking through a long line of cool colored outfits.

Sakura's shoulders slump and her heavy bag slips off as she asks, "why? Your home has, like, five empty bedrooms."

"Why not," Ino casually asks as she walks out with a neatly hung royal purple mini skirt, a white long sleeve crop top, a purple scarf, and black thigh-high leggings. "We're not having sex again, if that's what you're worried about."

"No, I'm not worried about that," Sakura huffs with pink cheeks, wondering how Ino can be so casual when bringing up sex. "I thought you liked your personal space. I mean, I could be here for weeks or even a month."

"I don't care," Ino tells the pinkette with a shrug as she begins changing. Sakura promptly turns around as Ino asks, "do you want the bed?"

"I-In another room? Yes," she asserts before queerly stating, "and you should care. I didn't think I should come here after everything that's happened between us, but you're offering me your bed like it's just another sleepover. How do you _not_ care?"

"I'm not forgetting everything we've been through," Ino mentions as she zips up her mini skirt, checking over her skirt and bra form in the full-length mirror. "I wouldn't dare forget, as if I did nothing wrong."

Turning to the womanly figure of the Yamanaka clan's most prized flower, Sakura wants to know, "then how can you be so calm about this?"

"We may not be best friends, or friends, exactly, but we're no longer rivals," Ino begins, taking a moment to don on her long sleeve crop top before continuing. "We have history, a lot in common, most notably boys, and hell, we were even beaten by Hyūgas."

Recalling those chillingly veined white eyes seeking her our to destroy, Sakura shivers as she mouths, "ugh, don't even mention their name." Gripping her tummy, she adds, "my stomach still shudders at the thought."

On her bed and slowly slipping on her black thigh high leggings, Ino chuckles as she claims, "I actually feel lucky matching up against Neji-kun. I was so weak, he didn't even use his Byakugan on me."

Nodding in clear understanding, Sakura asks a content Ino, "so, are you being nice or casual about this because you feel you owe me?"

"No," Ino asserts, standing in front of the mirror again to make sure the threading of her legging is straight and isn't pulling unduly anywhere.

"Well, then I don't understand," Sakura heaves, roughly setting down her large backpack. "You raped me, then blackmailed me, repeatedly…" Sakura pauses as her mind quickly evaluates the cause and effect of everything that's happened to her in the past couple of months, mostly how it relates to Naruto and Sasuke; her positive opinion of Naruto rising in equal proportion to her hard realization of Sasuke.

'_He__'d kill me or my parents as easily as he nearly did Naruto_,' her mind repeats for the thousandth time as a mostly dressed Ino takes Sakura's bag and drags the heavy pack beside the desk.

Moving to sit on the bed, an objective Sakura comments, "look, I hate being this aware of this reality, but I can't say I don't prefer the brutal truth, no matter how colorless, tasteless, loveless… bleak… challenging… grotesque-"

"Alright, I get it," Ino calls out with a smirk as she drags the desk's chair in front of Sakura and takes a seat, crossing her toned legs.

"It would be so much easier if you were evil about it all… but the truth matters," Sakura huffs, recalling her role in it all. "You did something horrible to me, but I was doing something horrible to myself. I hated you for what you did, but… if I wasn't so…"

"I get it," Ino speaks. In her perfect posture, Ino enjoys the serenity clarity tends to offer. She's grown confident because she has the answers Kurenai-sensei helped her to learn and it shows. Content in herself and her environment, Ino light-heartedly affirms, "neither one of us was in the right mindset. Kind of like being in a pit we, not only, couldn't get out of but didn't even know we were in. Thoughts and emotion dictate our actions and if we only ever thought of Sasuke-kun in a world where any mission could be our last, our actions would fall in line. Everyone told us we were acting boy-crazy, but we couldn't listen because we hadn't woken up enough _to_ listen. I mean, how often did your short term goals matter compared to your long term when it involved the last Uchiha?"

Recalling her Optimal Plan, Sakura can easily tell Ino, "every spare second I had was dedicated to Sasuke."

Nodding, Ino adds, "we should've been training instead of worrying about our hair and nails. In my case, nothing else mattered, and from that standpoint, the decisions I made for myself weren't healthy ones. All that said, I'm aware that despite the reason, despite my own lunacy for Sasuke, I know what I did to you and I know what that makes me. We were best friends but I raped you. I want to see you succeed but I blackmailed you. Rivals to roommates, yet, evil nevertheless."

"No," Sakura quickly interjects, staring at the most confident girl she's ever met with confusion. "Maybe if you look at individual actions, people can do evil. Forcibly taking another person's life is inherently evil, but if that person is a terrible criminal, we can all live with it." Her thoughts strayed to Sasuke as she quietly adds, "I'm only now realizing that the world isn't so black and white, just a lot of variations of gray."

"That's what I mean," Ino points out. "A lot of my dark gray is directed toward you-"

"Uh, don't forget braking Naruto's heart," Sakura quickly points out.

"Oh, don't even," Ino expresses. "At some point in a month, year, or decade, he was going to seriously ask you out, and the _**only**_ course of action you were going to take was to seriously break his heart. Don't blame me just because I sped up the natural course of events. And don't pretend you didn't enjoy yourself. I can't remember the last time I ever saw you so dazed and euphoric. You weren't even like that when we had sex-"

"SHHHH," an incredibly embarrassed and tomato-red Sakura shushes with angry green eyes.

Looking at Sakura dumbfounded before gesturing to the warm and empty room, "we're alone, you loon."

Feeling exhausted, Sakura falls back in the bed, bemoaning, "ugh, Kami, I shouldn't have come here."

"It's not surprising that you did," Ino informs her standing up and moving the chair back to her desk. "You probably feel what's taken me a while to figure out."

Propping half her body on her elbows, a confused and curious Sakura asks Ino, "what? That I must be out of my mind for coming here or that my life is so messed up right now that you were the best option?"

"Neither," Ino answers, voicing further as she takes a kunai, and as many kunoichi do, straps it to her thigh underneath her mini skirt, "like I said, I was thinking deeply about why go so far for and against you?" Ino then walks over to Sakura and extends her hand, which Sakura hesitantly takes before lifting the pinkette to her feet.

They're close enough to feel each other's exhale and Ino continues, "out of all the other kunoichi in our class, after everything I did, why you? Thinking, thinking, thinking, I finally figured it's more than just love when we were little girls and more than just rivalry when we grew up. I was so relieved when I figured out that there's a unique bond between us that I don't feel with anyone else. You challenge me, infuriate me, inspire me, all while loving you just as much as I can hate you."

Beside Ino's bed in the purple and personal room, the blond beauty takes Sakura's other hand and holds it comfortably firm as she continues. "The only word I could think of that fully encapsulates all of that, is sisters. Obviously, we're not blood-related and much more tenderhearted sisters exist, but, you're the sister I chose before I even knew I had, and I'm the sister you chose, and I know, no matter what, I'm always going to love you, even when I hate you. I'm always going to be there to call you a brat when you need it or a genius when you're being absolutely brilliant. I'll always cheer for you, protect you, console you and everything in between for as long as we live because I love you, Forehead."

Ino takes a tearful Sakura into a firm, warm, and comforting hug before whispering, "I have to go meet my team, but I'm sorry I used my jutsu on you. I'm sorry I did those horrible things to you, and I'll never do it again." Ino takes an emotional Sakura's docile head gently by her jaw and presses her cushion pink lips against the girl's forehead. Ino then clears the single tear streaming down her cheek before leaving the pinkette in her sanctuary.

KURENAI

The walk to their home was silent but comfortable. Kurenai is relishing in her team's excitement earlier that evening and though Kiba and Shino asked many questions about Naruto, Kurenai used the moment as a training lesson to make certain her students know never to make assumptions based off of third party information. Kurenai was proud of Shino when he noted Hinata's apt comprehension of the Naruto their class only _thought_ they knew. Even after drinks with Asuma, Kurenai's night with her team was a validating celebration for every member of Team 8.

As they enter their home. Kurenai's senses pick up on a figure in her bedroom, however, her keen senses didn't detect anything malicious or suspicious. Add to that the only person with Fūin access to her home, other than herself and Hinata, is Naruto. Knowing she's only moments away from finally connecting with him made her warm between her legs. Daydreaming about how hard he'll take her and pound his rock hard meat into her made her aroused mind work out a detailed plan on how they'll sneak out after Hinata falls asleep.

"Kurenai-sensei," Hinata starts, drawing the stunning woman's attention. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, Hinata, with stern lilac eyes, informs her sensei, "I've only returned to grab a few things."

Nervousness doesn't show on the girl's beautiful face, however, Kurenai was wondering if her pupil sensed the man in her bed as well as deduced that the only person it could be was Naruto. Hinata seems too assertive for that to be the case, and casually asks, "what do you mean?"

Hinata answers, "I've decided to return home to undergo special training until the month is out. Father has agreed to train me and I feel that I need it."

"Oh," Kurenai sounds, managing not to let her disappointment show. With the addition of Hinata's decision, that makes the set now. Toward the end of their night out, the Aburame and the Inuzuka clan heads show up to thank her for her diligent tutelage but also to take this opportunity to train their children in clan techniques to better prepare them for the final test. If she considers that her genin may face each other in the finals, it makes sense that they are trained separately, however, Kurenai hadn't expected Hinata would also ask to return to her home for clan training.

As any dutiful sensei, Kurenai responds, "well, I'm certain this will be beneficial to your future."

"I know it will," Hinata clearly states with more confidence than she's seen in the girl. The conviction didn't last long, however, as the indigo-haired princess lightly blushes before affirming, "but I still need your training as well. I made certain father knew I couldn't have made it to the final test without you. So, I was h-hoping… W-we… c-c-could…" A steadily blushing Hinata takes a deep breath before finishing, "there was one t-tr-training m-me-method… I… Y-you… C-c-confi ence tr-t-t-t-train- ing."

"Hinata," Kurenai clearly voices with authority, drawing more attention from the overly blushing beauty. "Breath. Remember, you're always safe to speak your mind with me and are encouraged to express yourself without judgment. No matter what others might think or say, you always have the right to speak your mind, especially in our home."

Nodding, the red-faced girl gathers her courage to speak, "I wou-would like t-to continue our c-confidence tr-training."

"Confidence training," Kurenai wonders aloud, trying to recall such a training when the blushing cheeks make it click into place. "Ah, you mean Genjutsu training." When Hinata nods, Kurenai asks for clarity, "I thought you were getting along well with Naruto-kun. He even used some of the techniques you taught him." Much to Kurenai's amusement, Hinata blushes red hot at that.

"W-we do," Hinata stutters, restraining her innocent smile. "But, I- Iwanted… Hug-hugging is…"

At the girl's crippling physiological reaction to the thought of physically embracing Naruto, Kurenai became frightened Hinata might actually pass out. Though her precious student's love for the blond that Kurenai is physically intimate with should feel odd, Kurenai can't say no to such a courageous face. It's a mild unease, at best, so easily sidelined that Kurenai, instead, focuses on the warming pride she feels to know Naruto gives this beautiful girl so much strength.

She happily tells her student, "of course. Practicing physical contact, like hugging is a great way to become more comfortable, not only with that person but with yourself. And the more comfortable you are with yourself, the more confident you can be in anything you do."

Hinata nods in complete agreement, determination once again returning to the girl's eyes as Kurenai conveys, "just give me some time to properly prepare, then we can start right away."

"Thank you sensei," Hinata calls out as she hugs her, and with a happy heart, Kurenai hugs her back just as hard.

Thinking about her blond lover, Kurenai becomes both excited and scared as she answers her student, "you're always welcome, Hinata-chan."

NARUTO

"Sorry, Haku…" Naruto starts, staring at the now-vacant space the Demon of Hidden Mist disappeared from. "But Zabuza-jiji is such a dick!"

In the apartment above Ten Out of Ten, as Karin notes with certainty, "he's not far; probably watching us from… forty-five meters away," Haku just smiles with acceptance of his special person before asking, "would you like to leave now?"

"We have to take Tenten's dad to the hospital first," Naruto says turning to the bleeding weapon's merchant.

"We can't," Tenten tells him. "Zabuza stuck one of out exploding notes on his back—the type only Zabuza's chakra can disarm—and told us if we stepped out of the shop, he'd die."

"That monster is going to kill me anyway," Dānyī voices from the floor.

"I believe it, old friend," Ōyashiro consoles with a slow nod of his head.

"You're no friend of mine," Dānyī retorts. "You, who'd sell your own mother for an exotic animal."

"You always throw that in my face," Ōyashiro huffs with outstretched palms that highlight his long skinny fingers. "I bought her back," the dealer whines.

"Karin-chan is correct," Haku tells Naruto. "Zabuza-sama will be watching us. As it's your decision, what would you like to do?"

"If I may," Ōyashiro directs at Naruto gaining everyone's attention. "I'd be very eager to witness your match and promise to stay _well_ out of the way."

Looking oddly at the man, Naruto consents with a nod before turning to his cousin. "Karin-chan, you stay here with Tenten-chan and her dad-"

"I want to come too," Tenten quickly states, regretting how unnecessarily meek her tone was.

Cautiously, Naruto asks the bun-haired girl, "don't you want to stay with your dad?"

"I do…" Tenten expresses, looking from her angry father to Naruto. However, the questions she has about this blond are burning inside her. She needs to know why Zabuza treats him differently and proclaims, "but I need to see this."

"I'll make certain she remains safe," Haku offers.

"Fine," Naruto agrees. "Let's go."

Walking down to the store's steps to the weapon's inventory, Naruto notices the very weapon he's been saving his ryo for. Though he still can't afford the pair, he turns to the frazzled brunette and asks her, "hey, Tenten-chan, you mind if I buy one of them? I promise to give you the ryo for it tomorrow. Ah, and I'll eventually buy the other one."

"Here you are," Ōyashiro states dropping a roll of Ryo on the counter before taking and handing Naruto both of the lightweight, black, knuckle blades. The young blond knew he loved the weapons the moment Asuma let him use his. They were so ideal, he hardly felt them, but like an extension of his body, he simply knew they were there.

"I can front you the money, no interest," Ōyashiro continues, adding, "if you would but grant me an audience after your match."

"You don't have to," Naruto responds, finding the man a bit weird. "I can pay… for one."

"Consider it a bet, if you will, on future events," Ōyashiro replies. "Ryo is of little concern when one has more than half the country, however, where people place their value has always been a great source of enjoyment. I'd be very interested in witnessing this second miracle Momochi-dono spoke of."

Naruto hands him one of the chakra blades back, informing the arms merchant, "I don't mind talking after, but I can only afford one right now, so I'll give you the money for it later."

"Very well, Uzumaki-dono," Ōyashiro says with a smile and a slight bow before denoting, "I'll hold on to this one, in the meantime."

"Gimme," Tenten demands, extending her hand to Naruto, who is confused. Answering his confusion, she explains, "if you're going to use a weapon, I can get you something better than that. That's a chakra blade. It's not fully sharpened, and on top of that, you need to be able to manipulate the nature of your chakra to use it properly."

"I know," he confirms. Having continued his Futon chakra control even after he learned the Rasenshuriken, and practiced with Asuma's chakra blades, Naruto effortlessly creates a long blue blade out of his wind-natured chakra, very much to her dumbfounded surprise.

Wide-eyed shock clear on her face, Tenten can't help but immediately ask, "are you ANBU or something?"

FOREST OF DEATH

After his smirk, the group exit Ten Out of Ten and together with Ōyashiro's blond bodyguard, who the merchant vouched for, they sprint the tops of buildings and scale walls for forty minutes before hopping over the tall fence of the Forest of Death.

Naruto glumly mouths, "of course he'd want to fight here. How's he even know about 44?"

"I told him you were taking a test in the forest of death," Haku mentions. "He seemed to like the sound of the training ground. He has a surprising flair for the dramatic."

"I'll wait here," Ōyashiro states as his pretty and quiet bodyguard sets the man down. She has sharp blue eyes that Naruto can't help but appreciate; very observant, which he notes must be a good trait to have for a bodyguard. Also, his brain likes the fact that his father, Ino-chan, and himself all have blue eyes and blond hair.

Sensing a palpable danger heighten deep in the thick forest vegetation, many in the group can even feel animals moving away from the monstrous predator as Naruto tells Tenten, "I think everyone should wait here too."

As if to answer that proper precaution, the forest begins filling with a thick mist, slowly swallowing every moss infested tree, bush, and stone. Without preamble, and to Tenten's surprise, Naruto simply rushes into the thicket of mist. His eyesight becomes a varying degree of gray and white and little else.

Naruto puts his fingers together and calls, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A duplicate of himself pops into existence before calling, "henge," and the clone transforms into a Fuma Shuriken. Gripped firmly by Naruto, he hops on the nearest tree fog-covered and sprints to the very top.

Fortunately, Kubikiribōchō is large and heavy, and though Zabuza can use it silently, it's that very silence Haku had explained gives it away. So when Naruto's trained ears suddenly detect a slight dip in the ambient noise of the Forest of Death, he knew Kubikiribōchō—in the hands of the silent killer—was cutting through the molecules in the forest air before it's edge finds tree bark where Naruto's neck was previously.

The blond couldn't even detect Zabuza strike or disappear, hindering Naruto's ability to counter, and though Naruto dodged Zabuza's first strike, the genin can tell the veteran shinobi was only testing him; not that counter-attacking mattered. Continuing his mad sprint up the fog-shrouded tree, Naruto knows he can't fight in this fog and Kakashi-sensei always tells him the terrain in a battle often determines victory or defeat, which Kurenai later translated plainly to, '_make the battle-field more comfortable for you to fight in._'

Naruto narrowly evades Zabuza's attack four more times before the blond reaches the top of the giant tree. The visibility wasn't clear of fog even at that height—it was everywhere—but Naruto didn't need it to be clear there. With the charged Chakra coursing his muscles, the blond shinobi leaps hard off the last stable branch, reaching a couple dozen feet into the air before he throws his Fuma Shuriken even higher into the night sky. Falling back, he nearly missed his landing due to extremely low visibility.

Naruto brings his chakra blade before him and it amazes him how odorless, inaudible, invisible, imperceptible Zabuza is in a fragrant and noisy forest even when he clearly speaks as if beside Naruto's ear, "I don't know what that was supposed to accomplish but it won't work. The one clone turning into twelve clones and landing in the thickest part of my mist won't do anything."

"Hmph," Naruto defiantly sounds, maintain all his heightened senses to detect the invisible man. "I don't want to hear that from the guy who lost to me once already."

"You know what the worst part for you is about that day," Zabuza menacingly asks. "It's your one trick that won't ever work on me again."

"It's got nothing to do with that," Naruto voices into the great swirling white and gray mist as he begins feeling the wind pick up

"What are they-" Zabuza starts to voice when he realizes there's now a rapidly growing cyclone swallowing the Kiri-nin's chakra created mist.

Naruto smiles as the wind becomes more violent, slowly clearing his sight of the fog as he tells the veteran ninja, "you're going to lose because it takes more strength to protect than it does to destroy."

Sprinting toward the center of the cyclone, Naruto begins to receive bits of memories of his clones being sliced up and lands in the fog-scattered field just as his last clone is forcibly dispelled. Using twelve powered up first-stage Rasengans near enough to each other in a circle to create a huge cyclone is something he's always wanted to do, though he isn't sure why the vortex of wind didn't continue when, almost immediately, he realizes Zabuza dispelled twelve clones with stage one Rasengans in the tens of seconds it took him to reach the clearing.

The fog may have cleared, however, it's still dark with little moonlight reaching the small grassy field. In the dark fogless field, lugging his massive blade on his shoulder, Zabuza turns to Naruto as he lands in a small clearing between many tall trees. Their eyes adjust to the darkness while his feet feel cold covered by the moist mist settling just a few inches above the grass.

With a more balanced playing field, the pair of shinobi stare at each other, knowing no words or pleas were going to prevent the battle of conviction that lays ahead. Zabuza is a renowned assassin extremely capable of killing Naruto, however, the young genin knows the veteran is wrong. And more than anything, Naruto doesn't want Haku to bury either one of them, despite how possible it may seem with a shinobi like the Demon of Hidden Mist.

In an instant, they both rush at each other, clashing their weapons in the middle of the field to very bright sparks, illuminating their focused faces and the nearby vegetation. Large, strong, and brutal, Zabuza battles Naruto with all the rage of a demon, effectively using the momentum of the bright clash to follow with another wide swipe. The large man and his imposing weapon are louder in Naruto's ears, nearly deafening as he expects and parries Zabuza's following strike with his chakra covered knuckle blade.

Suspiciously accustomed to Zabuza'a style, Naruto isn't surprised when the veteran buries the tip of his blade into the dirt after missing his head and uses the motion to lead into a short combination of punches and kicks. He then tapers his body's rotation by recovering his large blade and attacking all over again. It's as if ninja and weapon take turns rotating attacks, like two tops spinning in turns. As he had against Haku, Naruto has an easier time with the slender man's fists and kicks, however, the size and weight of the weapon bats Naruto back, violently shaking his guard painfully down to his entire body's marrow.

Undeterred, Naruto evades or blocks each fatal strike, however, even when Naruto blocks the long sharp sword, meeting it head-on still clips Naruto in the shoulder, thigh, or other unguarded muscle groups, drawing a mist of blood out of his tense and chakra-filled body. Yet, in defiance of the stinging pain, Naruto's resolve holds firm. In his combat state, he's aware of these movements, and despite feeling Zabuza's overwhelming experience and battle savagery, Naruto's confidence in himself keeps him on his feet and his conviction for the future he's trying to forge ahead strengthen his fists.

'_They need to see what else is possible_,' Naruto's mind yells as he counters Zabuza's sword with his chakra covered blade, vibrating his bones to his clenching teeth. Naruto knows there's another way, and it boils his blood that so many shinobi, including the vicious one he's battling, can't see it.

When the elite ninja isn't actively trying to concuss Naruto's brain with bludgeoning shots, the blond expects the slicing swipes to any one of eight choices; liver, lungs, spine, subclavian vein, jugular vein, kidneys, heart, brain. Even when Naruto evades, the strike is so near to his skin it deafens his ears and cold-burns his skin. With the weight and momentum for hard unstoppable hits, it forced Naruto to jump with the strike, getting sent back dozens of feet to avoid standing his ground against the worst of it.

Their fist-pistoning attacks are so fast they create a whistling noise from forcibly displacing the molecules in the air, however, Naruto doesn't have the same reach, leading him to stay low and direct his strikes toward Zabuza's legs. Yet even then, dodging left to be kicked by the right sent a stunned and bleeding Naruto flying while Zabuza makes four rapid hand seals before calling out, "Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu."

After a deep inhale, Zabuza exhales a laser beam of a large quantity of water at Naruto. Narrowly dodging the first beam of water rips at his right sleeve. Upon the follow up water-based attack, Naruto focuses spinning chakra to the very center of his left hand and thrusts the strong rotating energy forward. It wasn't the Rasengan, but the first and second stages of the powerful technique meets the water lance head-on, and though a grunting Naruto felt the impact nearly shatter the bones in his hand, pushing him back in the process, the whirlwind of futon chakra spins and spreads the water lance like a spinning drill breaking through the tough earth.

Zabuza didn't let up, however, adding more and more fury to the high-pressure laserjet of water that a yelling Naruto matches. The water is cut and redirected like rays of sunlight hitting a ball of mirrors, only in this case, the stream of water cuts through branches, gouges tree trunks, shrubbery, and skins the surface of stones.

The left sleeve of his orange two-piece jumpsuit is shredded off by the time Zabuza finally relents, and only then does Naruto realize there was so much water created by Zabuza's fierce attack, the level reaches his thighs.

Elevating himself to the surface of the water with his chakra, Naruto takes a knee on the waving pond created as he inhales in deep breaths while Zabuza looks on. The tall ninja with his blade on his back seems angry in his thoughtfulness before he mouths, "Haku…"

Shaking his head of any further words, Zabuza quickly begins another series of hand seals and he's already on his thirteenth seal when Naruto realizes what his next attack will be. Rather than stopping the elite Kiri-nin forty feet away, the blond instead claps his hands together and through an extended cry, gathers all the chakra within him, going so far as to even ask, '_Kurama, hold your chakra back for a little bit._'

'_**Don**__**'t wanna**_,' Kurama returns from within his seal. It takes a lot of Naruto's chakra to perfectly maintain his energy's balance along with Kurama's. His chakra coils grow larger as a result and Naruto rarely, if ever, has full access to all his chakra. Much of it mingles with Kurama's in order to maintain their equilibrium, giving the Demon fox a connection to the outside world. So, Naruto understands when the Demon Fox says, '_**I feel nearly nothing when that happens**_.'

Focusing as much of his spirit energy to his core before Zabuza finishes his forty-four seal technique, Naruto tells his partner, '_it won__'t be for long_.'

'_**…Are you going to ask about multiple mates-**_'

'_Yeah! Yeah! Fine_,' Naruto mentally yells as Zabuza calls, "Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu."

From the expansive waving pond they were standing on, as well as, the invisible thinness of the air, small globules of water all rush together to form a twenty-foot serpent of water with the head of a dragon. Like being in a storm, the heavily displaced water the crouched Naruto is standing on waves toward the kinetic energy expelling out of the monster. Tree trunks rumble, tree branches shake and most of the water is either blown away or sucked into the chakra serpent.

Ignoring the sting of needle-like water striking him on powerful gusts of wind, a drenched Naruto focuses on his staggering rise of strength feeding his aching muscles until it bursts from the tenketsus of his physical form, not unlike Kurama's chakra shroud. All his aches disappear and the response of his physical strength feels as if he can lift a mountain. As his skin tingles with electric goosebumps, he quantifies the strength currently rushing through in him at one tail of Kurama's chakra, so despite Zabuza's giant aquatic monster screeching before it attacks, Naruto yells, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Though two hundred clones are created, a score of them is immediately destroyed as the water serpent barrels through the throng of clones. Though Zabuza notes many of them leap out of the way and into the forest, the small muddy field between the trees is chaos of storming water and advancing clones attacking the large water dragon in vain. Zabuza then takes note of a few clones creating that blue ball of chakra that had surprised him on the bridge before and attacking him.

Smiling, Zabuza confidently shouts, "it's like I told you before," bringing out his gigantic sword with every intention of showing the blond his one trick won't catch him unawares again. Sprinting directly to the barrage of Rasengan carrying Naruto's he yells, "that's not going to work on me again!"

True to his word, Zabuza makes light of the weaker Narutos, dodging deftly and countering perfectly. After four incredibly fast hand seals, the elite demon is shooting dense, armor-piercing water bullets from his mouth as his water dragon wrecks trees, uproots trunks, and destroys as many clones as possible.

Chakra blade extended as far out as a normal sword, Naruto attacks Zabuza from the front, yelling, "and I told you-" before they clash and Naruto's blade chips into Kubikiribōchō, sending sparks out as both shinobi glare into each other's eyes. It was the first sense from Zabuza; a sense of someone afraid to fail. To fail what, Naruto couldn't discern, but it was honest, and it spurned Naruto to fight even harder then he currently felt capable.

"That true strength comes from the will to protect," Naruto triumphantly chants, and as if to prove his point, from the very top of the tall trees, one clone followed by two others are plummeting at a tremendous velocity with the clone in the lead spearheading a Rasenshuriken in hand, before slamming the destructive technique into the spine of the distracted water-beast.

A large shock-wave of extreme pressure from the expanding spirit energy vaporizes the water and forceful steam explodes outward, as a gigantic dome of a countless microscopic wind blades shred the aquatic dragon, dirt, muddy grass, and stone into nothingness. The way the water catches the light gives the entire murder dome a soft bluish-white glow as Zabuza and Naruto are blown away along with any remaining clones.

Mentally out of it with a horrible ringing in his ears, a sluggish Zabuza slowly makes it to his feet and witnesses an incredibly large and sizzling hole at the very center of the small field. Trees are bent, broken, or blasted away. Branches, stone pieces, and dirt are scattered across the even forest floor. The only thought to pass through a snickering Zabuza's mind was, '_fucker could kill me if I__'m not careful_.'

A groan to Zabuza's right alerts him to the blond shinobi benching a large branch off his chest, however, a glint to his left from moonlight catching sharpened metal helps him locate Kubikiribōchō stuck halfway into a tree trunk. Before he can take a single step toward his weapon, one of the blond's clones lands on the handle, leveling his chakra blade in front and ready to fight. Looking around, another three clones appear and already begin to make his signature technique in defense of the weapon.

Feeling winded himself, Zabuza's mind couldn't help but ask, '_how the hell does this brat have so much power?_'

Upright and breathing heavily, a muddy, bleeding, and soggy Naruto is holding his right side in clear pain, but in the moonlight, Zabuza can see the blond's eyes are slitted near to that of a predator and knows this shinobi won't quit. Quitting isn't in him, and the older man can't help but smile at that before asking, "Haku taught you my style didn't he? It's the only way you could know how to survive all of my tricks."

"We sparred… almost every day," a heavily breathing Naruto admits. "But I didn't know… that's why he fought… that way," Naruto claimed, wincing from a stabbing pain his mind is attempting to block as his body tries to heal; tries to press on. "But you still… don't get it. Haku's will to protect… is stronger than this fight."

"You're counting your chickens before they hatch," Zabuza claims before lowering his stance to combat readiness. "I'm still standing."

Naruto smirks, realizing aloud, "Haku is protecting us both," before charging after the taller ninja. Zabuza fights an armed Naruto bare-handed and with his skill, size, and experience manages to just barely maintain the advantage, but no matter the slip, the punch, the kick, Naruto evades, counters, and keeps on coming until, the experienced ninja accepts Naruto's bladed strike, catching the sharp metal through his left palm before twisting and redirecting it to the surprised Naruto's chest.

Though Naruto stops adding Fūton chakra to the blade, the dull material of the knuckle knife penetrates the muscle of his own left hand, a defensive catch that only allows an inch of metal to pierce his chest. Both their hands skewered and bleeding on one another, Naruto and Zabuza glare at each other like raging lions until the genin's right hand lets go of his chakra blade to grip the assassin's left elbow for what's to come.

Without even looking the pair know what the powerful howling of a large broadsword spinning thrown toward them by a clone is without looking. Naruto's baby-blue, slitted eyes glare at Zabuza in open challenge, setting his feet wide and holding firmly in place for the large butcher's blade to dismember them both, however, Zabuza isn't worried and only smiles demonically. Just before the loud spinning blade reaches them, the elite Zabuza leaps high enough for the spinning blade to harmlessly drive-by underneath him. Holding firm himself to keep Naruto in place to be severed in half, Naruto easily read Zabuza's eyes as they say, '_not good enough_.'

Zabuza hadn't expected the large sword to burst into a puff of white smoke and be replaced by a clone with a Rasengan already formed. Though the clone's attack would've missed Zabuza still mid-leap, Naruto drops to his knees sinking the midair Zabuza low enough for the clone to hit the tall shinobi right in the gut.

So long as the equilibrium of the spinning spirit energy remains in check, the spinning ball of chakra is an effective kill technique. However, Naruto doesn't want to kill Zabuza and allows the compact hurricane to explode forcefully upon contact rather than maintain its shredding spin, rocketing the former Kiri ANBU forty feet away, scrapping skin against the ground with every bounce until he hits one of the large trees still standing with a loud '_thwack!_'

When Zabuza awakens, his once peaceful mind is immediately bombarded by volleys of sheer agony from the number of broken bones and shredded muscle. He then realizes he can't move; not due to being restrained in any way, but because his fevered and dirty limbs feel heavier than he currently has the energy to lift.

With busted blood vessels filling the whites of his eyes with red and wincing from the intense pain, Zabuza looks to the dark forest above sinking in his sight at a snail's pace. It's when his slow mind realizes he's being carried before eventually discovering he's being carried on the shoulders of six clones, almost as if he were a casket being taken to his gravesite.

"If Haku…" Zabuza grunts in pain but ignores it, as he's been trained to do. "If Haku… hadn't shown you my style… you'd be dead."

Tilting his view to the seventh Naruto, who's left arm is in a splint made out of the remains of his orange jacket, limping on his right foot, dirty, sweaty, bleeding from multiple lacerations nowhere more severely than his swollen left hand and injured pectoral. Even half-dead, the boy still has enough strength to lug Kubikiribōchō over his right shoulder.

"No," Naruto huffs. Thinking of an appeased Kurama, Naruto adds, "I wouldn't."

With a concussed brain and, likely, a fractured skull, thinking hurts the elite ninja, however, after a moment, Zabuza recalls aloud, "the red… chakra."

Feeling a great wave of laughter from his torn gut, Zabuza only chokes out blood onto the blond hair of the nearest clone, prompting the clone to angrily communicate, "watch where you're spitting Jiji," at the same time the real Naruto mumbles, "easy, easy-"

"You didn't… even… use your _ugh!_ full power," Zabuza yells, immensely amused, half choking out more red liquid, half laughing.

Rolling his eyes at the bleeding psycho, Naruto reiterates, "I told you… we didn't need to-"

"Yeah… we did," Zabuza heaves. "Now I know… the only way… to kill you… is… the most boring way."

Frustrated, Naruto spits red saliva from his muddy and bloody mouth before berating the elite ninja. "Will you stop trying to make Haku sad!"

"Haku knows… who I am," Zabuza returns. "Don't worry… when I _do_ kill you… it'll be an end… befitting of a true… shinobi."

"Urgh… I don't even want to know what that means," Naruto groans. "But I'll take you on… anytime. And for Haku… I'll kick your ass… and make sure we both survive… because… he'd be sad… if one of us died."

"Guess I'll take… the bun-haired brat," Zabuza voices pityingly, as if Tenten is a consolation prize, going so far as to add, "might be able to… make a decent weapon out of her."

"You're not taking Tenten-chan," Naruto huffs with bored finality as if he understands more who Zabuza is.

"I said pick, didn't I," Zabuza reminds the blond. "Haku… should be more important… than some chick… or even, your village. Unless you don't think… I'll really take Haku with me."

With dizzy thoughts of future Sasuke, Naruto angrily retorts, "trying to force someone to stay… when they really want to leave doesn't work, you idiot. It's not my place to decide for Haku. If he ever wanted to leave… I know I'd hate it. I'd probably beg for him to stay… but I won't physically try to stop him. As long as Haku knows he can _**always**_ rely on me… that I'll _**always**_ be there for him… then that's all that matters."

"…Ugh, shut up," Zabuza bellows. "You're making me feel worse than I already do."

"That's called your feelings," Naruto hums. "Because you're such a loving and caring Jiji."

"SHUT UP," Zabuza nearly yells, then immediately regrets it, turning silent as the throbbing agony nearly knocks him out.

"You're taking Kubikiribōchō back," Naruto declares with authority. "And you're going to stop doing bad things to good and innocent people."

"…I'm… not," Zabuza stubbornly returns. "I work… for the highest bidder. As long as they pay… I do whatever they want… whether that's killing women and children… assassinating a Kage… or planting damn trees."

"But you don't have to-"

"Kubikiribōchō is yours," Zabuza cuts him off, wincing in pain for his efforts. "So… _if_… you're …willing to let me earn it back… I'll work for your clan… when it's up and running."

Naruto's aching mind takes several moments to realize what Zabuza is offering, and calls out, "oh… yeah sure."

"Having said that," Zabuza voices between his raspy breathing. "You still have to pay me."

"What," Naruto yells then winces. "But I barely have any ryo as it is!"

"Not my problem," Zabuza maintains.

"…mnn, if I sell Kubikiribōchō, I'd probably get a ton of ryo-"

Growling, Zabuza yells at the blond, "do that and I'll definitely get it back and kill you with it!"

"Sheshesheshe- owww… oww… ugh, Kami," Naruto moans from compounding pain radiating throughout his body. "Whatever, Jiji."

NARUTO

"Zabuza-sama," Haku calls, landing in front of them from the high branches above. "Naruto-sama," an unsettled Haku adds, immediately looking over both men before beginning to treat them. As the clones gently set the tall man down, Haku takes a scroll of Naruto's design and unseals several vials of green and white liquids and pills. Handing Naruto a few, Haku then takes the initiative to pour the medicinal contents between Zabuza's lips.

Falling from the trees above, Tenten yells, "Naruto!" Landing near the bleeding blond, Tenten simply looks at her fellow ninja in sheer amazement, forgetting everything but the simple fact that the genin Uzumaki Naruto beat the elite Momochi Zabuza.

"Hey, your dad's fine now," he tells her befuddled expression. Despite her clear shock and silence, Naruto heaves the legendary broadsword from his sore shoulder and extends it to the young weapon's specialist, asking, "mind holding this for me?"

Further amazed, she hesitates to ask, "you… trust me?"

With a lazy shrug, he stipulates, "as long as you promise not to run off with it-"

"I won't," Tenten quickly interjects. "I wouldn't! Not after…" Tenten trails off, turning her view to a concentrating Haku treating Zabuza before noting each and every one of Naruto's visible injuries. "I can't believe you actually beat the Demon of Hidden Mist… after everything my father said and did… I didn't even defend you-" which voicing aloud only made her realize, with widening eyes, she's exactly as Zabuza had identified her, '_sheep,_' saddening her beyond belief.

"Uh, it's fine," Naruto claims, pressing the large blade forward, disrupting her train of thought and process of shame. "I've heard worse and I don't think you're a bad person, so will you hold it for me? It's kinda heavy."

"Of course," Tenten states, mentally chastising herself for not aiding him as much as she can. As Tenten takes Kubikiribōchō with one arm and rests the hunk of metal over her smaller, yet strong shoulder, she asserts, "we need to get you to the hospital!"

"Naruto-sama," Haku calls. "If I can use your clones to bring him somewhere safe?"

"Yeah," a dog-tired Naruto nods before telling one of his clones, "let Karin-chan know she can take Tenten-chan's dad to the hospital, then make sure she gets home alright."

As Haku, Zabuza, and the clones leave, an exuberant Ōyashiro steps forward, addressing Naruto happily as, "Uzumaki-dono. A moment of your time before you tend to your wounds." Extending the other, much cleaner, chakra blade, the weapons merchant articulates, "a gift."

"Wait a minute," Tenten interjects, careful not to hit anyone with Kubikiribōchō over her shoulder. Staring angrily at her father's merchant friend, she declares, "Ōyashiro-san knows he needs to be more specific about the reason behind gifting, so all parties know there haven't been any violations."

"Why, yes, of course," Ōyashiro slowly agrees. "Konoha does have laws like that, don't they. My mistake." Turning to Naruto, the arms vendor states, "I freely offer Uzumaki Naruto-dono a gift, a single chakra blade, as a show of good faith, without any special conditions or restrictions or obligations expected from him."

As he looks on at the partner of his chakra blade, a weary Naruto can't think much more than knowing the politics of sales is confusing and turns to Tenten. The blond at least trusts that Tenten knows about these things and after her stiff nod, he to shrugs and takes the weapon, citing, "thanks. I'll get you the ryo for the other one tomorrow."

Nodding, Ōyashiro states, "would you be opposed to speaking when next we meet?"

Glancing to the man's expressionless bodyguard a moment before looking at the elder merchant, Naruto asks, "uh, what was your name again?"

"Where are my manners," the merchant claims with a smile before bowing. "We haven't been formally introduced. My name is Ōyashiro Izumo, from Ōyashiro's Global Services. As a merchant clan, we manage a far and wide network of trading, rather successfully, I might add, and it's through my contact here in Konohagakure that I was able to learn of Kubikiribōchō's availability."

"Oh," Naruto slowly voices. "I guess we can talk…"

Naruto's eyes suddenly focus on the curvy blond bodyguard eying Kubikiribōchō on Tenten's shoulder. For the briefest of moments, he has the impression she was going to steal it when another presence makes itself known from the shadows in the trees above. Naruto didn't know who it was, but, the blond woman takes a step back when the merchant quickly bids Naruto and Tenten, "goodnight and be well, Uzumaki-dono."

Turning to the blond woman insistently, she easily picks up the elderly man before leaping into the tree branches above. Watching them go, a slanting Naruto felt ready to pass out then and there. He's slept in the dangerous forest many times before and has no qualms about doing so now, however, Tenten pats him on the shoulder, telling him with a smile on her face and a large sword over her shoulder, "let me help you."

Tenten takes out a scroll from her pouch and stores Kubikiribōchō within it then gives it to Naruto. As he stuffs it in his pouch next to his chakra blades, Tenten turns her back to him, kneels, and offers her back for a piggyback ride.

"You sure," Naruto asks.

"Of course," Tenten calls out. "It'll be faster this way." Straddling her hips with his one good arm around her neck, Tenten uses her chakra to bolster her muscles and leaps into the branches above before sprinting out of the forest of death.

Disaster only struck the pair after they reached the field outside of the perimeter of Training Ground 44. Once in the middle of the cool, moonlit field, sprinting fluidly through the swaying tall grass, the clone Naruto sent to Kurenai's house had dispelled, and aside from happily meeting a stunning green-eyed, tan-skinned, and silver-haired woman interested in Fūinjutsu in the library, the immensely sexy sight of Kurenai tongue-kissing him before seductively telling him, '_Naruto, I need you in me_,' while stroking his groin gave him an erection then and there.

Despite his blood loss, his raging boner dug into Tenten's lower back, who jolted at the feeling as Naruto instinctively tried to move his lower self away, causing them both to fall to the ground. After rolling and sliding to a stop, a dusted Tenten rushes over to make certain Naruto isn't worse for wear only to notice the large tent popping from his crotch. Blushing madly, Tenten turns around as a modest Naruto tries turns away from her.

Though a blushing Tenten made many octaves of sounds spill from her mouth, it couldn't be described as words, to which Naruto asks, "uh, Tenten-chan? Why don't you head over to the hospital, check on your dad, and I'll just meet you there."

"Uh, but, wait, no," Tenten starts to respond. "I can't leave you like this-" And at the sight of him keeping his obvious arousal away from her, amends her statement. "I mean, injured! I can't leave you _injured_. Not… uh, your-"

"Thanks," Naruto interrupts in a high-pitched tone. "But I'll be fine, I promise. I'll be there before you know it."

Slowly, she answers, "…Okay. And Naruto?"

"Yeah," he voices, awkwardly looking over his shoulder.

"Thank you," the grateful brunette expresses, trying hard not to look below his neck. "For saving us."

"Don't worry about it," Naruto returns, waving his hand.

"Please don't brush what you did off," Tenten calls out, taking a step forward in spite of his obvious state. "I thought I was going to die, and… and we were horrible to you. You didn't have to help us, but you did anyway, and I'll _always_ be grateful to you because of it."

"Well, that's nice of you… to say, I mean," he awkwardly says with a nervous chuckle. "I'm just glad you're okay." When she doesn't move, he continues, "really, Tenten-chan. We're Konoha shinobi. You would've done the same for me."

With a stern nod, Tenten leaves Naruto. Though the mentally congested, horribly fevered, bloody, and dirty blond is still fiercely hurting, he's no longer hemorrhaging freely and only feels throbbing pangs of extensive pain rather than throbbing pangs of extensive agony. Under the night's whitish-blue moonlight, Naruto travels as best he can through the lamp-lit lights of Konoha's dark streets but with his injuries, it does take more time than he'd like.

Finally reaching Kurenai's home, rather than press his chakra to the Fūin security platform, Naruto knocks on the door before using the wood barrier to ease himself to the floor. Pressing his back against the solid entrance to keep himself upright, looking out to the pleasant tranquility of the night and happy to finally be home, a content Naruto smiles with relaxing joy.

KURENAI

Awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, Kurenai felt vulnerable, discarded, weak, tricked, and foolish. What was supposed to be an occasion of celebration, did not end as she had hoped. Hot and frustrated, Kurenai turns in her bed as she counts down the positives that unfairly warped to negatives.

All three of her students made it to the final test of the Chūnin exam, and yet, now she must stand aside while others continue their education. Her opportunity to be honest with Asuma went from one drink to three and no closer to telling him her feelings regarding them. Her groping tongue-kiss of Naruto's clone, and expectation to see him soon, turned into over an hour of waiting and an absent bed-partner. Kurenai isn't angry by the turn of events, just horny and frustrated. Evidently, the day is refusing to treat her kindly.

Socially meeting Asuma at the crowded Jōnin bar, Elite Spirits, easily reminded Kurenai why she fell in love with him in the first place. She reverted to all their old patterns with the ruggedly handsome man, and not only was it easy to go back to that and play along, but it was also a comforting role, like an old favorite dress that still fits. Laughing with Asuma in their favorite booth in their bar, her insightfully imaginary brain used probability to navigate that future-line with him and it felt a bit lacking… less impactful… less fateful.

In her bed, tightening her warm legs together, Kurenai reasoned Asuma was no longer her only favorite dress. She's gained a newfound adoration to an orange dress she hadn't expect to love wearing rather often. Her newer, favorite dress, to put it aptly made the world and her influence in events much larger. The power of sex, her beliefs, her team, her missions; her future-line with Naruto was everything a strong independent person could want.

And Kurenai's need to see her blond lover only grew when she learned her time with her team will be cut down to a third of what it once was; essentially team meetings and drills. Though she didn't let it show, it was depressing for the Inuzuka, Aburame, and Hyūga clan heads to take their children for special clan training.

Kurenai knows she's being a little dramatic, however, after watching Naruto's near death, losing her students, and gaining more objectivity with Asuma, all in one day, she felt out-of-sorts and vulnerable and couldn't help the irrationally reoccurring thought, '_my students are leaving me__…_'

So, after finding Naruto's clone reading on her bed, she walked right up to him, grips him desperately by the hair and jaw and kisses him deeply, drilling her tongue deep in his oral cavity and greedily siphoning as much of his saliva as she could before eventually pulling away. Stroking his groin through his pants, she wantonly expresses, "Naruto… I need you in me."

After the dazzled blond came to his senses, he popped away instantly, and at the latest, Kurenai expected the real Naruto to burst through her bedroom door in fifteen minutes. She fantasized he'd be ripping off her clothes in under ten minutes and ramming inside her seconds later, however, laying in bed, hot and bothered, she felt foolish and desperate when she looks to her clock and counts aloud, "an hour and twenty-three minutes."

Too restless for sleep, Kurenai considers pleasuring herself with her orange toy when she hears a slow yet powerful knock at the door. The only people she would ever expect at that time of night can enter without knocking. Unsure who could be visiting her at such an hour, Kurenai slips on some underwear, black silk pajamas, and her red robe before making her way downstairs. Her expanding senses reassures her there's no observable threat to her for a mile, though she picks up on a person sitting against her door. Disarming the Fūin security and unlocking the entrance to her home, a bloodied Naruto's upper half slides back and lands flat on his back.

"Naruto!"

Dropping to her knees, her alarmed mind can't even begin to assess his major injuries from his minor ones with all the dried blood, dirt, mud, and grime caked on him. His filthy and torn jacket is being used as a splint for his left arm, the swollen hand of which has dirt and dried blood over a sealing gash. That same dirty arm is redder than the skin tone of his body from severe irritation. Additionally, his chest is caked with dried blood from a pectoral puncture, the skin around his right eye is purple, and under his nose and mouth is dried blood. His breathing hitches and his right ankle also looks swollen.

"…Yo," he tells her with a weak grin.

"What happened," Kurenai calls, leaning closer to inspect every inch of him. Kurenai knows a few rudimentary healing jutsu and places her palm over his chest. But before her green chakra can begin to diagnose his wounds, Naruto's hand reaches her face, palming it affectionately.

His blue eyes are a well of happiness she can easily become lost in when he tells her, "you always say honesty in communication is important." Taking a deep breath, he admits, "don't freak out, but I just came from fighting Zabuza-jiji-"

"What! How! Why!" Kurenai immediately responds, before hastily dropping that line of inquiry and concentrating her green-covered hands on healing what she can, stating, "nevermind! I'll get you to the hospital and alert ANBU on the way-"

"Don't," Naruto slowly tells her, softly pinching her cheek. "We just had a disagreement, is all. It's fine now."

"That may be the case," she starts, feeling a wave of adoration for the way he pinched her cheek. "But he's a missing-nin from our Bingo Book who's within the village. I'm obligated to-"

"I know," Naruto replies, nodding as best he can. "I know, but, I'm asking you not to… for now."

"You're putting me in a terrible position," she hates to admit, moving away from his warm and dirty palm.

"Yeah," Naruto states with a soft smile, letting his palm drop heavily. "Trust me, Nai-chan. I do mean only for now and I'll tell Ji-chan. Plus, Zabuza-jiji can't even get up right now. He won't hurt anyone."

Letting out an exhaustive breath of air, her hand caresses his face as she responds, "for now, I'll keep it to myself… however, _I_ will inform Sandaime-sama as soon as you're okay." When he nods with his beautifully warm smile, she moves on, saying, "we have to get you-"

"It's fine. I just need some sleep and I'll be fine," his softly admits. "More importantly… Nai-chan… I'm home."

Snorting before a pained smile graces her red lips. She hooks as much of her falling midnight hair behind one ear, leans down, and kisses his stained lips. Though she can tell how weak he is from her meager Iryō-ninjutsu connection, he had strength enough in his lips to make her feel safe, weightless, relieved, and happy. When she pulls back, she softly and happily tells him, "welcome home."

"Uh, did you just kiss a damn kid," Anko's voice travels from the pathway leading to the open door of her home. Kurenai freezes, chastising herself for losing so much focus she couldn't detect another person, '_**ten paces away**_,' her mind counts. Her closest friend witnessed her kiss a boy eight years her junior. Never having been in a situation like this, Kurenai's mind and heart become septic with panic and short-circuits.

"Uh, don't hate me," Naruto voices as his head begins to lull, weakly adding, "but, I'm going to pass out now." With his eyes traveling to the back of his head, he finally yields his consciousness to the pain-relieving darkness of deep recuperative sleep.

ANKO

Due to noninvasively torturing Haku-kun and Karin-chan for any relevant information or confirmations Konoha has in their foreign intelligence records, Anko knows Uzumaki Naruto-kun lives in the Chūnin-sensei, Umino Iruka's home. Given the late hour, she had expected him to be home, however, when she's certain no one was home, the curvaceous kunoichi left.

Unfortunately, Naruto's living situation is all she knows about the blond boy's day-to-day. Aside from being the Jinchūriki, his favorite food stall, and declarations of becoming Hokage, she doesn't know his hangouts or preferences, which makes finding him on a random night difficult. Walking the path from Iruka's residence through the shinobi's residential area, Anko decides to postpone her search for the boy for the rare opportunity to see her babe, who lives nearby.

Being a proctor for the Chūnin exams on top of her work as a special Jōnin for T.I.F. she hasn't had much time for anything of late, let alone nights out with her beautiful friend. They had chatted in the tower during the second test, however, it was never long conversations before one of them needed to be somewhere. As such, Anko's steps are upbeat at the thought of surprising her best friend.

At the same time, she grows more and more concerned when she detects uncoordinated mud-skidding footmarks and the small smears of blood on the floor that seem to lead to Kurenai's house. Seeing blood in a ninja village is nothing new, however, Anko held her breath at the sight of indistinct bloody sandal-prints trailing into her dearest friend's open door. Anko rushes up the pathway only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight of her twenty-four-year-old raven-haired friend full-on kiss the bloodied blond subject she'd been searching for.

A good interrogator always has questions. They can question anything, however, at that moment, a wide-eyed Anko was bombarded with so many of them, she simply could think to speak until her beautiful friends pulls away and warmly welcomes the boy home with a tenderness that absolutely blew the special Jōnin's mind. At that point, in an extreme effort to understand the alien evidence of love and affection in front of her, Anko first needed to ascertain, "uh, did you just kiss a damn kid?"

Though the blond passed out, Anko's acute attention was on Kurenai's wide red eyes, tight jaws, tense shoulders, and rapid breathing. Even her long hair seemed to stand up in shock. Kurenai's physical tells couldn't scream louder that she got caught than if she actually used her voice to scream so.

And the debauched maniac within Anko wanted to know everything!

Smiling, broadly, a giddy Anko hops over on her tippy toes, light as air, swinging her arms merrily, and sweetly asks, "oh, no, Kure-neechee-_ahhnn_," she starts, cutely emphasizing the suffix. "What happened to him?"

One of the sweetest interrogations for Anko to take part in is when everyone in the room, especially the criminal, knows the guilty party is caught, but rather than go straight for the confession, the interrogator takes their time, talks about other subjects, really pressures the guilty party with mundane affairs until the growing itch of truth begs to be scratched and they can't take it anymore. In most cases, if the interrogator is good, they don't even need to ask before the criminal confesses simply to end the subtle mind torture. In this case, a wide knowing smile and happy hungry eyes for an explanation is all Anko needs.

However, Yūhi Kurenai is not a simple person and Anko can see the shock on her gorgeous friend's face recede to neutrality as the trained Jōnin dons on her emotion-concealing mask. Clearing her throat, the gorgeous kunoichi starts, "he fought… someone dangerous."

"Oh," Anko gleefully voices, dragging the sound out before kneeling beside the boy opposite Kurenai. Her body's swaying motions were wide and deliberate as Anko asks, "and did the cuuute Uzumaki-kun win?"

Staring straight-faced, Kurenai breaths for several moments before slowly explaining, "…I wasn't, uh, there, but I suppose- yes, he won."

Smiling wickedly, Anko couldn't help responding, "oh, I bet he did."

The double meaning clear to both women, a tense Kurenai curtly says, "just grab his legs, Anko."

Beginning the joy of her gentle probing, Anko grabs the blond's ankles as she comments in a lively tone, "oh, my, what big feet he has. My, finding sandals that fit must be hard, don't you think, Kure-neech_iaahhnn_."

To a trained interrogator, Anko can learn a lot solely from silence or physical reaction. With more comments came more scope and in this astonishing case, the potential was all too titillating. Traveling upstairs in silence with a body between them, Kurenai ignores the gleefully smiling Anko when the busty tokubetsu jōnin notes, "I notice we're going to your bedroom… where sleep, among other things, happen."

Taking no notice of Anko's high-pitched humming-like laughter, Kurenai neutrally answers, "he has an accelerated healing rate, however, we need to wash him off and dress his wounds."

"Accelerated you say," Anko sings as they carefully handle the boy while entering Kurenai's large bedroom. "So he doesn't stay down for long, huh? Fast recovery means he can go again and again, huuuh?" Anko notices that her high-pitched humming-like laughter after each question makes Kurenai take a deep breath as they enter her bathroom. Looking at the tub, Anko notes, "oh, my, what a large tub. You could fit two people in there… with plenty of room to move around in, huh?"

Whether Kurenai broke her neutrality to deny whatever their relationship is or she remained silent about the obvious elephant in the room, possibly suggesting how far they've gone, Anko was giddy with either outcome. With more and more comments or questions, the implication of which could either be telling or continues the torture show, it all has Anko laughing like a maniac within her troubled mind.

Though Kurenai can tell Anko is nearly maniacal trying to restrain her urge to laugh out loud, she disregards the interrogator's game to state in a detached tone, "remove his clothes while I get my med kit."

Magically sliding her kunai out of the sleeve of her brown coat into her nimble fingers, Anko carefully, yet expertly, cuts into the unconscious blond's clothes as she wonders aloud, "I hope he doesn't mind if _I__'m_ the one removing his clothes."

Once she removed the slant that is his jacket, wire-mesh shirt, and pants, Anko sobers up a little as Kurenai returns with all her supplies. Uzumaki had a fair amount of injuries, and it was especially interesting to see the gash at his chest and the hole through his left hand slowly close up upon being properly cleaned. Preserving the silence as her friend worked, Anko stood by as Kurenai cleaned every wound on the blond with a sponge, disinfected his wounds, and carefully wrapped up the injured area in gauze. She still had a million questions but she could wait. There was an injured Konoha shinobi that needed tending to first.

Observing her friend gave Anko plenty of time to recall Kurenai's behavior as of late. Like many of their friends, and to Genma's dread, they all assumed Kurenai and Asuma would be an item again after the Bitch-Princess from hell left. That was six months ago and even if it took Kurenai a few moons to forgive Asuma for shutting her out like that, she had expected to see the happy couple together by now. They all had and it affected Anko when they hadn't.

Anko didn't know why she needed them together, exactly, but Kurenai's happiness somehow felt connected to her own, as if allowing the tainted and disgraced special Jōnin to live the best of both worlds; the happiness of commitment vicariously through Kurenai, as well as independently with the occasional romp whenever she wanted. After all, it wasn't as if she could find that on her own after Orochimaru.

In the end, Asuma and Kurenai hadn't gotten together, and for the past three months, Anko hasn't felt content even with some of her favorite men. It was as if Kurenai's lack of the perfect romance somehow sucked away the joy of her casual sex flings. It's fortunate preparing for the exams kept her too busy for nights out or hookups, and as she watches Kurenai gently lay the slumbering half-naked boy in her bed—tucking him in—Anko finds herself absolutely salivating to hear this story.

Opening the bedroom door for Kurenai, the beautiful pair find themselves in her kitchen; lights on and a glass of honey wine between them. '_Another change_,' Anko's mind notes as she leans forward with her strong abdomen pressed against the counter of the kitchen island.

In her low-cut red silk robe, Kurenai was leaning against the counter by the stove while Anko eyed the glass when she answered Anko's curiosity toward the wine. "I stopped stocking liquor in the house."

"Is _he_ the reason why," Anko casually asks, nudging her chin at the ceiling to the blond in her bed. Kurenai doesn't answer and Anko grins wickedly. Respecting Kurenai's mind and her ability to use it, Anko breaks first, like that itchy criminal and openly confesses, "this is INSANE!" Laughing as Kurenai shushes her, worried the boy might wake up. "Not that I care you're robbing the cradle-"

"He's sixteen," Kurenai interjects before quickly adding, "please, Anko, this is going to be hard enough as it is without exaggerations and miscommunication."

Nodding her head with closed eyes and a huge amused grin, Anko agrees, "yeah, of course." Turning a little more serious, she starts, "before anything, there's just a few things I need to get out of the way. And just because I ask these questions doesn't mean I don't know who you are. This is just _sooo_ not you… I'm in chaotic need of a realignment here."

Sighing audibly, Kurenai accepts with a nod and an, "I understand."

Anko first asks, "is he blackmailing you?"

"No," Kurenai quickly answers.

"Would you be allowed to tell me if he were," Anko counters.

"He's not blackmailing me," Kurenai answers before adding, "nor is he using some mind-controlling jutsu on me."

Nodding, Anko then asks, "…are you blackmailing him?"

Affronted, Kurenai touts, "no!"

"Alright," Anko responds, holding up a palm. Cautiously, she then asks, "are you using him to get over Asuma?"

Kurenai's face morphed with her words, from an affronted, "no…" to a doubtful, "not really…" then finally, a guilty, "not anymore." Clearly, there's a story there as Kurenai weakly requests, "please don't judge me."

"I'm offended," Anko humorously claims. "You know I'm not judgy like that." They pause as Kurenai takes another long swig of her sweet-red. Scratching her neck, Anko then tries for the big question, "is this, like… _love_… or something?"

Kurenai starts with, "I…" then, seemingly out of words to answer such a basic question, decides to drink her entire glass of wine instead.

Anko couldn't help her large eyes and loud groan. "Wooooooow," Anko gasps, taking a sip of her wine out of courtesy as she's not much of a wine drinker.

"He just snuck up on me," a blushing Kurenai tries to justify as she refills her glass.

Anko laughs out loud, guttural and joyously as she holds herself up on the counter to keep from falling, then jokingly asserts, "your fucking shadow ain't even that sneaky!"

"Moh, Anko," Kurenai groans in annoyance. "This isn't funny."

Weakly waving in surrender, the amused and relieved Anko takes many moments to settle down before apologizing, then continuing, "right, right, you're right. _Hah_… I guess the real question is, why didn't you tell me? I mean, we _are_ girl-friends, right? I'm not wrong about that, am I?"

"No, no, you're not," Kurenai quickly allays. "Yes, Anko, we are, and you're right. I should've told you at some point."

"So…"

"…I didn't say anything… for a few reasons," Kurenai slowly answers to the best of her ability, again, alluding to a series of events behind all this. "At first," Kurenai continues. "It started as this unbelievably insane mistake, followed by another one, then another-"

"Been there," Anko toasts.

Kurenai raises her glass while saying, "then, before I knew it, it became _more_. And now… ugh, Kami, I… I think I'm falling." Kurenai takes another long swallow, though she doesn't empty the glass this time.

"Woooow," a blinking Anko sounds in sheer disbelief, taking a sip herself before asking, "and you're sure this has nothing to do with Asuma?"

"That's like asking if I like the color orange because I'm trying to forget the color blue… I don't know," Kurenai answers. "Everything is sort of mixed in, isn't it?"

"Wait," Anko states, waving her hands. "How long has this been going on- Wait, how far have you gone with him- Wait," Anko keeps interrupting herself when she recalls how sexy and glowing Kurenai has been looking and asks with the widest eyes of shock and certainty, "you've had sex with him, haven't you?"

After involuntarily licking her lips, Kurenai slowly voices, "…let me just start from the beginning," and Anko screams with giddy joy. After Kurenai pelts Anko with some napkins, the curvaceous torture specialist settles down. Taking the bottle with them, they move to the comfortable sofa in the living room and Anko listens to a story that will be ingrained in her memory for as long as she lives.

Anko only interrupted her beautifully embarrassed friend three times, asking, "you actually attacked him with kunai?" Then again with, "wait, how big is he?" And the final time with a surreptitious, "bitch, his dick does WHAT?"

Sliding lower on her comfortable sofa, an emotionally exhausted Kurenai finishes the hour-long story with, "and suddenly, he's this utterly surprising young man I just can't stop thinking about."

"Kami, so much makes sense now," Anko remarks. Scooting closer to her confused and emotional friend, Anko tells her in her most comforting voice, "I can understand some of that- actually, I can understand a lot of it; especially the drinking. But at the heart of it all, I get the options."

"Tsume-san is probably the only kunoichi I know who's a leader, still involved in the village, and has children," Kurenai remarks. "Even Yūgao-chan has expressed concerns about the role her gender is viewed to serve to the village."

"Well, she has an easier chance of getting Hayate-kun to stay home and mind the children," Anko comments about the chronically sick man, to which Kurenai sluggishly nods. "You know I always thought it was disgusting how women were expected to stay home while the men fight." "I do," Kurenai mumbles, lazily sipping her wine, before Anko continues, "as if I didn't want to be out there defending my home right next to em, not that I don't understand it. They can't pop out babies to refill the armies."

"Whether I'm out in the field or educating the shinobi of tomorrow," Kurenai begins to share. "I'm not sure that I want my baby to be the _only_ contribution to the future of this village. A stay at home mother after all that training? I just don't know."

"I can't imagine that would be an easy adjustment," Anko reasons. "Especially when you think about how easy it is for us to kick the bucket. You and Asuma could have a little brat of your own when one bad mission ends yours or his life. People die young in our world; no way around that. Which means we either train like crazy to live as long as we can or live from moment to moment, like a lot tend to do."

"Getting with Asuma feels like trading away the village for the person, not to imply it's any less meaningful," Kurenai huffs. "But with Naruto, I can continue to serve my village, the sex is utterly fantastic, he's amazing; in an intriguing sort of way… I just can't help delaying the probability with Asuma. I keep telling myself, '_just a little while longer_.'"

"He's sleeping in your bed right now, babe," Anko notes, sensing movement. "You won't even tell me who he fought. It's pretty clear he's more than just some good dicking… Shit!"

"What," Kurenai asks, straightening her posture and turning to her friend.

"Mnn, I came here to see you," Anko starts, murmuring a bit with uncertainty. "But I was also going to as if you know Uzumaki's usual haunts."

Growing confused, Kurenai asks, "why?"

"Didn't you read the report," Anko calls out happily. "He not only covered my six when I was fighting that summon, but he held back that snake-fucker all on his own! I was going to offer him a BJ, maybe even pop his cherry, but, I guess that's off the table, huh? …That _is_ off the table, right-"

"Yes," Kurenai responds, too buzzed to think about crossing such boundaries.

"Right, right," Anko hums. "…I mean, I've never heard you gush about a guy deep-dicking you-"

"Anko," Kurenai admonishes, feeling more heat in her cheeks, certain she's blushing madly. Anko didn't bring up how her sense of smell is easily picking up how aroused the raven-haired beauty is, and simply raises her palms in humored surrender as she responds, "alright, alright. I probably wouldn't have anyway. I… uh, haven't actually had sex in a month and a half… to be lying; in two months."

"That's- I see," Kurenai slowly processes before asking, "is everything okay?"

"Honestly, not sure," Anko shrugs. "I've wanted to talk about it—part of the reason why I came over—but, we've been busy. A lot's been on my mind and the only times I can stop thinking is when I'm torturing someone. Then that snake-shit came back… I don't know. I'm just feeling… off."

"Well, I think that's okay, Anko," Kurenai softly admits. "Our senses are highly tuned to our distress, whether internal or external. Take your time. There's nothing wrong with properly working out your thoughts and emotion. I know I haven't been the best of friends recently, but I'll always be here for you."

Hugging her friend for several minutes, Anko eventually says, "I'm going to get going."

"You don't have to," Kurenai reassures her friend.

"Yeah, I do," Anko states with a wide sly grin. "Your boyfriend is awake."

Kurenai blushes as she corrects, "he's my student… and… he'll go back to sleep."

"Instead of going to the hospital, he came straight here," Anko points out as she gets up.

Following Anko to the front door, Kurenai justifies Naruto's decision by remarking, "it's likely he wouldn't have received fair treatment, which explains why he came here."

"Oh girl, you are deeeep in denial," Anko chuckles before kissing the red-eyed beauty on the lips. "Thank him for me," Anko mentions, adding, "four or five rounds ought to do it."

"Moh, Anko," Kurenai bemoans as the busty blue-tinted ebony-haired Jōnin declares, "night, babe."

KURENAI

In the silence of her own home, a buzzed and warm Kurenai grows nervous as she secures the door and arms her Fūin security. Her senses tell her Naruto's cardiac rhythm has elevated to that of a conscious person. Turning around to look at the staircase leading to the second floor, to her bedroom, to her bed, and the blond stud in her bed waiting patiently for her elevates her heart rate and amplifies the erotic synergy crackling throughout her body.

Before she realizes it, she's closing the door to her bedroom and leaning against it. Lying in bed, nearly as she left him, only looking directly at her with his deep blue eyes, Kurenai feels her nipples harden as she flatly asks, "how do you feel?"

As Naruto does away with his covers, his large pure eyes focus solely on her, as if he wasn't capable of seeing anything else, and with a slight limp, walks over to her.

Captivated by his eyes and heart-pounding, Kurenai tries to remind Naruto as much as herself, "you should stay in bed." However, he remains silent as he presses his shinobi's body comfortably against her as Kurenai tries, "you… you're… still injured-"

Head-to-head, Naruto takes the clean line of her elegant jaw with his good hand and meets her red full lips with the heat of his. Tilting his head, pressing the side of his nose to hers, deepening their soft fleshy connection with every eternal-second that passes until her entire body tingles in delight. Kurenai felt so light, hot, and loved, she returns the passionate kiss just as ardently, taking his jaw to press in as much as her need for him demands.

Pulling back, Naruto caresses her face as his first words to her expresses his gratitude in a hoarse voice and couldn't believe how much she loved to hear his scratchy throat vocalize, "thank you for taking care of me."

His husky voice sent a thrilling tingle down her stirring body as she slowly runs her fingers through his silky blond hair and mindlessly mutters, "of course."

To her immense joy, the pressure of his warm and strong body pressing into her soft and pliant physique, somehow sucking the popping energy from her legs and paper-thin knees as he hoarsely asks, "is… everything okay with your friend? Anko-chan, right? She was the proctor for the second test."

"It is… no thanks to you," she jokes, wondering why his voice is making her extra sensitive. Pressed so close together, with the building heat from his body and breath on top of his unique scent filling her nose, it takes her a moment to settle down to explain, "we talked. I… never doubt she would support me, but it feels different now that she knows."

"Different good or bad," his impregnating voice quietly wonders.

"…I'm going to need some time to figure that out," Kurenai finally answers. With a wicked smile, she slowly adds, "but I don't believe it's anything that would prevent me from being your _very_ proud sensei."

Still pressed against her soft warm body, Naruto slowly lowers his body by his knees, creating dragging friction that made her think he was going down on her until his hands hook the back of her strong thighs right under her bubble butt, and despite his healing injuries, he lifts her off her feet. Surprised, Kurenai yelps as she automatically wraps her toned legs around his hips, marveling at the engulfing heat radiating from the strong muscles of his hot body.

"Good," Naruto tells her with his hoarse voice and she can't help but squeeze his waist tighter and sex leak further. Hugging his neck, her instinct-driven crotch slowly grinds against his throbbing rod.

Still, her buzzed mind won't relinquish full control of her actions as she maintains, "we… shouldn't." Leaning her head low so their foreheads are touching and her arms are around his neck, she mentally berates herself as she feels little control of the way her body is grinding against his. Though, she weakly adds, "you're still recuperating."

Inhaling her bewitching scent, Naruto sways rhythmically with every step to the side of her large bed so her long, shaggy, onyx hair wisps against his content face and neck. The aroused blond gruffly tells her, "Nai-chan, I need you _way_ more than I need rest."

Like the opposite poles of two magnetic fields, Kurenai's soft needy lips felt the pull and automatically snap full-on to his. She actually moaned to feel his raw emotional need through his hungry lips and her tongue yields to his rough organ as he nourishes her hunger long-awaited hunger for him. Buzzed, aroused and all but lost to her impassioned body, a hot Kurenai unconsciously rocks and rolls her dripping venus on his throbbing champion. Arms wrap tightly around his neck and head as his hands knead her sensitive thighs, they make-out passionately until oxygen becomes an immediate priority.

It was only a break for Kurenai, who happily wanted to continue such an arousing kiss, however, she hadn't expected Naruto to toss her on the soft bed, shrieks happily in surprise as she lands gazing at him. Her breasts jiggle invitingly underneath her nightie and he quickly drops his useless boxers, standing before her ready, hungry, bandaged, but at full mast and dripping.

His blue eyes zone in on her arousing sexy body and Naruto's cock twitched at the mere thought of being so completely enveloped by her wet, hot, hole. Vividly recalling the feeling of being embraced by her soaking sex, pounding his hot rod inside her until she milks him for every ounce of thick man milk in him while staring deep into her captivating scarlet eyes makes his heart race and his determination to stay inside her forever soar.

Fog-minded with lust, Kurenai was scared by how sensitive her hot body is for him. After weeks of going without, after her time with her students has been reduced, after arresting what could be with Asuma, after recounting to Anko the events of just how far she's come to this very moment with an amazing, strong, virile blond gazing carnally with determined fascination, she nearly has a mini-orgasm from her building anticipation under his gaze alone.

Even so, they are starving for more, like nothing else mattered.

He wasn't gentle when he lifts her knees to his shoulder and she didn't worry when she used the leverage to lift her pelvis off the bed, making him wince from the injury to his left arm and chest. Wanting her desperately, he removed her silk pajama shorts, but he grunted as he ripped off her wet panties. Kurenai only grew unbelievably horny when the impassioned blond drags her closer to the edge of the bed and only hooks her left knee over his right shoulder as she eagerly spreads her left leg out.

'_I taught him how to fuck my brains out_,' her hazy mind screams in excitement as he slowly drags his bulbous crown along her glistening labia. Torturing her with his slow dig of the entrance of her pleasure pocket, her mind yells, '_he should know I__'m ready! I've been patient long enough!_' Her stomach flexes trying to gain more reach but when it doesn't work, Kurenai pleads, "Moh! Naruto just fuck me already!"

The galling mind games she taught him, he smiles as he continues on, and her melting mind moans, '_he__'s grinning. The motherfucker's grinning at me_.'

As much as she hated it, she couldn't deny how unbelievably hot it was and just when her horny delirium is dead set on yelling at him, he grips that curving spot she loves between her waist, ass cheek, and high hip of her hooked leg before he sharply thrust his entire love muscle deep into the core of her yearning womanhood, stretching her quivering quim like she couldn't remember him ever doing.

"_MMMnnnmMMnnnnnn, MMMnnnnn, AAAHnnnn_," her wet voice wails out, her tight body cumming a little as she shakes and quivers sporadically from her squeezing core. Both overly wired for this very moment, when a fully submerged Naruto comes alive to Kurenai's hot sopping sex as she grips him merciless, they both groan loudly from the excruciating passion. Overjoyed together, it's exactly the powerful force the lovers have been lacking in their lives and were in great need of.

Knowing how absolutely soaked she is for him is arousing enough, but on top of that, his precum-leaking crown feels more sensitive than usual. Though he felt he wouldn't last long, Naruto had the presence of mind to calm down a whit before leisurely pulling out of her sopping wet suction, to her continued moaning delight. Gripping her by the bend at her hip with her left knee hooking over his shoulder, Naruto slams back into her spread legs, hard, treasuring the rich pink honey pot only a second before pulling back out with a loud, '_shlickk!_'

Her entire body was crackling energy, rupturing sporadically and with every pounding thrust, vibrated with every fold her beef curtain tangle on his prominent crown, and Kurenai was mindless. Hers was a constantly quivering cock-socket as she tries, with every thick meat-filling to latch onto his pounding shaft, but with the overflow of her lubricating walls, her dilating pussy could never hold him in; generating shocks exploding through her flushed body as his thick head churned her buttery insides. Her rocking body grips the sheets, nearly ripping them. Her toes contort, stretch, and cross. Her saliva dribbles out of her moaning open maw and the room was a hotbed of smacking meat, guttural moans, and a creaking bed.

"Yes, _mmnn_, yeeesss, Kami! _Ahn! AHHn! Mmnn!_ I've _Haah AHhn!_ Missed this," she mindlessly moans out to the steaming room, arcing her elegant and flexible neck back, and with a practiced hand, Naruto leans forward, steeping his cunt-spreading thrusts deeper as he grips her windpipe just below her jaw, exciting her to a frightful glee. Happy with just the right amount of aggression, of passion, Kurenai was in euphoric love with the boy fucking her to a stupor.

Cushion soft and gripping his cock like a hot vice, Naruto, groans in his husky voice. He keeps a slow rhythm because any more speed, any more friction, any more of her exciting sounds, or insane pleasure from her cock-cleaner, and he'll unload his brimming sack in a second. In the furnace heat of their union, his only saving grace is the pain he still feels from his battle with Zabuza. However, in her favorite position, he knows her entire pleasure zone expanded to her entire being, making her velvet pleasure organ spasm deliciously with every thrust, bringing him closer and closer to his edge.

With his every body-rocking thrust, Kurenai couldn't refrain from moaning in eye-crossing pleasure. She felt like she was experiencing mini-orgasms while simultaneously building to one massive climax, losing further control of her quivering motor functions to the point her fanning eyelashes flutter from his thick pounding.

Everything was adding up to a truly tremendous explosion and she wasn't sure she would survive it; the length of time going without him, feeling his great need for her, feeling her great need of him, what it means to be with him instead of Asuma, coming clean with Anko, planning to have her darling Hinata-chan embrace the real Naruto when likely have raw sex after… numerous creampies… possibly being impregnated… every thought was so hot, anything could set off her. Then she heard his deeply husky voice fuck her ears to sugary pleasure.

"Your pussy's perfect! You're perfect for me, Nai-chan! Nai-chan! I'm- Mnn! CUmmmmmniNNG!" A wincing Naruto grunts with his hoarse voice, and unbeknownst to him, that burning tone shoots pure ecstasy into her brain.

Engorge with as much imminent lust as his pistoning cock, the thick coil of pleasure building at the gate of Kurenai's entire being ruptures. Naruto slams deep into her cunnie, stuffing himself to the balls exactly as her pleasure-snatch clamps shut around his erupting pleasure pump. Sharp pleasure detonates from her core and his hot cum as the nerve-racking waves pop and crackle up and down her gorgeous form, tickling her scalp joyously, moaning from the wide O of her red lips, electrifying her nipples and thighs, and twisting her toes.

With the first burst of the injured Naruto's long-awaited thick semen, his legs give out. Though their sex organs welded together, Kurenai was in heaven and couldn't make sense of being dragged over the edge of her bed, pulling slick sheets with her. Her jittery crotch will not let go of his as he falls on his ass and the kinetic energy pushes up deeper into her swallowing love tunnel.

With her quivering leg slides down to his right elbow, pressed between their sweating bodies, he unloads weeks worth of pent-up man-milk, and as she expected, it was a massive quantity. Moaning and shuttering on his lap, his cock simply kept ejaculating hot rivers of baby-batter, expanding her contracting chamber with ounces of his hot cream. Despite the fireworks going off in his nearly catatonic mind, her jiggling breasts and erect nipples danced in his face and Naruto instinctively latches on to her right nipple while massaging her spasming hip muscles, prolonging her sensation of mind-altering multiple orgasms.

As concentrated hot cum was pumped into her hot sucking cunt, Kurenai couldn't do more than react. The delay of their union was too long, the heavenly gratification was too perfect and she held him like her only solace while she drenched his cock and balls in her lady honey. As her shuddering meat glove sucked him in greedily, her shaking limbs held on to him, taking shelter in his solid embrace from her mind-eroding pleasure.

With his constant oral and palming ministrations, her series of orgasms lasted for nearly nine minutes. Her raven locks were plastered to her sweaty skin, her honey pot was brimming with cum and she was so happy she couldn't help taking possession of his jaw and kissing him deeply, only pulling away to weakly admit, "it's scary… how good you make me feel," before kissing him again.

Chuckling with his husky voice, he remarks, "you took the words right out of my mouth." Removing her knee from over his arm, she wraps her legs around his waist as they have another long make-out session basking in the sweaty heat of their union. His hands massage her neck and scalp before pulling away and his rough voice confesses, "there's nothing like looking into your eyes when you cum around my cock."

Chest-to-chest with her arms around his neck, Kurenai starts, "yours is the only cock I want to…" However, gazing into his hypnotic blue eyes, seemingly into his densely bright soul, she's lost for words. His happy face so close to hers, Kurenai instinctively knows she will be loved by this amazing young man possibly for the rest of their lives. Their connection feels that deep—life-long—and considering where they started, her treatment of him, it amazes her that she's so open to sharing her heart with him.

Matters of her heart have been gravitating toward the blond stud more frequently, and though she isn't bothered by the prospect of being more with him, her convictions won't cross that line unless she's certain not to cause Hinata-chan any undue anxiety and betrayal. That would go against everything she stands for as a sensei and mentor to the future leaders of their village.

Be that as it may, at the moment, with boneless arms possessively around his neck, Kurenai leans in and slowly shares an open-mouth tongue exchange with more heart and need than she typically allows; a kiss that felt more like forever rather than in the moment. A make-out session so deep, slow, and heavy, it left them both breathless and dazed for more.

However, with Naruto still inside her, she can feel he isn't recovering as fast as he normally does. She also notes his heavy breathing and droopy eyes, and can only imagine how exhausted he must be. Despite his otherworldly vitality, everyone has their limits.

'_Survived nearly dying fighting his teammate early in the morning, and Momochi Zabuza later on in the same day_,' she mentally gasps. '_It__'s amazing he could get it up let alone give me a fucking marathon of orgasms._'

So rather than trying for another round, a deeply satiated Kurenai kisses his forehead before standing on shaky legs. Immediately she can feel the monster quantity of frothy ejaculate streaming down the length of her ravished womanhood. Ignoring it, she takes his good hand and smacks the other when he tries to reach for her perfect C-cup breasts.

"None of that until you recuperate," Kurenai sternly tells him as she helps him up.

She drags him into bed as he groans in disapproval, reminding her, "but we're celebrating, aren't we? One time isn't a celebration."

Ignoring his bratty argument, Kurenai makes him lay down before tucking him in as she asserts, "when you feel better, I'm not going to say no to more celebrating. But for now, I really do want you to rest."

Rather than argue her care of him, Naruto yields, though, after she freshens up, he enjoys cuddling with the raven-haired beauty. Cuddling wasn't anything new with them, but going to sleep with her head resting on his shoulder and half her body holding him felt different. He tends to hold her when they sleep together, but this time she was holding him, which made him feel warm and loved.

Atop her man, Kurenai went to sleep happy… and awoke an hour later when Naruto was beside himself with arousal. Momentarily stunned by the sudden development, she doesn't pay attention to what's happening until he is nestled between her legs and lapping up her sensitive cunnie. His tongue is already long and rough, so to start with a wider surface dragging achingly slow up her love petals, Kurenai was hot and leaking in no time.

He kept his slow pace regardless of her pleas for more until she bucked her hips for more friction. Pulling away from her pink slit, his rough tongue and mouth then focus on her love button as his fingers shallow probe her dilating quim. As a sensei, she marvels at how well she taught him, thrilling her immensely in the process, while he steadily builds her orgasm to a hip bucking climax, quaking her love juices into his gulping mouth.

Though he lets her rest, she can feel his steel hardness press against her blissful core, happily reminding her that his passion for her hasn't ceased. No sooner did she think how much she missed him did he finally give her the stuffing she craved, moaning just as happily as he does. Considering their experiences, missionary is a fairly tame position to be churning her inside with, however, there's no better position to gaze into each other's eyes when he ruptures deep in her quaking baby-chamber and she wrings him out for every drop. Holding each other blissfully, they fall fast asleep… until his vitality demands, once again, to ravish her sweet sex until their mutual completion.

His insatiable eagerness pushed between her yielding pink lips several times the entire night, resting for an hour or so between session, upon which, Naruto would, once again, take her firmly by the hips, align his shapely knob to the entrance of her hot moist sex, and groan together when he penetrates her tight squishy sex. It wasn't until early morning when they finally slept for longer than an hour, and yet even then, before they even have breakfast together, she's filling his mouth with her soft breast while he's repeatedly filling her lower velvet mouth with his rock hard cock.

After, with thoughts toward Karin-chan, a mostly recovered Naruto tells Kurenai he should check on his cousin, however, they agree to meet later that night to discuss Hinata's genjutsu training before continuing their _celebration_. Walking away from his second home, Naruto didn't notice Anko rush into Kurenai's house to demand all the glorious details.

HAKU

Turning to the familiar chakra leaping through the cascading rush of water and into the little carved-out room behind the waterfall, Haku bows as he greets a former acquaintance. "Mei-san."

Observing the empty round terra-room—absent of any light to avoid detection—behind the oddly placed waterfall, a drenched Mei notes, "Konoha certainly has some strange landscapes." Turning to the beautiful boy stand in front of a cot a deathly Zabuza is resting on, a wet Mei greets, "Haku-kun," before lamenting with an obvious sigh. "If only you were more masculine… and straight. What a union we could've made."

The tall, shapely woman with a large bust, thin waist, and perfect hips steps forward like a model, wearing a mesh insert, long-sleeve blue crop-top, bodice dress, the hem of which reaches above her knees and is double-slitted up to her hips so her legs were not restrained even if her mesh-legging thighs were enticingly visible. Unannounced in foreign territory, it wouldn't make sense for her to bring her white belt and pouch, though she still wore her white, high-heel, knee-length sandals with shin-guards.

With fair, unblemished skin, seductive green eyes, vibrant auburn hair down to her thighs was accented with a top-knot and short bangs fetchingly framing her model face and covering her right eye. The woman was the most stunning example of a seductress. A perfect woman even the man she's in the process of murdering couldn't hate.

Smiling politely, an impassive Haku simply replies, "if only," before quickly asserting, "before you continue, I know you came to purchase Kubikiribōchō as a means to attract Zabuza-sama and myself to your cause, but as you recall, we did not agree with your diplomatic methods of rebelling against Karatachi Yagura then, and nothing has changed now."

"As I recall, Zabuza-san is the one who didn't agree with my methods," Mei reminds him. "You merely followed him."

"Correct," Haku doesn't disagree. "I empathize with your situation, with all of Hidden Mist, however, my stance has not changed any more than Zabuza-sama's directive dictates. I only follow Zabuza-sama… and most recently, Naruto-sama."

"Traveling from Kiri," Mei begins, looking over the vials and materials Haku is employing to nurse Zabuza. "I simply couldn't believe Chōjūrō-kun when he alerted me of Kubikiribōchō. It would certainly be beneficial to have the executioner's in our forces, however, it was difficult to imagine just how it came to be on the black market without the Demon's demise. For surely Momochi Zabuza would not part with Kubikiribōchō unless it was taken upon his death." Turning to Zabuza and impassively observing his prone, yet muscular form, Mei adds, "when I came upon him on our journey here, he, naturally, wouldn't confess to me what had happened no matter how much I asked. Honestly, Haku-kun, I don't know how you travel with such a sourpuss."

"With fulfillment and joy," Haku answers.

Shaking her head with clear remorse, Mei sadly states, "why are all the honest and loyal ones taken… or gay?"

"I'm trying to sleep," Zabuza gravely informs them.

"Such a sourpuss," Mei sighs, closing her eyes on the slender man like closing a disappointing book. "After witnessing his fight with the blond, Uzumaki-kun, it's understandable why Kubikiribōchō became available. For quite a young shinobi, he's certainly strong. It's understandable why you would follow him, Haku-kun."

Walking back to the water-rushing mouth of the room, Mei turns and addresses them of the loud waterfall. "I want you both to be apart of this movement I'm gathering: to unite the villages and rebuild diplomatic relations within Kiri and all the other nations. Zabuza-san, Haku-kun, help me end this reign of chaos and murder behind Yagura's leadership. Align your strengths to our mutual cause and to start," her piercing green eyes lock on Zabuza as she promises, "I will make certain Kubikiribōchō is back in your possession." Turning to Haku, the beautiful enchantress continues, "when our new, peaceful reign begins, Zabuza-san will have a place in my government, which also means you will finally have a home as well."

"I already have a home," Haku claims.

"It's not Konoha," Mei assures him. "I'd be surprised if you weren't currently being monitored in some way for the first year of your life here, to make certain you're not a spy or saboteur. At this very moment, the owner of that weapon shop is reporting the Demon of Hidden Mist nearly killed him, your known associate, Haku-kun. I imagine you know this, which is why you brought him here instead of the home you reside in. I understand you care about Uzumaki-kun, however, he is a Konohagakure shinobi, thus unable to assist you when they come for you. And they _will_ come."

Zabuza's scratchy voice asks, "that it? I thought you were going to say something worth a damn."

"I can secure passage out of Konoha right now," Mei continues, not bothered by Zabuza's aggression. "Ōyashiro has a safe-site nearby that you both can hide in until Zabuza-san is well again. In the meantime, I'll recover Kubikiribōchō. Then we can take our country back from the bloody clutches of a tyrannical Kage."

Haku turns to Zabuza, ready to accept any decision he declares. Being Zabuza's weapon for so many years, assisting him, watching him, healing him, Haku knows everything about the wonderful man. Regardless of how brash he would like to be, Haku knows him, so when the deathly pale-skinned man grumbles, the beautiful boy realizes Zabuza's train of thought is running against his own interests.

It makes Haku smile fondly and it's no surprise when Zabuza states, "I work for the kid now. I'll stay at the black-site, but if you want my sword, the kid has to sign off on it."

"I didn't explain myself earlier, Mei-san," Haku happily begins to explain to the captivating woman with the most seductive poker face. "When I said, 'I have a home,' I didn't mean a place; I meant Zabuza-sama and Naruto-sama. They are my home." Haku then admits to the seductress, "Zabuza-sama has tasked me to make Naruto-sama's dream come true and I have every intention of sacrificing my life for his, if need be, in order to make his dream a reality."

"And what is the dream of such a captivating boy," Mei slowly asks, momentarily making Haku alert. Mei-san may be very civil and fair, but like Zabuza-sama, she graduated Kiri's academy by murdering all the other potential ninjas in her class, and with her lineage, has only grown stronger since then. Zabuza-sama himself had once admitted the stunning kunoichi was born with the potential to surpass any within their nation and possibly without.

It almost unnerves Haku to be peered at by Mei's sharp green eye and he cautiously answers, "though Naruto-sama might say, 'to be the greatest Hokage in existence,' such a dream is too small for his potential."

"I'm intrigued," Mei voices with a wicked grin she somehow manages to make charming. In front of such a devastating allure, Haku is grateful to be immune to her spell. "Then what would you claim his potential is capable of?"

"His is the strength of unity upon the world," Haku voices, though primarily to himself to affirm the truth within his heart. Focusing his chocolate eyes on a sharp green one, Haku simply states, "to unite the five nations."

_"Mmmm_," Mei hums, her smile growing wider. "Such a man… perhaps it would be in all our interests if I simply persuade Uzumaki-kun to join our cause."

A sudden wave of panic rushes through Haku, who quickly implores, "I'd appreciate it if you did not attempt to marry him."

* * *

For those that don't recall, Karatachi Yagura is the Fourth Mizukage, the jinchūriki of the Three-Tails and was being controlled by Obito/Tobi. He was a big reason why Hidden Mist became known as the Bloody Mist.

I think we can all agree Ino and Sakura have a sisterly sort of friendship. I have sisters and I've seen them fight and cheer each other and everything in between.

YAY! Anko knows! I had so much fun writing that scene, lol! She'll be back.

Mei! I have some interesting stuff planned for her. And just for clarity, Ōyashiro's blond bodyguard is not his actually bodyguard. She was just pretending in order to tag along. One guess who the bodyguard as well as the green-eyed, silver haired woman are.

I hope you guys enjoyed Naruto's fight with Zabuza. I specifically did not use KCM because I know some feel it takes away from Naruto's strength. I do want to let you know that I don't believe that. I like KCM and when he uses it. Still there is merit in being able to win without such a significant power boost and I wanted to try that with this fight.

I also hope you enjoyed the lemon. This may be the last detailed Naruto/Kurenai lemon for a while. If I do bring it up again, I don't believe it will be so in depth. Moving ahead, the other girls are going to be featured more prominently.

Special thank you to my amazing patrons! Thank you, thank you, thank you very much for your support! My fanfiction stuff is of course free/public, however, I'm writing an original novel that their support will help me hire an editor to work with and bring to fruition. If you'd like to support me, it might be impossible because 's search algorithm sucks. If anyone knows how to make that easier, I'd appreciate the assist.

I'm so glad I was able to recover all this. I really wanted you guys to read it. I hope you enjoyed the update and as always, I would love to know your thoughts, suggestions, or any misspelling/grammar stuff I missed(which is easy to do with this many words). Have a great one.

-Grae


	25. 25The Monster Study

Hey guys. This one was a fun/interesting chapter to write. Could've had it done faster but I was helping my mom with a church youth program. Little do they know the sinful words I write, Mmwwhahahahahahah!

Warning: Disturbing Depictions of Trauma

11K. Enjoy!

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MABUI

Mabui's first impression upon reading the Raikage's classified report was disgust, horror, and a mixture of overwhelming protection and sympathy. The team she was assigned to left Kumo promptly after her first read-through; leading to a cordial Mabui to observe her team lead and her fellow Chūnin throughout their entire travel. The second time she read the report, their team was waiting in the designated area within the forest to enter Konoha under Ōyashiro-san's credentials as an authorized out-of-country merchant and Mabui could barely reconcile how such obvious villainy would go unpunished, going so far as to even question the yondaime's judgment toward the Nosekai clan.

After entering the village and settling in her shared bedroom within their safe-site, Mabui decides to read the report once again while her team lead and Ōyashiro-san meet the contact in possession of Kubikiribōchō. Adding chakra to her finger, Mabui presses one of thirty seals on her storage clipboard, popping into existence the classified missive she was given. She reads the cover page…

Mabui,

As I explained before your departure, purchasing Kubikiribōchō for Bee is a secondary objective. Bee already has many weapons. Below is what I, as your Raikage, need from you. First, Dodai's incident report you requested, unsealed and unredacted.

Your Yondaime Raikage, A.

Mabui then turns to the heartbreaking summary page…

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT.

ISSUING AUTHORITY: KAGE

Primary Investigator:

Tsuyoi Dodai, Jōnin, Special Attendant to the Raikage of Kumogakure.

Subject:

Investigation Report issued by Yondaime-sama on Senseis and contractors Nosekai Kōrudo and Nosekai Hotto, of the Nosekai Clan, and their behavioral experiment hereby dubbed, The Monster Study for wildly unethical practices.

Summary:

Seventeen years ago, married scientists Nosekai Kōrudo and Nosekai Hotto from Kumo's University were commissioned by the Sandaime Raikage to experiment on the importance of positive reinforcement for the development of a healthy self. The pair of scientists and their team selected 20 eight-year-old orphans and split them randomly into two groups. The goal of the study was to research treatment methods to better assist traumatized youths from war-torn villages, and as the architects of this study, all experiments and conclusions were conceived by the Nosekais.

Though the Nosekais were parents as well, they were scientists first and included their children in the study. Each of the two groups had eleven children in it, however, like their daughter, Samui(8), both groups had children with some form of speech impediment; a stutter, mutism, hesitancy, or any irregularity with self-expression. Both groups were given tasks to complete and how they were treated during and proceeding the tasks was supposed to yield clinical results.

The group with the Nosekai's daughter, referred to as the Cold Group, were belittled for every little mistake they made in the process of a task. These children were constantly chastised by the Nosekais and their staff, and even the children in this group who didn't have speech impediments started to develop stutters and selective muteness as a result of all the negative conditioning.

The group the Nosekais placed their son, Atsui(7), in, referred to as the Hot Group, received positive affirmation throughout and the progress in all their tasks was publicly highlighted and complimented every step of the way. This greatly affected their confidence and even children with stutters began to speak freely and more fluently. Children in the Hot Group performed admirably under positive affirmation and participated regularly and enthusiastically.

There was a point in the experiment when the psychological therapy was scheduled to be reversed and the children from Cold Group—who were constantly belittled—were supposed to begin gaining praise and attention for their work on a task. Likewise, the Hot Group—who were always praised regardless of performance—were supposed to receive the opposite conditioning. However, the Nosekai's could not bring themselves to hamper their son's clear confidence. Placing their hope for the future on their son, they decided to continue the study as is.

Sadly, not all the tasks were of a simple nature such as shape and number recognition, but behavioral training. Of the seventeen tasks that the twenty-two children were made to take part in, there are seven tasks in total that can be considered highly unethical. I've highlighted three of the worst tasks each group was forced to perform in the summary below.

Task: Obedience.

The objective was obedience to authority despite the immorality of orders. The task asked the children to sit in front of a machine that raises the voltage of an electric chair. A prisoner from Kumo's prison system is placed in the electric chair and the authoritative figure—usually the Nosekais—would ask the prisoners interrogative questions with controlled wrong answers. When the prisoner naturally answered questions incorrectly, the interrogator would administer shocks through the machine and to the electric chair.

As stated, the questions were not meant to be answered correctly and the Nosekais asked the children to increase the voltage of the shock after each question was incorrectly answered. Despite the horrifying screams of the tortured human sitting not more than two feet from them, the Cold Group children would be chastised harshly if they expressed any form of conscience objection, asked moral questions, cried, or defied the authority figure of said command in any way. In stark contrast, the Hot Group was praised for the very same objections. Complete report on page 6.

Task: Midnight Climax.

The Nosekais took both Cold and Hot groups to the nearby brothel, Midnight Climax, where they were ordered to administer drugs to recently 'acquired' defiant and resistant prostitutes near their age to make them more compliant. The task was designed to mimic field decisions under deplorable and inhumane conditions. Samui(9) and the Cold Group were scolded or reprimanded at the slightest concern for the adolescent or teenage female's declining health or tearful pleas, while Atsui(8) and the Hot Group were commended and applauded regardless if they dosed the young prostitutes or not. Complete report on page 11.

Task: Facial Expression.

The Nosekais were curious to see if all the children in their study would make the same facial expressions as a response to the same stimulus. Rather than trusting the subjects to make the facial expression upon command, they decided to induce the expressions of pain, disgust, fear, sadness, and various other negative emotions from authentic actions. The young subjects would be made to submerge their entire arm inside buckets brimming with disgusting content such as feces, vomit, or roaches. They would receive electric shocks, or worst yet, given a puppy they would then have to behead with their bare hands.

Young as they were, it was unlikely that any of them had the arm strength to remove a skull from its spine, so when Samui(10) and the other children in Cold Group couldn't or wouldn't behead the innocent animal, they would be scolded and criticized tyrannically for their "failure," then made to watch as the Nosekais removed the head of the animal in front of them. Atsui(9) and the Hot Group were complimented and applauded whether they attempted to behead the animal or not; most did try. Complete report on page 18.

The Tasks beyond this summary are arranged in order of date performed. The remaining four unethical tasks are detailed at length on pages 2, 5, 14, and 21.

Conclusion:

What started as a method to aid traumatized children with speech impairments became something twisted and grotesque as only the worst of mankind is capable of. Not long after the Sandaime's heroic end and the Raikage's ceremonial cap changed heads, the Nosekais presented their study's findings to the new A-sama for continued military funding. Disgusted to learn what had transpired under his father's command, Yondaime-sama immediately halted the program.

Due to the Nosekai clan's substantial power, popularity, and influence within Kumogakure, they had not faced any legal ramifications over the considerable mental abuse of the orphans or their children. In order to keep Samui(11) and Atsui(10) away from their parent's notable field of influence, Yondaime-sama ordered Samui to be enrolled in the intelligence-gathering program of the military with an eventual major in seduction training while Atsui was enrolled in the Special Forces program with a focus on field command and operations.

Though Samui's beauty was acutely apparent at a young age and Atsui showed great confidence in himself as a leader, they both completely failed these programs within two years. As a direct result of their traumatic experiences, a quiet and reserved Samui(13) could not produce the necessary facial expressions, or even emotions, required to properly seduce and manipulate prospective targets. Atsui(12) was overconfident to the point of arrogance; overstating his skills and abilities, underestimating the complexity of a problem, and becoming ignorant of any need for self-improvement.

Under Tsuyoi Dodai's recommendation, Samui(14) was enrolled in Special Forces, and though beginning behind all the students in the program, she unexpectedly thrived. To our excitement, she was a natural talent greater than all of her classmates, and in the following six years, she consistently advanced from academy student to that of Jōnin. Atsui(13) rejected enrollment in intelligence gathering, viewing the recommendation as beneath him, and was relocated to the infantry forces. Though he's taken the Jōnin's exam four times, he's failed every time and remains a Chūnin.

Your Directive:

In the fifteen years after The Monster Study's conclusion, the siblings have improved to varying degrees, however, they continue to struggle mentally. While exceptionally talented, Samui does not speak more than to communicate only the most vital of instructions, often confusing her less than exemplary subordinates. Atsui's overconfidence is a detriment to himself and his teammates.

Mabui, you are my best Operations Manager, and to the benefit of our village, we function efficiently together. You are aware I do not want to reassign you, however, you have a background in psychological and behavioral science. In addition to your task of approving the funds for Kubikiribōchō, you're in an opportune position to assist them. If you're able to help, Samui in particular, I will allow you to take the Jōnin's exam and approve any assignment you desire.

Gratitude,

Yondaime Raikage, A.

Rolling up her Raikage's classified missive, Mabui is sickened, yet again, and near to tears. With a chakra-covered finger, she seals the report Dodai had given her in her elaborate storage clipboard before rubbing the excessive moisture from the corner of her sea-green eyes. This makes the third time she's read the report, and with it, her feelings of inadequacy have all but disappeared. At twenty-six, Mabui is a Chūnin still hoping, like many in her rank, to become Jōnin, while a twenty-five-year-old Samui had become Jōnin when she was twenty. Beautiful, confident, talented, intelligent, younger…

'_How could one person be so fortunate_,' Mabui recalls thinking when they first met to take part in this mission. Part of her extinguished jealousy extended from the fact that this young beautiful Jōnin worked closely with Dodai-san, the Raikage, and specifically, Darui-san. Traversing the tallest tower of their village for one thing or another, Mabui is often forced to hear how well Darui and Samui work together as well as hopes they might one day become an item.

Despite Darui's assurances, Mabui naturally couldn't help but feel inferior when compared to such a perfect kunoichi. In spite of Samui's established family, her beauty, and her popularity among the men in the village, the gorgeous blond's stoic and off-putting appearance has not earned her any friends among the kunoichi in the locker rooms. To learn it's only because no one understands what she's gone through brings up an incredible amount of guilt and empathy within Mabui.

'_Little did I know_,' she mentally chastises herself as she stares at her gray clipboard. '_The Monster Study__… fucking __**awful**__!_'

With her background in psychology, Mabui is acutely able to comprehend Samui's quiet, traumatized persona to a painful degree as well as the days-upon-years she must've suffered since then. She knows childhood trauma often result in severe and long-lasting effect, and if it remains unresolved, that emotional and psychological disturbance carries over into adulthood, keeping a person from making meaningful connections with others. To know Samui isn't truly capable of interacting with others to the standard of social convention disgusts Mabui to her core and Mabui vows to help her.

The Monster Study also explains why Atsui will _**not**_ stop flirting with her. To her great annoyance, she has to force herself to be patient with an overbearing man who can't understand 'no' is an answer. Any general greeting or kind rejection from her only seems to motivate his delusion of them as a couple; as if she's simply playing coy and hard to get. It leads her to wonder if it's even possible for her to help him. It's clear to her, Atsui needs a strong male figure he respects to guide his behavior.

Despite Atsui's behavior, her position as Kumogakure's Chief Operational Manager does align well with this mission and her personal goals. On top of closely engaging with Samui and Atsui, she's intimately familiar with Kumo's finances and operations. Killer Bee may want Kubikiribōchō, and A may want to gift him the legendary executioner's blade, but neither of the bulls spare a second thought to the financial balance sheets. Samui is the team's leader and Mabui is in charge of approving the sale on behalf of the Raikage.

Noting the time, Mabui wonders if she should come clean to her blond team leader about her personal reason for joining this mission. Opening her intricately organized storage clipboard, Mabui's chakra-covered finger unseals the very personal reason for her interest in joining this mission. Overlooking six pages of complex Fūinjutsu, the silver-haired kunoichi is hopeful she'll be able to decipher the Heavenly Transfer Technique with the help of one of Konoha's manuals on Fūinjutsu.

Wearing a black, knee-length skirt with a narrow cut at the waist and a high-collard, light-gray, long-sleeved dress shirt, a stylish Mabui files her sheets of Fūinjutsu in her clipboard. Recalling the platform she had received with the ancient texts of the Tensō no Jutsu, she hasn't had much luck decrypting the older Fūin characters. Mabui then secures her silky silver mane in a tight bun, though, allowing long bangs to frame either side of her beguiling tan face before she exits her room.

Upon which, the tall and shoulder-broad Atsui immediately steps right in front of her, ignorant of how deeply he's invading her personal space and smirking perversely. Her nostrils are filled with his musk as Atsui's square jaw grins, brashly voicing his urges.

"Looking scorching hot today, as usual," he says, his gaze plainly lingering on her shapely form as she sneaks around and away from him. "You're going to burn my eyes if you keep dressing this sexy," he adds moving close to her retreating form.

"Atsui-kun," Mabui calmly tells him, putting her hand out to halt him. "You're being inappropriate again." With sufficient distance between them, she continues, "remember, this unwanted—**unwanted**—sexual advancement that I don't want… I don't want… Please, stop."

"Kami be good," he happily hums. "It's the hottest thing in the world when you play hard to get," fondly expresses and Mabui has to take a deep breath to keep from hitting him.

Rather than encouraging that misbehavior by disapproving it, Mabui explains in a direct and clipped tone, "I need to survey the security of the library. I'll be back before dinner."

"Actually, _**we**__**'ll**_ be back before dinner," Atsui corrects before adding with a shrug, "or not. We could do something else—something hot and sweaty—just the two of us," he suggests, obviously ogling at her fit, yet curvaceous hips in her formal and form-fitted attire. She isn't dressed scandalously or showing much skin, however, she's quite aware of the secretary fantasy many men have. Her fiance had admitted as much.

"Again," Mabui tries, ignoring how offended she feels while raising her clipboard to cover her large breasts. "Atsui-kun, listen to my words. I do _**not**_ want to date you. I do _**not**_ want to sleep with you. I don't _**ever**_ want to marry you. I can't stress any of those points enough."

"Don't worry, my little hot-pocket," he confidently grins, and Mabui's shoulder tightens, her arm flexes, and her hand clenches into a fist ready to dislocate his smug square jaw. She just manages to withhold her reactionary attack as he adds, "even though you're older, my parents approve and they're going to take good care of us. We'll live like royalty and all they want is at least four grandchildren, but I'm sure we can hit six as long as you keep that scorching figure of yours."

Inhaling deeply for as much air as patience, her eerie voice tries, "…Atsui-kun…" then stagnates is sheer disbelief.

"Yeah, Hot-Stuff," he suavely responds taking a long stride closer to her.

Rather than continue to point out what he doesn't seem to grasp, Mabui tries another tactic. Taking a step back, she patiently asks, "if you spoke that way to your mother, would she approve?"

Aghast, he responds, "she's my mom," as if the notion sickens him. "I'd never say that to her. She's fat, ugly, and weak."

"How about your father," Mabui asks, ignoring his odd choice of defense.

"Are you nuts," he winces, looking at her with clear confusion. "Why would I ever say that to my dad… unless, how kinky are you? I've heard some stories, like daddy-issues-"

"Atsui-kun!" she yells, netting his attention. "The point is, there are reasons why you wouldn't speak that way to your parents. Did you know that there are also reasons why you shouldn't speak that way to me?"

Looking at her with squinted eyes, evidently unable to grasp her meaning as he asks, "uh, that a trick question? Obviously, it's different when two sexy-ass people are in love."

"No, it isn't," Mabui voices painfully patient. "We're _**not**_ in love, we won't _**ever**_ be, and I don't want you to speak that way to me because you're hurting my feelings."

Smirking, Atsui waves aside her assertion as he gripes, "come on, hot-cake-"

"ATSUI-KUN," the silver-haired beauty blares, adding just as loudly, "when you don't listen to me, you hurt my feelings!" In the small room, her voice easily reverberates, however, an authoritative voice subconsciously assists in regulating rebellious instincts for subjugating responses. Like the sharp cry of a predator, her loud voice cuts through him as she yells, "I feel sad being around you-"

"Yo, wait, babe," he tries, attempting to calm her down with open palms. "There's no need to feel like that. I got it. I can listen."

"Good," Mabui quickly asserts. "First, when you talk to me, pretend you're talking to your father. If you make me sad again, I will stop speaking to you. Understand?" She can tell by his quirking eye he's trying to keep up and so she stomps the ground and asks hurriedly again, "do you understand? Do you understand? Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes-"

"Good," she interjects, not giving him the chance to revert to his comfortable way of being. "Second, I don't need you to babysit me. We may be in a foreign country but I can take care of myself."

Standing straighter, Atsui replies, "listen, babe- Uh, look, sis ordered me to be your bodyguard, so, wherever you go, I go."

Knowing full well she can't disregard that directive, Mabui continues, "as I said, I'm going to the village's library to gather intel on their security. If you must come, you absolutely cannot draw attention to yourself."

Pressing his lips to a line as he shakes his head in disbelief, flowing his long straw-colored hair. Smacking his chest with his palm, he reassures her, "I think I know how to infiltrate a stupid library."

It would appear Atsui does not know how to infiltrate a Fūinjutsu protected library. Mabui stayed clear of Atsui as he tripped the alarm attempting to enter the building from the roof. Fortunately, his blunder gave her a clearer indication of how complex the security is and how fast Konoha's Chūnin respond as they chase after a fleeing, and thankfully, disguised Atsui. With Atsui's unintentional help, Mabui reasoned the best flaw to exploit is the human factor.

It didn't take the sexy secretary more than forty minutes to locate the most bored and easily aroused Chūnin, pretend to be a ditzy kunoichi who sheepishly forgot the protocol to enter the library, effortlessly manipulating the aroused young man into giving her access up to Chūnin level knowledge, and gather a few scrolls to begin reading. Though she's aware, the Chūnin level material is unlikely to assist her, she still needs to verify as much and makes plans to recon a few more days before securing Jōnin level clearance.

Mabui made mental notes of every person she observed in the library as she arranged the study the material in front of her. Sat at a table near the quiet Fūinjutsu section, the eight men and women at their personal tables were the typical studious type; silent with heavy prescription glasses and hyper-focused attention. Even in her form-fitting mode of dress, the few around were all focused on their work rather than her, which spoke to either a lack of awareness or their work mattered more than the possibility of infiltration.

After multiple degrees as an academic and commendations as a soldier, organization and efficiency have been the key to Mabui's success. She may be a Chūnin like a grand majority of Kumo's military might, but, her pay grade has been the fastest climb out of anyone in her rank. With every goal she sets for herself, her very first step is creating a point-by-point plan beginning with a visual conception of the goal. She needs to identify the scope of the goal and break it down into manageable pieces. She then categorizes each objective by level of importance according to a basic study template and then outlines a timeline template—from concept to promotion—by which she will complete each objective.

It's how Mabui decided to leave her destitute village and apathetic parents as a little girl or how she worked to her first degree as a sociologist and then her second degree as a psychiatrist. If it wasn't for the death of her fiance and former professor, she would've continued her life as an academic. Even still, after joining Kumo's military might, her organization was second to none and when it was eventually discovered that it was her ideas that were radically improving efficiency and effectiveness, Dodai-san immediately promoted her.

Organizing her scrolls, writing utensils, references, examples, the key material she'll be attempting to decipher, Mabui can't help but wonder if she may have been too enthusiastic when accepting A-sama's offer to be his Chief Operations Management officer. The position, while appreciated, meant that she reached her ceiling, and that simply made no sense for someone as ambitious as herself. Though she's happy to have met Darui, the listless man was as content to be with her as not, generally depressing her self-esteem every time she thought about how little interest he seemed to have for her.

Lifting her fountain pen to begin the next stage of her goal toward Jōnin, Mabui's highly organized mind fully commits to the task at hand, and to her surprise, the information in the manuals appear to be leading her in the right direction. Noting the similar characters and their page number in her reference sheet, it's clear it'll take her quite some time to locate the modern characters that may be connected to her duplicated pages before reverse-engineering the ancient Fūinjutsu's meaning.

"Ooooh, that looks interesting," a voice in the path beside her table states.

Destructively breaking her out of her focused mind, a shocked Mabui quickly sits up, bumping and shaking the desk as she narrows her sharp green sight on a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy wearing a horribly bright orange two-piece jumpsuit. He was staring at the complicated Fūin scribed in her example stack closer to the right of the study desk, and to her grand surprise, he tilts his head as he reads, "Tensō… no Jutsu. Heavenly Transfer? What's it transfer?"

Like a girl discovering her boyfriend reading her diary, Mabui roughly drags all the sheets toward her ample bosom, stopping the startled boy from reading any further. Embarrassed by her frantic reaction, Mabui didn't even know where to start, simply sounding out, "How- I- You."

"Oh," the boy calls apologetically, taking a step away from her desk. He smacks his head with regret as he sheepishly explains, "my bad, nee-san. I was just passing by and saw you had the book I was waiting for. I spotted a bit of what you're working on, but I promise I wasn't trying to be nosy. Sorry," he voices before turning away to leave.

"Wait," Mabui calls and immediately is shushed by the few nearby. Getting up to move closer to him, she notices a few glaring at the blond as he turns to her. Whispering, she asks, "you can read this?"

"Uh, some of it," the boy answers. "It's a little wonky… or old," he adds and it's very rare for Mabui to be genuinely dumbfounded. Her fiance was the only man who could do that and his intellect made sense given his decades of experience. The blond-haired boy in front of her couldn't be more than sixteen or seventeen years of age, likely a genin, and yet, he read the title that took her a solid two weeks to translate with a single glance.

"See ya," he brightly calls before turning away.

"Wait," Mabui calls again, and again is shushed with a loud, "SHHHHH!"

Bowing slightly in apology to those she's interrupted, Mabui whispers to the blond, "can we speak?" Looking around she spots a nearby aisle that led to some of the more intermediary Fūinjutsu. Curious about the potential here, she points and voices "over there?"

"Um, I was on my way out," Naruto mumbles with a hum. "Will it take long?"

Taking his warm hand in both of hers she gives him a nice squeeze and sweetly assures him, "it won't. Please?"

"Okay," he smiles brightly, before adding, "but I have to head to my sensei's after so I can't stay long."

"I understand," she nods, wondering about his warm hand while simultaneously appreciating a diligent bond between student and sensei. With thoughts of her deceased sensei and fiance, she mentions, "I wouldn't want to keep you from your sensei." After sealing her pages in her clipboard, Mabui and the blond conundrum walk over to the empty aisles of the more secluded Fūinjutsu section. Certain of privacy between the tall stacks of tomes or scrolls, Mabui begins with a simple query. "I'm curious, do you by chance study the discipline Fūinjutsu?"

"Yeah," the boy easily responds, looking around the many books with a familiarity she was hoping for.

Mabui grabs a random book and opens it up to a framework she hardly recognizes before showing it to him and asking, "is this something you can understand?"

"Mmm, that's a detection array for general-purpose Fūin schemes," he effortlessly answers after a glance. "The jutsu executed depends on the functionality of the arrangement. This tests that- well, it's one of many tests for that," and judges it as, "super basic stuff."

Amazed, Mabui looks around for a more complicated book. Grabbing the nearest one, she flips toward the end to a section she has no clue what it means. Showing it to him, she asks, "and this?"

After a glance, the blond immediately answers, "that's a section of a kinetic feedback array. It's a little tricky to write out but it allows anything with chakra access to produce a defined kinetic motion. In this case…" he pauses a moment to look at the specific section of the complicated seal, before finishing, "vibration."

"Amazing," Mabui softly gasps, wondering if he's accurate or mistaken. "And, earlier, when you glimpsed the jutsu I was working on. You weren't confused by what you read?"

Tilting his head in obvious thought, he answers, "mnn, like I said, it's a bit wonky, but not really."

"Wonky," Mabui cautiously repeats. After a solid week of attempting to translate the item and scroll she inherited, she realized that it was an old jutsu that used outdated Fūin seals. Curious for his, apparently, prodigious understanding of Fūinjutsu, she asks, "can you elaborate?"

"Hmm, like it looked familiar but different at the same time," he responds.

"And you weren't confused," she repeats before quickly explaining, "I'm only curious due to the numerous reasons why Fūin characters are a challenge to understand; mostly due to the difference between heuristic human reasoning and the starkly literal nature of Fūinjutsu instructions." Feeling excited about discovering this boy, Mabui continues, "some studies highlight one reason, in particular, is practitioners tend to misunderstand arrangement, meaning the characters seem like they should be doing one thing, when in fact they're actually doing something else."

"Uh, I guess," he says with a shrug. "I've never had that problem. I just sort of understand it, like how people see a picture and know what it is."

Growing more intrigued, Mabui asks, "are you the most advanced in your class?"

"I don't have a class," he admits. "Only a hand-full of people even know I study Fūinjutsu, and they don't get it, so I don't really talk about it."

Applying a moderate amount of appeal to her mannerism, Mabui sweetly asks, "would you be interested in talking to me about it?"

"Really," he asks, his eyes rounding like a warm sunny day.

"Yes, very much. I've been studying it for a few years now," she lies. Having only started studying Fūinjutsu when she inherited the platform and scroll from her deceased parents three months ago. Acting cute in her embarrassment, she adds, "and to be honest, it's still quite challenging."

"It's so easy though," he embellishes with amusement.

"It sounds as if you have a gift for it," she denotes with a smile. Leaning in a little with a hint of seduction to go along with her inviting question. "Would you, by chance, be interested in meeting me tomorrow? I'd love to learn more."

"Really?" he genuinely seems to ask, as if it's the first time anyone's taken any interest in him. "Sure!"

"Wonderful," Mabui calls, straightening her posture. "And if you have any advanced scrolls or books, I'd love to see them."

"I do have some good stuff," he assures her with a smirk. "We can talk about array designs- Oh! Maybe some of the more inventive stuff, like creating dimensional pockets, or contracts with super-strong summons from other realms, or even, wicked stuff like manipulating space-time."

Mabui's elegant face was a fixture of delight, however, internally, she was stricken by how confused and out-of-place she felt. She wanted to understand what the ancient platform and matching scroll the last of her family left her are, as well as how this unique jutsu might help her attain the rank of Jōnin, but this eager young man is talking about creating pocket dimensions, summoning contracts, and manipulating space-time as if it was some casual thing.

'_…this boy might be a prodigy_,' her mind reasons. Only when the boy hurries off to meet his sensei did she realize she was too distracted to introduce herself or learn his name. '_No matter. I__'ll see him tomorrow._'

Though determined to help Samui before her own success, such a discovery was a god-send to Mabui. Meeting a person that can potentially speed up her time table by days if not weeks garners an intense physical response as much as mental, like sprightly energy deliciously dancing up and down her lower body. The thought of deciphering the entire jutsu before they even leave Konoha made her tighten her quivering legs and warming core. With deep calming breaths, Mabui returns to her table.

After studying for another couple of hours, including vaguely realizing that the young man was correct about the kinetic Fūin seal, Mabui decides to leave before making any significant progress. At this stage, she'd prefer establishing a pattern of attendance within the library, rather than optimizing the amount of work completed by staying longer. Anything to make her feel commonplace.

Returning to the safe-site, Atsui informs her that Samui has yet to return, and though that's alarming, she appreciates how worried he is for his sister. Given the way he normally acts, it's a refreshing surprise to see that he genuinely cared more about his sister than his arrogance. In her observation, Atsui never seemed to be jealous of Samui's obvious skill as a ninja nor did he lash out as one might expect from someone suffering from narcissistic overconfidence. For his biased miscalibration to not affect his relationship with his sister is an interesting anomaly.

The pair of Chūnin remain armed and vigilant of any unexpected scenarios when Samui finally signals the first sequence of coded knocks, the delay, then final sequence before entering their two-bedroom lodging behind the fabric dyeing textile factory. Though relieved to see their beautiful team-lead alive and well, Samui's very short explanation of what happened left both Atsui and Mabui confused. In fact, Mabui had to ask more questions than Samui even spoke to understand what happened.

"So, let's just steal it when the other buyer isn't around," Atsui suggests. "It wouldn't be a hot look if I went back as a failure; not with such an easy A-Rank mission. The kid's half-dead, right? It'll be like taking candy from a newborn."

"The second buyer is strong," is all Samui reveals, to which Atsui and Mabui interpret as, stronger than her, likely meaning it wouldn't be a good idea to implement. It's a long journey back to Kumogakure and a strong opponent might catch up to them and take what they paid for.

"What did Ōyashiro-san say our options are," Mabui asks.

"He asked for time," is all Samui states, and again, Mabui has to interpret that to mean there's only a _possibility_ that the veteran merchant can secure Kubikiribōchō from the blond owner.

"And if he can't," Mabui asks, elaborating, "can we approach this Uzumaki-kun? …After he heals, I guess."

"We will give Ōyashiro-san time," Samui simply answers.

The blond woman then stands and retires to the room she shares with Mabui. After quickly bidding Atsui a good night, Mabui enters their room as Samui is undressing. It wasn't the first time Mabui has seen Samui undress, however, every time she did, she couldn't help how impressed she gets by such a figure. Very fair-skinned with an athletic hourglass figure and silky blond hair. Her vanilla breasts with rose-pink nipples, in particular, were large, round with wight, looked invitingly soft, and seem to defy gravity in the most natural way. Long strong legs, shapely calves, and dainty feet, Mabui felt her envy clash sharply against the knowledge of the horrors the gorgeous blond went through as a child.

Removing her heeled sandals, business skirt, and blouse before undoing her hair and letting the silver length fall to mid-back, Mabui asks, "Samui-san?"

"Taichou," Samui casually interjects as she rolls out her sleeping sleeve.

Living in a military village, a strict mode of address is normal, however, it has little place when attempting to form a personal connection. "I certainly recognize you as our team leader, Samui-taichou, however, when we're alone and not discussing the mission, would you be opposed to a personal designation?" Mabui doesn't hear a response, which she's learned is not a no.

With the guiding principle of serve and return—a genuine interaction to help build trust and communication—Mabui begins reaching Samui by asking, "would you like to be friends?"

Though Mabui would never condone a personal relationship when treating a patient, she's more than aware that a good relationship is the key to healing trauma. Mabui also knows Samui doesn't respond to active therapy in a professional setting. If the tranquil beauty performs best on missions, then that is the best environment to establish a bond. Additionally, they're both nearly naked, a physical show of trust.

When Mabui doesn't hear more than a body delicately laying down, she continues, "I'd like it if I could talk to someone about things. Would it be okay if I spoke with you about my life?"

"We're on mission," Samui speaks.

"Correct," Mabui agrees with a more authoritative constitution, spreading out her sleeping bag. Hoping to establish a safe connection, Mabui affirms, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but ever since I met you, I've been interested in getting to know you more. Would you be okay with that?"

Mabui felt the small victory of Samui's silence be snatched away when Samui answers, "no. Please go to sleep."

Mabui didn't take offense nor will she push it. Pushing never works. It's a momentary setback at most. Instead, she returns to a professional demeanor as she voices, "earlier this afternoon, I infiltrated Konoha's Library."

"Understood," Samui responds. Without another directive, Mabui assumes she's approved to continue.

KAKASHI

Observing his student in a white room through the one-way mirror in a secured underground section of the hospital, Kakashi observes Sasuke remorsefully answer Inoichi, "yes. I know what I did was wrong. I know where that emotionally based decision stems from and I feel dishonored and ashamed. Despite killing being allowed, I know I went too far, Yamanaka-sensei."

The white room was padded and the bandaged Sasuke and Inoichi were seated with a metal table between them. His raven-haired student has been questioned extensively about his interaction with Orochimaru as well as his willingness to accept anything Orochimaru offers. Some of Sasuke's answers seem disingenuous to Kakashi, and no doubt the Sandaime also in attendance observing. It was a lengthy session that started at seven in the morning, however, Inoichi does his job diligently and it's nearly noon when the mind-walker exits the room.

"Well," Hiruzen asks Inoichi.

"He's saying everything I want to hear," Inoichi easily relays before soberly adding, "_if_ I only wanted to believe that he simply lost his temper and made a mistake due to his past and unresolved anger issues."

"But you don't believe that," Kakashi reasons what they can all agree on.

"If he were hiding red flags, that would be a good indication that he's lying, but he's smart enough to speak honestly, if flawed," Inoichi explains. "He learned from the psych evals after the massacre. By the end of those sessions he wasn't fidgeting, he made clear eye contact, expressed himself convincingly through his gestures and did everything else any educated psychiatrist would gauge as progress." Focusing on Sasuke through the one-way mirror, he reports, "he's admitting it to me because he _needs_ to be patient and play along or he won't get released. In my professional opinion, he'll wait until we're convinced. When we then let him go, he'll go revert to the way he was."

It's as clear to Kakashi as it is to all the men who've seen that same corrosive anger in many soldiers who've lost more than they can bear. Against so much rage and anguish, the mind has to find a manner by which to regain control or risk insanity. To ease the pain, some men turn to the bottle, others to women, and if they're lucky, regain a semblance of control. The majority turn to violence and vengeance. Staring at the remorseful black eyes on the Uchiha's face, Kakashi's not fooled. He can see it clearly; the path of revenge.

"No matter how many of his thorns prick us," Hiruzen starts. "I cannot remove a shinobi of his potential from our ranks."

"Nor should you," Inoichi advises. "To him, his entire existence is dependent upon seeking revenge. At this stage, Uchiha-kun doesn't have the mindset to listen—at least, not truly—and if he doesn't listen, nothing anyone says will get through to him. I recommend he stay active because if he wasn't a Konoha shinobi, it wouldn't surprise me if he left the village to seek his revenge."

"He's using us," Hiruzen remarks before asking, "do you believe his loss against his teammate might've assisted in humbling him?"

"It's possible," Inoichi answers with a deep exhale. "Or it could've only made him that much more willful. It's a single defeat versus the massacre of his entire family and clan by his brother. I'm afraid I can't see how one loss would rewire the entirety of his mental makeup."

"Uzumaki Naruto mentioned he may know of a way to help Sasuke-kun," Hiruzen remarks to Inoichi. "Any idea what he could mean?"

"Did… uh, did he mention anything else," a slightly startled Inoichi asks. Though Kakashi noted the hesitance, he couldn't know Inoichi needed a moment to mentally separate the blond boy from beside his blond daughter.

Kakashi replies, "he said, '_nobody knows the truth_.'"

"Hmm, nothing comes to mind," Inoichi comments ignoring the dread of his beautiful daughter shattering her innocence by eventually dating, marrying, and having children of her own. Driven by aching thoughts of his beautiful child, Inoichi sadly reasons, "but then again, Uzumaki-kun is a very _surprising_ ninja."

Unaware of Inoichi's turmoil, Hiruzen laughs his slow elderly laugh before he agrees, "that is certainly true. You can never tell how he'll do a thing, but you can be sure he will and with great enthusiasm."

Kakashi wonders why Inoichi seems to be in pain, clutching at his chest, when he asks his Hokage, "your orders?"

"Continue Uchiha-kun's mental therapy," the Sandaime tells them. "I don't care if he fakes it. We have experience. Let's use it and try our hardest to show him his quest for vengeance is folly."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," both men respond as their leader leaves.

Taking one last look at his onyx-haired student, acting perfectly distraught, Kakashi wonders what, if anything, he can do, when he hears from behind him, "Kakashi-san…"

The long-haired clan head before him looked uncharacteristically nervous as he asks, "would you say… Is Uzumaki Naruto a good person?"

Kakashi's single eye blinks in surprise before he eventually nods, adding, "Mnn, I think he's a very good person."

The aging straw-haired man with a distracted look in his eyes nods once before turning and leaving. Returning his concern on the avenger, Kakashi enters the secure white room holding his student, all the while wondering if Naruto really knows of a way to help him. Though Kakashi scolded him and lectured him, though Sasuke acted ashamed and repentant, they both knew nothing positive would come out of it. As representatives of the darkest night within the shinobi world, they know it's not in them to change so easily… the lengths they are able to care is just too debilitating.

TENTEN

It took Tenten a second to realize the gorgeous girl waking her up is actually a boy named Haku. It's the first morning after the eventful night she survived Zabuza thanks to Naruto. Confused, Tenten sits up to ask Haku how the beautiful boy managed to enter the secure room when she notices a heavily bandaged Zabuza leaning against the wall beside her father's bed. Quickly standing, Tenten yells, "h-how did you get in here?"

His small eyes feel like shards of glass on her skin as he roughly communicates, "the hidden leaf is too lax. This village forgot nothing dulls a weapon's blade faster than peace."

"Calm down, Tenten-chan," Ōyashiro states from the closed doorway. "They deactivated the security so that I may visit my friend."

Stepping away from Haku and acknowledging every body in the room, Tenten angrily returns, "you're no friend of his-"

"Relax, sheep," a sickly looking Zabuza croaks, rubbing his temple in obvious pain. "I'm only here for him," Zabuza states, nodding toward her father.

"No," she calls, rushing to her father's bedside and taking out her kunai to protect him against the tall and heavily bandaged madman. "I thought-"

"What," Zabuza cuts her off, not at all bothered by her kunai. "That I'd stop being a paid assassin because I lost a fight?" Zabuza laughs but she can tell he's still in pain when he cuts himself off and holds in a groan. "People don't go against their nature so easily."

"Please don't kill him," Tenten pleads, wondering if backup might help her. "He's lost so much-"

"Keep your mouth shut," Zabuza tells her, pressing off the wall to stand in front of her. "What happens to him will now depend on you."

"Momochi-dono," Ōyashiro calls, asking to explain with his eyes. At Zabuza's nod, Ōyashiro starts, "now, Tenten-chan. The thing that you must understand is that not only did my old friend lead me here under false pretenses, risking my reputation with my clientele—which I am willing to forgive so long as I attain Kubikiribōchō—but, he also attempted to take possession of property that did not belong to him and sell it to me. The consequences he must now suffer are of his own making, however, that does not mean his death."

Even Tenten can understand how bad her father screwed them and with a shameful sense of betrayal, as if she wasn't being a good daughter, she slowly asks, "what… do you mean?"

"Naruto-sama would never condone your father's death," Haku tells a cautious Tenten.

Zabuza adds, "and I'm not without so much honor that'd deny I owe him, but, I also don't want your piece-of-shit father anywhere near my sword."

"He won't-" Tenten tries to proclaim when Ōyashiro cuts her off.

"I proposed to Momochi-dono that Dānyī-san work off his debt to me in Land of Hot Water," Ōyashiro's voice redirects. "He'll love it," he tries to reassure Tenten. "We're even building a resort around the hot springs there."

"No," Tenten calls to the room before hesitantly suggesting, "no! I'll work it off! Take me instead!"

"I wouldn't dream of taking an active Konohagakure shinobi," Ōyashiro asserts, shaking his head as if she was mad. "Too much business to lose for minimal gain."

"Plus you've got your own penance to suffer," Zabuza states, easily grabbing her by the throat and pressing her to the nearby wall despite being armed. "I won't kill him. You can thank the brat for that. As for your crime of being sheep impersonating a ninja; from now on, you belong to Haku, as his pet or his weapon, I don't care, but his. _His!_" He growls and squeezes her neck for emphasis, springing her instinct to attempt and stab him in the neck but Zabuza easily swats it away.

"You better pray he's good enough to beat the genes of that thieving father of yours out of you," Zabuza continues, glaring at her mercilessly. "Because I'll be checking in. And if Haku ever tells me you maneuvered against me, you snitched to anyone, you even looked at my sword the wrong way, nothing's going to stop me from gutting your daddy to death. Got it?"

Ashamed by the building moisture in the corner of her stern brown eyes, Tenten nods as best she can within his strong grip as Ōyashiro calmly says, "fear not, Tenten-chan. Your father will not like his new life, but he will be alive and in my company to complain about it."

And with that, Tenten is knocked out. When she regains consciousness, her father is gone, the bed is cold, and in his place is the deed of Ten Out of Ten transferred to her name and notarized. Much like her absent mother, Tenten has no idea when she'll see her father again and rather than risk her father's life by telling the Chūnin about Haku, Zabuza, and Ōyashiro, a lifeless Tenten provides a false report.

"He just left," her monotone voice communicates.

NARUTO

'_Ask, ask, ask_,' Kurama repeats. Though Naruto is physically in Iruka's kitchen with nine cups of ramen in front of him, waiting for the heated water to soften the hard noodles, his consciousness in within the seal, in the large, dark, and dank room housing the greatest bijuu. From behind the tall metal gates, Kurama is prowling in a circle, agitated as he continues to chastise Naruto. '_You said you would! __… and to think I restrained all of my chakra for your pride!_'

'_It wasn__'t about proving something_,' Naruto calls back. '_That fight just didn__'t have anything to do with you. Do you want me to just use your chakra for everything?_'

'_Yes_,' Kurama calls back. '_Do you know how devoid I was of any sensation during your fight? It felt worse than being in this cage, as if I ceased to exist; as if one as great as I didn__'t matter! I felt cold and dead and I shouldn't need to go through that!_'

'…_I wasn__'t __**trying**__ to make you feel that way,_' Naruto slowly responds, realizing he never actually thought how Kurama might feel. Naruto knows all too well what that feeling is like and says as much. '_I get how horrible feeling like you don__'t exist is… which means, I should've known better. I'm sorry I made you go through that_.'

Kurama grumbles for several moments as he continues his agitated pacing, before asserting, 'it's intolerable.' Moving before the gates, Kurama lays down and places his head over his front paws as he relays, '…it's only because you were not defeated that I'll ignore it this time.'

Moving closer to the gate, Naruto smiles at the large beast, offering his gratitude before adding, '_we__'re partners, Kurama, and I really do want you to feel like you can trust me_.'

'_Then ask_,' Kurama voices.

'_I will, I will_,' Naruto skittishly responds, anxiously clapping both his hands over the sides of his face. '_I__'m just nervous. I've never heard of such a thing. Ji-chan and Teuchi-jiji always talk about how the right __**one**__ for me is out there. Aren__'t I being greedy by being with multiple girls?_'

With lazy eyes, Kurama effortlessly answers, '_no_.'

Rolling his eyes at Kurama's bias, Naruto then asks, '_what if I take someone else__'s __**one**__?_'

'_So_,' Kurama flatly responds. '_You make it sound like thievery. It__'s there decision as much as yours, yes?_'

'_I guess_,' Naruto wonders aloud, before asking, '_how__'s it possible to love more than one person?_'

'_Ask someone with experience that isn__'t our primary mate_,' Kurama maintains. '_If it__'s possible, then we can't delay learning how it is achieved._'

'_Will you stop calling Nai-chan __**my**__ primary mate_,' Naruto tells his friend.

'_To date, she__'s the most willing_,' Kurama informs the blond before propping itself on his front legs. '_It__'s been some time since your second and third mates. Make more time to breed with them._'

'_They__'re not my second and third; it wasn't even about the sex_,' Naruto defends. '_I was only __**helping**__ Ino-chan, and Sakura was a one-time thing._'

'_All the more reason to ask about multiple mates_,' Kurama champions. '_If there__'s a procedure by which they can all concede to mating with us, we need to know what it is_.'

'_You should know it__'s extra weird when you say us_,' Naruto tells the large chakra-beast with squinted eyes.

'_Don__'t care_,' Kurama huffs, laying back down.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto sighs as he wonders who might be the best candidate to ask; from Ji-chan to Teuchi-jiji, to Ayame-neesan, to Iruka-sensei or Kakashi-sensei, or the newly aware Anko. He quickly dismisses Anko, however. '_Anko-chan might tell Nai-chan_,' he mentally reasons. '_Ugh, this is_-'

"Hey, Cousin-sama," Karin calls as she enters the kitchen, crimson eyes instantly spotting the nine cups of instant ramen her cousin is waiting for. Sadly, Karin can't help but ask, "Haku still not back?"

"No," Naruto sadly mumbles, taking a cup and handing it to her. From within his seal, Kurama yells, '_we__'re talking here!_' To which Naruto responds, '_yeah, yeah. Just give me a minute._'

Karin gladly takes the cup and chopsticks from the drawer and digs in as quickly as her blond kin. After swallowing a mouthful, Karin notes, "I know I'm new here, but, I have this feeling like we're going to be entirely useless without Haku." Naruto laughs around munching on his slippery noodles as Karin asks, "do you have time to talk about some clan business?"

'_No,_' Kurama yells. '_You__'re speaking with the greatest of the Tailed Beasts!_'

"I don't mind at all," Naruto cheerfully tells Karin.

With a low long growl, an annoyed Kurama sounds, '_yyyooouuuu__…_' before Naruto abruptly asks Karin, "have you ever heard of a marriage with more than two people, or a relationship with more than two people in it? Oh, and they still love each other?"

"What? Where did that come-" Karin calls out wide-eyed in surprise as she sets her sticks in her nearly empty cup. Suspicious of his regard, Karin asks, "do you mean for our clan?"

"No, no," Naruto tries, shaking his head as he sets down his empty cup. "I don't want it to seem like it's for that. I just mean, I've never heard of a marriage-type of love between three or more people and I was wondering if you have."

"Uh, I haven't," Karin evenly states, finishing her cup. She takes another cup he offers as she asserts, "I know we're not a big clan anymore, but we don't have to rush-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Naruto expresses. "Sorry, I'm not explaining this right. I just don't think you can love more than one person, like _that_, at the same time."

"Well, marriage tends to be between two people," Karin comments. "But I don't really know enough about that to be of any help. I've only just recently- uh, …I don't have any experience that might help you. Sorry."

"That's okay," Naruto waves her off, blowing into his third cup. "I just thought I'd ask."

"What I _**can**_ do is help get our clan established here," Karin offers. "Do you have time today? It's a lot of stuff."

"Are you kidding," Naruto eagerly asks. "Let's do it!" However, thoughts of the plans in place led Naruto to yell, "aah, but first," before he rushes outside. Once in the middle of Iruka's forested backyard, Naruto concentrates on a majority of his spirit energy, crosses paired fingers into a cross and voices, "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Karin is by the door watching curiously when nearly five hundred clones of her blond cousin manifest with popping bursts of puffy white smoke, filling her vision with white.

After the large gaseous cloud dissipates, Karin's eyes bulge at the sheer number of clones all over the yard, up many nearby tree trunks and branches, and all over the roof of the house. With her keen senses, she can tell Naruto and his clones are a tenth of a tenth of what his strength generally is. The sight of her exhausted cousin taking in deep audible breaths worries her, and yet, her worry was unnecessary when, unexpectedly, all of their chakra seem to signal a gradual increase in strength, as if they were immediately being replenished. The phenomena threw her off and Karin couldn't understand why that would happen or why it felt much more sinister than the warm chakra Naruto normally gives off.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto uses his arms to visually segment a third of his clones, shouting, "alright! This side, let's find that old pervert. Search everywhere," he yells and the third of clones all sprint or leap away. He then points to a single clone, directing it to, "head over to the library and meet up with that Nee-chan we met." As the single clone departs, Naruto turns to the rest and commands, "the rest of you, chakra blades training, fūton chakra control, and Ku-" Aware of his cousin, Naruto alters the name of the training to, "uh, K chakra training. Let's get to four tails!"

They all uproariously agree before sprinting away. When Naruto reaches his cousin, he grins as she asks, "four tails? What's K chakra training and who's the old pervert? Does he come by here? Is he one of those sickos who steal girls underwear?"

"K, uh, C training is just a special training I can do," Naruto hesitates to answer. Though Kurama doesn't want anyone to address him by his given name, Naruto explains, "I'll tell you more when I can. And the old pervert is someone I've been told to expect. He's supposed to train me. I'll introduce you as soon as I find him."

Scrunching her face as if smelling something horrible, Karin professes, "I'm fine not meeting some old pervert."

Naruto snickers at the thought of telling her Ero-sannin is his Godfather, thus part of her family as well. Following Karin back inside, Naruto takes a seat at the dining table with his last two cups of ramen as Karin moves around several tomes and scrolls as well as papers she's written her notes on.

His red-haired cousin presses her glasses back as she begins explaining from her notes, "so, to be a clan we need to meet certain qualifications; three main ones but each one has their own hurdles as well. So, first, we need territory. As of the latest volume of, Critical to Clans by Kingsfun, we don't _need_ to have lived at a property for decades like it used to be; though I still need to go over the Land Use and Development Regulation Law. Generally, so long as we have the deed under our clan's charter, that seems to be what's most important."

Looking at all the stacked tomes, scrolls and papers with incredulity, Naruto asks between mouthfuls, "how long have you been at this?"

"A couple of days," Karin casually waves him off with a shoulder-swipe of her red hair. "I just like to keep my mind busy." Disliking staying still, Naruto nods his head in understanding when Karin asks, "so, I've been wondering. Did your parents leave you any land?"

With wide eyes, Naruto momentarily considers the question before answering, "I don't think so. Ji-chan never mentioned anything like that to me, and he's the only person that would know."

"I still can't believe you call him…" Suddenly growing curious in her expression, Karin asks, "are you related to Sarutobi Hiruzen?" After Naruto quickly explains his friendship with the leader of their village, Karin huffs in surprise and acceptance before asking, "so, why would he be the only one who knows?"

"Well, he's not the only one but, the only one I talk to who knows," Naruto answers. "But now that I think about it, it _is_ kind of weird he never told me about them. For the longest time, I never asked because I thought, you know, '_why would __**he**__ know my parents_?' Now though, I think it's supposed to be a secret to protect me… maybe."

"To protect you…" a head-tilting Karin mumbles, struggling to make sense of why Naruto would need such a layer of protection. However, it's only confusing until she considers their surname and the fact that her mother prayed to Kami every day that they were never found by their enemies. "Well, I guess nations did destroy our village. Okay, so that's a no on land," she states as she notes it down on a sheet.

Naruto nods pondering how they're supposed to acquire land when Karin continues asking, "do you know if they might have left you any ryo? Maybe the Hokage is waiting until you're older to give it to you?"

"…I don't know," Naruto mumbles with large bug-eyes, realizing he hasn't asked Ji-chan much about his family. "But I'll definitely ask him if my parents left me anything and let you know what he says. What's next?"

"Next is… uh," she voices, taking out different sheets of notes and reading through a bit before calling out, "oh! We need to submit a doctrine of how we run our clan. Not to imply they—the village—have any say in how we run our clan, but, how we govern ourselves and treat other citizens and clans must be approved. Basically, they won't approve of us if we're a clan of murderers who love murdering. Our doctrine must also have a hierarchy, or system, in place to interact with leaders, other clans heads, the Hokage, and the Daimyō. And in case you're wondering, that's you, Naruto-sama-"

"Ugh," Naruto's whine cuts in.

Ignoring him with a teasing smile, Karin continues. "Clan secrets will, of course, remain clan secrets. No one outside of the clan has any rights to that information no matter what it is. We might be able to claim any Uzumaki clan techniques or customs already out there—whether stolen or given—but we'll have to check on that. Next, and this is very important," she voices, only pausing to find the right page to read from. "In some cases, it can make or break the process of clanship."

Concerned, Naruto asks, "what is it?"

Reading down to the section she needed to explain, Karin hums before reading, "we'll need to be recognized as a clan, not simply by other clans within the village, but also by the civilian population."

With fond condolences, a reminiscent Naruto sincerely offers, "well, it was a nice dream while it lasted."

"Wait a minute," Karin states laying her palms on the table and leaning on the table to stare at him over the rim of her glasses. "I've already heard how unwelcome you are from Kakashi-sensei, Haku-kun, and even my interrogators, but we don't need _all_ the civilians or even the civilians per se. We need to be able to have business transactions with them, which means they have to accept us—our clan—to do that. So, the quote-unquote, '_accepted by the civilian population_,' is basically being accepted by free trade or consumerism."

Naruto appears confused as Karin digs around her papers before snatching a scroll and reading through before stating, "the manual said that a lot of money can pass through a clan, but our services do not need to be directed to everyone in the village. If we target specific consumers, like other clans with businesses, I think that may be enough… I'll have to check though."

Thoroughly confused, Naruto simply nods as he passively voices, "if you say so."

"We just need to be able to provide a service that is then accepted by the village or parts of the village," Karin tries to make clear. "Because if all the businesses—civilians slash consumers—decide not to acknowledge our clan by trading with us, then the civilian council may not approve us, which means we may not be approved by the Hokage or the Daimyō. There are also tax breaks that come with civilian approval but I still have to look up what those are."

"Wouldn't they just not recognize our clan to get back at me?"

"That's why we have to find the consumers who won't do that, like other clans or shinobis," Karin expresses. "Ryo is ryo and every business wants to thrive, so they _should_ be interested in a new clan so long as we present a friendly front."

"Mnn, so we need to offer a service that's accepted by at least some of Konoha to make our clan legit, like, from a business standpoint."

"Exactly," Karin confirms with a nod. "If businesses accept us, then everyone accepts us."

"Yeah, I'll let you handle most of that," Naruto reasons, never enjoying calculations unless it had to do with Fūinjutsu.

Her shoulders sink in defeat as she claims with outstretched hands, "I'm already handling everything."

"I- …Yeah," Naruto sheepishly admits, looking at all her work on the dinner table. He then asserts with conviction, "I can do the leg work. It's just—I'm telling you—the villagers _really_ don't like me."

"…I guess it wouldn't make sense to irritate them just by showing up," Karin mumbles before narrowing her crimson eyes sternly on her cousin and declaring, "but as clan head, you need to fix that or the Uzumaki Clan won't last long."

"I'll change their minds one day," Naruto promises, clear in his tone as he is in his goal. "I'm going to be the greatest Hokage ever, which means they have to recognize me as worthy enough to protect them. Like you and Haku said, clan head is like being Hokage, so, I'll definitely do it." After she nods with a smirk, Naruto asks, "what else?"

"The last part is pretty easy, actually," Karin notes, turning to a page within a book. "We simply submit a letter to the Hokage and Daimyō requesting membership. We outline our clan, it's members, our doctrine, our revenue stream, and land. Then, so long as we support and preserve the village and country's rule of law to maintain peace, they approve it- us- our clan… I guess. I'm still not sure about that."

"We'll figure it out," Naruto proclaims with a strong tone of confidence. "Haku wasn't kidding when he said you're good at this. You're doing great! "

Blushing at the praise, Karin smiles as she says, "it'd be easier to just ask a clan head. Do you know any?"

"Uh, besides Ji-chan, not really," Naruto casually admits. "I could ask but I don't want to bug him too much."

"If we can find one, that would be a big help," Karin states as she takes a seat. Relaxing she assures her cousin with a wide grin, "if everything goes smoothly, we'll be an official clan of Konohagakure by the end of the month."

"Holy shit," Naruto gasps in amazement. His eyes nearly sparkle with giddy anticipation as he yells, "when do we start!"

Karin rolls her eyes at his exuberance, though smiling happily all the while. "I was thinking we can ask Iruka-san when we visit. Since these are his books, I thought he might know more that can help."

"Good idea," Naruto calls. "Iruka-sensei knows a lot."

As she grabs her notes and stacks them neatly, she adds, "and the more people we ask, the better handle we can get on this."

As Karin leaves to change, Naruto wonders how many people he can ask about his parents. Though he found it odd he never truly researched more than what he was told, he recalls the very moment he accepted that they weren't going to rise from the dead and be his family. He wasn't going to have that family-life no matter how much he wanted it… he wasn't going to be like everyone else, however, that didn't mean he couldn't be happy without them; which he learned was easier said than done.

Curious, Naruto closes his eyes as he dives deep into his mind and into the seal to ask his partner, '_hey, Kurama? Do you know what my parents were like? Didn__'t you mention you could sense my mom and, uh, the first Jinchūriki?_'

'_I don__'t know_,' he grumbles before raising his neck and head. '_They dared to speak to me with distaste, as if __**I**__ was the burden on __**them**__… When it was clearly the other way around!_'

Even without his snarling, his disgust for humans is clear in his tone alone, and yet, Naruto offers his apology. '_I__'m sorry you were treated like that_,' Naruto solemnly states. '_They misunderstood you and didn__'t get to know you. But I'm sure if they did, they'd realize how cool you are._' Looking thoughtful, Kurama remained silent, so Naruto states, '_don__'t worry. I'll ask about multiple girls stuff. If such a thing is possible, I'll try. Sound good partner?_'

Staring at each other for several silent moments, Kurama notes Naruto's earnestness before laying his head on his front paws and sounding, '_mmn_.'

A knock at the door sounds throughout the living room, bringing Naruto back to his surroundings. He walks to the door as Karin is exiting her room dressed and ready to go. Opening the entrance to the sight of the blond-haired, blue-eyed Yamanaka, Naruto happily calls out, "Ino-chan!"

"Someone's excited," she teases with her easily beautiful smile.

* * *

All those experiments are real. I did not make them up. If you look up behavioral science experiments, there's a top tens on youtube. It's pretty crazy what the heinous stuff people have done to others in the name of science.

I originally had Mabui and Samui as friends similar to Kurenai and Anko, but when I looked up some behavioral experiments that might explain why Samui is quiet and reserved, I saw an opportunity to do something interesting with them. It opened up a world I really want to explore which then made me want to help Samui so much. Mabui is going to play a big part in that healing, but you know Naruto is definitely going to as well :)

I don't know the precise aging diff between the yondaime Raikage, his father's death, Mabui and Samui, so I just took creative license there. As long as A is old and Mabui/Samui are young, that's all I care about.

The theme of this chapter revolves around being wronged which is why it starts with Mabui/Samui, continues with Sasuke/Kakashi and Tenten. That would've been the end of it but I added Naruto's clan stuff because next chapter is going to heavily feature Ino so I wanted to have enough space for that chapter.

I featured one of my top patron supporter's name in this chapter and I thought it was fun. I don't know if you spot him/her but I'm going to try and do that with the others when it fits in effortlessly. Thank you again to all my wonderful supporters. I just finished my first rough draft of my original novel. It's about 30K at the moment. I feel it'll end at 60K when I'm done and I'm going to try and have it done before the year is out.

As always I'd love to know your thoughts and suggestions. Have a great one,

-Grae


	26. 26The Dining Table

Friends! Happy (eventual)Halloween!

So I've practically given up on trying to update once a week. Despite having more free time, it's almost like I have less time to dedicate to this. So, until... whenever, expect 1 chapter every 2 weeks. This chapter took longer than normal because it was a mission to get right. It took more nuance, which took more detail, which took more research. I'm just going to say, thank God I like writing, or I would've stopped here.

This chapter is 13K and takes place immediately after the last chapter(ch25). Enjoy!

* * *

INO

"Someone's excited," Ino teases with a beautifully easy smile.

"Yeah, Karin and I are going over some clan stuff," Naruto explains before asking, "what's up?"

He pauses at the sight of the beautiful blond in her casual royal purple thigh-high skirt that matches her purple, wide-strapped, buttoned crop top that meshed with her long white gloves. He instantly understood, 'easy to take off,' however, her face wasn't blushing like she usually does with impromptu visits. Nor was she looking at him with hungry, sensual eyes.

Naruto's obvious gazing was interrupted with Ino's embarrassed, "what are you looking at?"

Standing straighter, he smiles broadly as he happily answers, "you."

It's such a simple answer but adding to it his bold blue eyes and self-assured posture and a blushing Ino twists a little in place. She can feel her body soften under his gaze and shakes her head when the physical memory of their arousing time together raises her heart rate. After a few weeks without him and carefully managing her cravings with her toy, Ino felt confident these flashes of sexual arousal wouldn't happen, but here she is, getting wet just by being in his presence. It's humiliating for someone with her mental fortitude, but that only adds to her excitement.

Shaking her head to physically clear away the sex-provoking thoughts she contends, "I'm here to see my friend, not my… I thought you might want to hang out." Spotting the red hair coming up behind him, she responds before he can, "but I can see you're busy."

Peering Karin over his shoulder, Naruto waves away Ino's reservation. "It's okay. We were just waiting for visiting hours before we see Iruka-sensei. Do you want to come? He should be out any day now."

Smiling seems to only enhance Ino's beauty as she nods before saying, "I'd love to."

"Hi," Karin says from behind Naruto, adding with a bow, "I'm Uzumaki Karin, which you'd know if my cousin had any manners."

"Sorry, sorry," Naruto expresses with a chuckling grin. "Karin-chan, this is Yamanaka Ino."

"Hi, it's nice to officially meet you and welcome to Konoha," Ino responds, returning her own bow. Karin expresses her gratitude before Ino asks, "I hope I'm not intruding?"

"No, of course not," Karin returns shaking her head. "Except for Naruto and Haku, I don't really know anyone here."

"If it's alright with you, I'd love to take you shopping," Ino proposes with an easy smile before adding, "I know all the best spots with the cutest outfits."

"Really," Karin gasps happily, though, after a second she realizes she has no funds here, nor does her cousin seem to make much. Naruto and Haku seem to pool their income to support themselves. Haku has even told her that Naruto works several jobs to make enough to buy ninja gear. Considering the amount of funds their clan needs to become official, Karin smiles weakly as she admits, "um, well, I'd love to, but, there's still so much to do. Would it be okay if we go at a later date?"

"Of course,"

Turning to her with a curiously quirked brow, Naruto asks, "but don't you need to buy things?"

Karin squints her eyes while she smiles a fake smile as she wraps a stiff arm around Naruto's neck and tells the beautiful blond girl, "just give us a second." Karin pulls Naruto back inside a few steps as she whispers to Naruto, "did you forget we have to spend a lot of ryō—that we don't have—on buying property? I have everything I need, so I don't need to go shopping."

"But if there's something you want, I can pay for you," Naruto argues. "I want you to be comfortable here."

"I am," Karin responds. "Being here is already a hundred times better than where I came from. And when we establish our clan, it'll be even better."

"…Alright," Naruto concedes. "But don't hesitate to ask if you need anything. We're family, which means we're in it together."

Returning to an inquisitive Ino, the Uzumakis apologize for stepping away, to which Ino asks, "is everything alright?"

After they assure her it is, the triplet take a leisure walk to Konoha's Hospital to visit a good man. Iruka is cheerful to see his former students and Karin again and it made them all happy to see him maneuver himself onto his wheelchair without assistance. As Naruto drives the wheelchair, the sensei is amazed to hear everything that happened during the Chūnin exams. From Ino and Karen's experience to Naruto's victory over Sasuke.

"I'm so proud of all of you," Iruka gushes.

"Why? Karin-chan and I didn't even make it into the final test," Ino argues.

"But you tried your best, which is all we can ask for," Iruka argues. "Don't forget, Neji-kun is a taijutsu specialist, a year older than you and the Rookie of the Year. Consider this moment a great learning experience that can help you locate areas of your training you can focus on."

"There's no short cut if you want to be the best," Naruto advocates, to which Iruka whole-heartedly agrees.

"I think I have enough to focus on with our clan," Karin casually admits. "Speaking of," Karin voices stepping ahead of the pace to turn, and while walking backward, ask the man, "I was hoping I can ask you a bit about how we can establish our clan? I read some of your books, but I could use a little more focus. It's a lot of information."

Adding a slant to his neck, Iruka answers, "I know some of what's involved, so I'm certain I can help, but I'm curious. Have you spoken to any clans about this?"

"Uh, like me," Ino interjects raising her hand. Turning to Naruto, Ino asks, "why didn't you ask me? I can always ask tou-chan if I don't know something."

"Really," Karin asks, before turning to Naruto. "I thought you didn't know any clans."

Feeling blitzed by the questions directed at him, Naruto tries, "I- wait," before pausing and recounting to Karin, "you asked if I knew any clan _heads_, which I don't… other than Ji-chan."

Karin slinks her shoulders wearily while Ino proclaims, "I can still help." Moving to bump Naruto's shoulder, Ino suggests, "how about you, Karin-chan, and Haku-kun have dinner at my place tonight? You can ask tou-chan anything you want."

Looking pleasantly pleased, Karin asks, "really?"

"You mean it," Naruto asks.

Gazing at how elated he is, Ino smiles with a sense of calm serenity as she answers, "of course. Anything I can do to help…"

"Thanks, Ino-chan," Naruto warmly expresses, and she can feel his appreciation. The rest of the visit was spent convincing Naruto not to sneak Iruka out of the hospital for the dinner as well as answering a few of Karin's questions.

MABUI

"You know," "I was so happy meeting you yesterday, I never introduced myself." Infiltration at its essence is simply fitting in within a community. Every aspect of fitting in is important to the overall success, and in this case, their shared interest in Fūinjutsu will help guide her decisions. So rather than remain formal, the beautiful secretary offers a friendlier mode of address. "Please, call me Mabui."

Chuckling, he responds, "okay, but you have to call me Naruto."

Mabui's mind fritzes at his name as he asks, "I've never seen you around here, and if I had, I'm sure I'd remember."

Smiling at the compliment, Mabui focuses on his name, asking, "may I know your surname?"

"Uzumaki," Naruto answers. "But you can call me Naruto."

Mabui is thrown for a loop, shocked and confused, wondering how it's possible this blond boy can be the same one that fought Momochi Zabuza just last night. Aside from looking completely fine, he has Kubikiribōchō. Mabui has never felt so fortuitous in her life. Not only is he a valuable tool to decipher the jutsu in her possession, but he's also in possession of the weapon they traveled to Konohagakure to purchase.

'_Or is he_,' she wonders. He doesn't look like he's been in a fierce contest that's left him near to the point of death. Two of her three mission objectives seem to have converged, however, she needs to verify he is the right person before formulating scenarios that will best complete her mission.

With a concerned voice and a forward gesture, Mabui leans over the desk to place her hand on his forehead, careful to make certain he can see enough cleavage as she asks, "are you well, Naruto-kun? You seem feverish. Did you sleep well?"

Mabui catches his gaze linger for a second shorter than she expected. With an underbust of thirty inches and a full bust of thirty-six inches, the caramel beauty expected more of a hypnotized gaze rather than his mere glance as she notes how toasty warm he feels.

Naruto's vision has less of the library backdrop and more of the tanned-skin, silver-haired beauty with a stirring set of knockers. He enjoys her scent and proximity as he blandly answers, "no. I feel fine."

"Oh," she voices as she leans back in her seat. Rather than push for certainty, Mabui decides to be patient for an opportune moment or speak with Samui later. The silver-haired Chūnin certainly has a better understanding of why it's so difficult to work with Samui. If the brilliant Jōnin didn't have such a hesitation to speak, Mabui would've made the connection last night that the boy she met in the library was the same one who fought Zabuza… '_and won_,' her mind reminds her.

Though it's difficult to see how this young man can be so formidable, Mabui sets her mind to working him, starting with, "good. I wouldn't want you to get ill; not after we've only just met." He smiles happily before she asks, "would it be okay if we learned a bit about each other before we start? So we're more comfortable with each other?"

"Sure," he answers. "Ladies first."

Nodding her, '_thank you_,' she starts by saying, "well, I've been into academics since I was a little girl, but recently, I've been more curious about Fūinjutsu." Playing at sad, she comments, "so even though I'm so old, I'm still a beginner in the Sealing Arts."

Mabui understands how most men are evolutionarily predisposed to acting as a protector, instinctively feeling an urge to come to the aid of the opposite sex or someone they're attracted to. It's why it's no surprise to hear an incredulous Naruto respond, "what are you talking about? You're so young though! What are you? Twenty? Twenty-one?" Though Mabui plays the flattered girl—dainty and cute as she tucks a strand of snowy hair behind her tan ear—for her goals, she would've preferred if he gushed about her looks a little more in order to gauge how susceptible he is to suggestion. Naruto, however, simply tells her, "don't let your age be a factor in learning something. My sensei always tells me if you're determined to learn, then nothing can stop you and she's one of the smartest people I know."

Considering how this boy figuratively fell on her lap when she needed to decipher the Fūin seals of her jutsu, Mabui couldn't agree more, answering, "I couldn't agree more." Allowing a frame of her deceased fiance to flash in her mind, she adds, "I absolutely love intelligence. And thank you for saying that. What about you?"

"Not much to say," Naruto bemoans. "I'm going to be the best Hokage in the history of Kages and nothing's going to stop me."

"The Hokage," she repeats with a respectful surprise.

"Yup," he says with a smile and a nod, before finishing, "other than that, I love my friends and training, so, pretty normal I'd say."

"What about your aptitude for Fūinjutsu," Mabui wonders aloud. "That seems beyond normal."

"Mmn," he hums before answering, "I didn't really know about that until recently. Like I said, I just get it."

"It's quite rare to, '_just get_,' a skill like that," she comments with a smile. "Speaking of, where would you like to start?"

Mabui couldn't keep up where Naruto started and asked if they can look at something easier than recreating electromagnetic induction powerful enough to light entire city blocks. When he wondered if she might like to retrace complex Fūin modules that link multiple Fūin matrices, she, again, asked for something a little easier. When he suggests elemental seals, she balks by how little she knows while begrudgingly asking, "how do… beginners start learning Fūinjutsu?"

With his head tilted in thought, and his eyes squinted in introspection, Mabui's mind yells in disbelief, '_he actually has to think about it!_' Embarrassed, Mabui tries to recall the last time she felt so stupid; made all the more humiliating by how young he is. She's been an academic all her life, and even with two degrees, she can't even keep up with what he's saying. It was too humbling and Mabui worries what that could mean for her goals going forward.

Though the cheery blond seems as content as ever, she wonders if he'll eventually become bored with her clear lack of knowledge on this subject. It's supposed to be an intellectual back-and-forth, however, she has little to add. It makes Mabui feel as if she's not contributing enough, and that, she cannot allow, especially when he suggests the most basic, sealing designs and mechanics.

"You certainly know your stuff," she comments with a smile. "I hope I'm not boring you."

"No way," Naruto assures her. "I've never taught anyone before, so it's pretty fun."

She sets aside thoughts of her old professor and finds his response lacking enthusiasm, leading her to ask, "would it be okay if we sit next to each other? So I can show you if I'm working out the methodology correctly?"

"Sure," he voices and when the boy sits in the armchair next to her, she crosses her legs so that she can bump his when she thinks she's losing his interest. As they work on some sealing frameworks, Mabui wonders when the best time to secure his assistance in deciphering the Heavenly Transfer technique. It'll be a delicate process with her chief concern being if he'll tell anyone. The easiest way to make certain he keeps her confidence is to build a rapport he'll be faithful too.

Spending some time and effort to make sure her seal design for large inanimate objects was impressively perfect, Mabui sweetly calls, "Naruto-kun?" Sky-blue eyes turn to her as she scoots closer to him, feeling her bust jiggle in her fitted white blouse as her foot '_accidentally_' touches his leg. She then asks, "would you look this over for me?"

Though she was proud of her flawless work, the way he hums through his examination makes her feel like a fifteen-year-old freshman again, waiting for her sensei's approval. Eventually, he says, "it'll work, but, uh, it's pretty… flat."

"…Flat," Mabui repeats with spooked eyes, trying not to feel so small.

"Um, like," Naruto mumbles as he grabs his black-inked brush, however, Mabui swiftly hands him a red marker. He takes it and highlights fourteen different areas of her design while imparting, "don't be afraid of being creative with Fūinjutsu. It isn't like a lot of the crap you read in scrolls. It's way more fluid than that and can be formed in a lot of ways. I mean, you don't even know how many times I've rolled my eyes at some of the crap I read," he rasps with irritation. "Anyway, what you have here is a bit stiff and, uh, excessive, but you can easily compound several of these arrays into one command with only a couple additions of characters; here, here, and here, written out like this," he slowly voices as he writes.

At the sight of his many red changes all over her work, Mabui mostly forgot about her humiliating inadequacy and simply grew amazed by how his simple alterations somehow make the entire seal compact, dynamic, yet stronger. Reading his corrections made Mabui conclude that this blond-haired blue-eyed boy was not only on another level, but was going to be far better for her time-table than any book will be. With that understanding, she redoubles her determination to do _everything_ in her power to make certain he's in favor of helping her.

"You truly are amazing," Mabui flatters, to which he chuckles, embarrassed.

"Nah! It's nothing," he says scratching the back of his neck.

"If there's anything I can help you with, you have to ask me," Mabui offers. "You're helping me with this and I want to help you as well."

Politely waving away her offer, he relays, "it's okay. You don't-"

Mabui interrupts, "no, I do, Naruto-kun," taking his warm hand in hers as she adds, "I mean it. If there's anything I can help you with, I'd appreciate you allowing me the opportunity to try."

Naruto seems taken aback a moment before lowering his gaze on their joined hands. She lets go with a sheepish smile and he turns pensive for several long moments, clearly mulling over a thought. She pretends to go over her work while he goes back and forth in his mind when he finally says, "nee-san…"

"Yes," she sweetly replies. He still looks hesitant, facing the table as he debates with himself. With a proactive attitude, Mabui takes the arms of his chair and rotates the young man into facing her. Her smile is reassuring as she takes her seat, rotated to face him, and waits.

He shrugs jovially enough before speaking, "there _is_ something I want to know more about, but I'm not sure if it's okay to ask."

"I see," Mabui hums before asserting, "we may not know each other well, but I can assure you, you don't need to be afraid of asking me; sometimes it's easier to ask a stranger than a friend. So, please, ask."

Nodding happily, Naruto asks, "do you know a lot about love and relationships?"

Happy to hear the topic, Mabui sits up, smiling as she answers, "I do, actually." Hoping to add another pillar by which to build a rapport upon, she admits, "I may not look it but I have a background in psychology and sociology, so, I have a very good understanding of those types of human connections."

"Wow," Naruto lets out with relief. "Sweet. What I want to know is, can a marriage, or a relationship, or I guess, just romantic love be between more than two people? Like a group?"

Though she hadn't expected that to come from such an earnest attitude, Mabui doesn't let it show on her captivating caramel features as she asks him without a hint of judgment, "you mean polyamory? More commonly known as polygamy, however, the umbrella term is polyamory."

"Uh, I guess," Naruto answers, having never heard of the term. He further explains, "I've never heard of such a thing, but my friend wants to know if it's possible. He thinks that if multiple girls love you, then you should just be with all of them, but, is that right? Isn't love supposed to be with one person? That's what everyone says, so, I thought I'd ask to see if being with more than one is a thing."

His blue eyes are looking at her innocently for answers but Mabui felt conflicted. She naturally wants to support monogamy, however, she also wants to ensure he subscribes to her in all things. Adding to her conflict is her lack of experience. She's only ever had one exemplary love in her life and he died of a heart attack. Her only other relationship is with Darui and it's so secret, her well-educated mind is telling her she's being used.

Though the Jōnin is an impressive figure, he doesn't seem to care one way or another, serving to either frustrate her for caring too much or forcing her to care as little as he does. How is she supposed to tell Naruto about how she suspects her indifferent-boyfriend cheats on her and likely thinks nothing of it? Mabui naturally wants to support monogamy, however, she can't claim to honor decency when her current relationship feels strictly physical and her deceased fiance was thirty years her senior.

Regardless, even if Mabui felt like she didn't have a leg to stand on, she still knew that a relationship based on love was between two people. Her best guess is Naruto can't decide between two girls he's attracted to and his ''friend'' selfishly and callously reasoned, '_why not both?_' To Mabui, this felt like monogamy versus the mission; the truth and possible failure versus the lie and further trust.

In a split second and with plenty of guilt, Mabui sacrifices whoever these girls are to shamelessly stroke the intolerable typical male fantasy for the aid Naruto may provide, asking, "first, are you including harems in your query?"

"Harems?" Naruto starts to ask before he remembers some of the study material he researched before Kurenai began teaching him. "No. I don't think the girls love each other in a harem."

Mabui isn't sure if that's better or worse, however, she comments, "well, it's interesting you should mention that because a core value of non-monogamous relationships is their belief that sexual and relational exclusivity—basically a relationship strictly between two people—is unnecessary to have a deep, committed, and loving relationship."

Quirking his brow, he asks, "really? That's hard to picture."

"Indeed, it's not very common," Mabui claims. "However, I should preface this by saying this is a _very_ nuanced topic with a lot of overlap between the types. Since polyamorous relationships can vary from person-to-person or group-to-group, I'll focus on the three basic styles. There's the Dining Table. In this category, all members, whether you number three or ten, are so comfortable with each other, they can all meet—for example, around the dining table—and connect as well as friends and family can."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Naruto slowly asks, "ten people? In _**one**_ relationship? Like with love and sex and everything?"

Feeling a little sick in her stomach, Mabui nods her head, 'yes' to each of his questions before stating, "they can spend holidays and activities together, like one big family."

"Hmm… That doesn't sound too bad," a wide-eyed Naruto comments with gasping disbelief. "I've always wanted a big family."

To his credit, Mabui will admit, '_at least he doesn__'t appear to be a pig about this_,' before asking Naruto, "are you a single child?"

"Until until last week, I didn't have any family, at all," Naruto happily tells her. "But then I was lucky enough to find my cousin! Can you believe it? It's been great."

"Oh, Naruto… I'm so happy to hear that," Mabui genuinely remarks, sparing a conflicted thought for her deceased parents; the last of her family. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," he expresses with a nod.

Mabui then continues. "The second style is known as Parallel Poly. Within this polycule, there are individual relationships that know of one another but don't all date one another. For example, you date girl A and girl B but girl A and B prefer not to date or meet each other."

"They won't even be friends with one another?"

"It's up to them," Mabui notes. "Each group is different because everyone is comfortable with different things. Maybe girls A and B are okay with sharing you because they have time constraints. For example, if they have goals that don't allow them enough time to dedicate to a relationship."

"Mmmn," Naruto hums. "I guess that makes sense, but, I'd prefer if people were friends. They can support and help each other. That's what family and friends are for."

Spotting an opportunity, Mabui asks, "do you help your friends, Naruto?"

"Always," Naruto champions before adding a caveat with a smile. "Well, if I can anyway."

"I feel the same," Mabui sweetly responds. "Even now, I'm enjoying helping you with this."

"I really appreciate it," Naruto assures her with beaming interest.

It's exactly the energy she's looking for as she continues. "The third style is the Solo. In this bracket, the individual—you, for example—has multiple romantic relations, whether sexual or not, without the urge to live with any one partner."

"They prefer to be alone," Naruto wonders aloud.

"Yes and no," Mabui responds. "It's not that they prefer to be alone. It's more like they don't believe in the natural progression of exclusivity. So, going from dating to engagement, to marriage, to children, is a natural progression they don't support, even within a polyamorous relationship."

"If I had the option, I'm definitely a Dining Table kind of guy," Naruto admits.

Though she loathes to motivate him, Mabui adds, "I believe so too. Remember, if you do get the option, don't force your partners to be more than they're comfortable with." He accepts her couching without remorse, thanking her for the tip and Mabui only feels terrible for the girls he'll try to swindle in this trial of futility. "After you select what style you prefer, each member of your polycule will then have to figure out how you interact, your values, personal boundaries, domesticity, and future outlook."

"Sound pretty complicated," Naruto notes pensively.

"If you're not in it for the right reasons, it can be," Mabui sagely imparts.

"The right reason is love for each other," Naruto proclaims, surprising Mabui before she nods in agreement.

INO

Opening the door for Karin and Naruto, and Ino immediately appreciates them wearing a black shirt with an orange spiral within a circle at the center. The red-haired Uzumaki wore her black shorts and matching thigh-high leggings while Naruto remained in his orange combat slacks. Though she wonders why they'd choose the same symbol as the one on Konoha's flak jackets, she's more pleased to see how nervous Naruto seems. Ino can't imagine it was Naruto's idea to dress for the evening and appreciates Karin's effort.

After welcoming them in, Ino's content to grab his forearm and pull him before her parents and formally introduce them. At the sight of her rigid father greeting them, Ino empathizes with what he must be feeling as a father, however, she can't deny she's thrilled by such a mundane worry. After the ordeal she went through nearly six months ago, it's a miracle to her she can still be her parent's little girl, if only in their eyes.

Per the dining etiquette, Inoichi sits at the head of the rectangular table with the guest of honor, Naruto, to his right, then herself beside him, her mother at the southern end of the table, followed by Karin and Sakura. Ino asked a few of her cousins if they'd like to earn some quick ryō serving the family, to her parent's surprise, so they can all remain seated while they're served.

In the close proximity of their dining table, Ino feels like her worlds—her masks—are crashing together. He should fell agitated, but that's not the case. Despite the boy she's had sex with sitting next to her father, despite how exciting it is to know that Sakura, her mother, and her father are all keeping her crush on Naruto to themselves, despite what she knows in her heart she must do later, Ino wasn't nervous, shy, or scared. She was happy he was there because if this was the last time this happened, she was going to enjoy it to the fullest.

"Thanks for having us," Naruto tells Inoichi, however, her blank-faced father seems to be deep in his thoughts, to which her mother gently calls, "sweetie," from across the table. Blinking back to reality, Inoichi stumbles through, "hmm? Oh, yes." Turning to Naruto, he conveys, "of course, we're happy to- The Yamanaka Clan is happy… to have you."

"And Haku-kun," Ino asks Naruto, helping her father.

"He couldn't make it," Karin explains.

"Ino tells us you had some questions regarding the restoration of your clan," Ino's mother dictates to Karin next to her.

With a bit of a sobering shakeup, Ino asks "restoration? There was an Uzumaki Clan in Konoha?"

"Not in Konoha," the brunette mother states before asking her daughter, "haven't you noticed the emblem on their shirts is the same one on Konoha's flak jacket?"

"Yeah," Ino answers looking ahead at Karin's shirt before asking, "is that the crest of the Uzumaki Clan?"

"It is," Inoichi answers and the young ones turn to him as he adds, "as an eternal symbol of friendship between our villages."

"I had no idea," Ino gasps toward a nodding and smiling Naruto.

"I'm sure they must've taught it in school," Ino's mother proposes.

"I _think_ I remember that," Sakura slowly voices, tilting her head a bit in thought. "But rather than the Uzumaki Clan, they said the name of the village; Uzo- Uzusho-"

"Uzushiogakure," Karin assists to Sakura's gratitude.

"That's the village our moms came from," Naruto tells Sakura and everyone. A thought pops into his head he can't help but ask. "I wonder if other Uzumakis or villagers from there know that Konoha is friends with Uzushio."

"You think there might be some more in Konoha," Karin asks her blond cousin.

"Maybe," Naruto answers. "It's another reason to establish our clan. If descendants hear about the Uzumaki Clan's return, they might come here."

"I hope so," Karin voices.

"I'm fairly certain there'll be a vetting process, so, be prepared for that," Inoichi claims. "Konoha is a fairly open village, but, they'll be meticulous with anyone who wants to live here."

"Maybe a DNA test," Sakura suggests. "To make sure they're actually of Uzumaki descent."

"Oh, man, I can't wait," an exuberant Naruto exclaims.

"The Yamanaka clan knows why you're here," Ino's mother starts, looking from her daughter to Naruto. "And we want you to know we can certainly help."

"What do you have thus far," Inoichi asks of Naruto.

"Karin and I are Uzumakis," Naruto begins before asking one of his chief concerns. "But we also want Haku to be apart of our clan. That wouldn't be a problem, right?"

Inoichi takes a moment to consider the question before answering, "within Konoha's laws, the only legal ways Haku can gain the surname Uzumaki is if he marries into the clan, or, as a parent-less minor, the clan head adopts. But as Haku is an adult, by law, he can only be a member in all but name. The Yamanaka Clan, as well as all the other clans, have members that do not hold the main family's surname. Just as we do, Haku can be a member who will be better than a clan's sworn retainer, but lower than a relative."

"Hear that, Naruto-_sama_," Karin calls over with a smirk. "Haku may not have the surname but he can still be a member of the family," she reasons to which the blond shrugs unimpressed.

"Wait," Sakura gasps, turning from Karin to Naruto. "_Naruto_ is clan head?"

"I know, right," a smiling Naruto voices to his pink-haired friend, who nods. "It was weird for me too, but then Haku and Karin convinced me this'll be like being Hokage. Which means I've got to be great at it!"

Staring at him in disbelief, Ino can tell a strange and perverted thought popped in Sakura's mind when the pinkette slowly comments, "I don't know if I can call you Naruto… _sama_." Looking around with a blushing face, she remarks, "it sounds weird just saying it."

"Naruto-sama," Ino happily tries. "Naruto-sama… I don't know. I kinda like it." Sakura's green eyes widen, a smirking Karin sits up straight—looking between Naruto and Ino—and a red-faced Inoichi struggles to hold in the food he wants to choke out. A slight nudge of her foot from under the table is all Ino needs to know her mother is saying, '_please think of your father_.'

Clearing her throat, Karin tells the table, "before you can be the best clan head, we still need property, which won't be easy, as well as a foothold in some part of Konoha's markets. Is there any advice or direction you can give us for that, Inoichi-san?"

Setting down his glass of water, a frazzled father eyes the Yamanaka matriarch, having one of their silent conversations before Inoichi turns to Naruto and says, "the primary reasons why establishing a clan is difficult—nearly to the point of '_why bother_'—is because of the initial money involved. It's a lot; in some cases, more than what a person may make in their entire life. And Haku-kun and Karin-chan are correct. A lot of the Hokage's responsibilities is managing the financial life-line of his people. As a leader, you'll need to know your enterprise inside and out, your clan's P & I, which is purchase and import, and you'll have to be meticulous about everything, which means every invoice, every commission, every contract. Your paperwork has to be perfect."

Naruto, Karin, Sakura, and Ino are silent as they take in the information when Ino's mother asks Naruto, "may I assume that your current income is the standard E-7 or 8 for Genins?"

However, Sakura interjects, "actually, Hanaya-san, our team was bumped up to E-9 after the A-Rank mission we completed."

Naruto nods his head in agreement as the brunette Yamanaka adds, "very good. At a minimum, you'll need a hundred times that amount to start. That includes land deeds, filing, village incentives and permits, and miscellaneous fees you won't see coming."

"Then of course," Inoichi begins to follow up. "There's the cost of any business your clan chooses to incorporate into Konoha's economy-"

"Wait," a wide-eyed Ino calls, exasperated by the administration behind every clan, before turning to Karin. She's nearly disgusted with herself at the thought, voicing, "is that… That's why you passed on shopping. Oh, Kami, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking-"

"No, please," Karin says, pumping both palms in solidarity. "It was nice of you to offer. I was happy you did. It's just, right now, Haku and Naruto are the only ones bringing in ryō, so every coin counts."

"I'm sure it'll work out," Naruto assures the table, especially Karin.

"Naruto," Sakura speaks. "This is serious. It sounds like it's going to take a lot of ryō and effort."

Inoichi then explains to the guest of honor seated next to him, "as clan head, you have a duty to be aware of the changes you can and can't make for the good of all those you are responsible for. Trust me, they will look to you for safety, not only from physical harm but from financial harm as well."

"Mn, yeah," Naruto agrees with the experienced clan head. "I just mean, I can't see a single thing stopping me from taking care of Karin or Haku or any other Uzumaki we find. So why worry about it? Ryō, land, business… I get that it'll take more than what I have now, but that's fine, because I know I'll do my absolute best for the people I care about, no matter how long it takes."

"Spoken like a true clan head," Hanaya shares, though happily eying her husband as if to say, '_go ahead_.'

"Uzumaki-kun," Inoichi starts to which Naruto interjects, "you can call me Naruto."

"Naruto-sama," Hanaya speaks. "What my husband will eventually come around to telling you is that we _had_ two stems of the Fire Slipper Orchid. We know you gifted them, however, Kurenai-sensei has asked us to sell hers on your behalf."

"Whaat," Naruto calls. "But I told her she didn't have to."

Shocked, Sakura asks him, "you gave Kurenai-sensei a flower?"

"And me," Ino smiles at her pink-haired roommate, earning another kick from her mother, reminding her of her dejected father.

"Kurenai-sensei didn't feel taking such an extravagant gift was proper and I agree with her," Hanaya tells Naruto. "You are more than welcome to gift her something else, but she was quite clear, all the ryō the orchid was sold for would be given to you."

Naruto mumbles unfavorably, "I don't know how I feel about this," before Karin curiously asks the Yamanakas, "uh, are flowers worth a lot?"

"Apparently it was quite the bid, but Naruto's Fire Slipper Orchid sold for a record-setting one-point-one million ryō," Inoichi slowly admits, his voice still pained by the blond boy clearly in his daughter's heart and Ino, Sakura, Karin, and Naruto bolted up in their seats absolutely flabbergasted to hear such shocking news.

"One-point-one mil," a wide-eyed Karin yells. "For a flower?!"

"And don't think we're selling yours, honey," Inoichi informs his stunned daughter. Ino and Sakura are silent as their stunned faces turn to Naruto for an explanation, however, he's as befuddled as they are.

"It's fair to say the Uzumaki clan will have sufficient funds to get started," Hanaya comments in amusement. The unexpected news stunted the rest of dinner and it wasn't until Hanaya suggested dessert that Ino asked if they wanted to get popsicles.

NARUTO

The four of them walk the busy streets of Konoha's main market square. Though it's evening, there are many villagers out and hardly anyone glares at Naruto. That alone was enough for Naruto to be happy, but he was also out with three of his good friends, which doubled his elation. His happiness was so astounding, he didn't even want to think about how much money his clan now has.

Walking between Ino and Sakura, who's talking to Karin, Naruto couldn't be happier, until, slowly and unexpectedly, Ino slides the tips of her fingers down the inner side of his forearm before effortlessly slipping into his warm palm and interlacing their fingers. It was so unexpected, Naruto tilts his entire head, staring with large saucer eyes at such a blatantly public display of affection.

Naruto didn't even register the act of hold hands under moon-mixed street lighting and surrounded by a bustling crowd for several moments. Her warm, soft palm was so staggering Naruto looked around for witnesses and immediately spots a few glances; none more noticeably surprised than a blushing Sakura and Karin. Ignoring their giggling, Naruto is even more shocked when his blue eyes land on Ino's. Exception for her blushing cheeks, she was calm, serene, no more or less jovial than before she held his hand, as if being personal with him—of all people—in public didn't affect her.

'_It__'s like she doesn't care who sees_,' his thrilled mind gasps.

Not even Nai-chan has breached the public domain of intimacy and Naruto nearly couldn't function. Something as simple as purchasing four popsicles from the vendor was a formidable task for his brain to execute. Naruto simply couldn't think past the warm, pretty, caring hand he was happily holding in public. His heart was beating a mile a minute. With Ino's help, they each had a popsicle to suck on while enjoying the night walk.

After Karin suspiciously mentioned how tired she felt, Naruto made a shadow clone to escort her home. Sakura, Ino, and Naruto continued their walk for another twenty minutes, even running into Kiba and his sister. At the sight of the blonds holding hands, Kiba surprisingly didn't challenge him. After making certain Naruto knew he was going to win the tournament, he along with his sister, Hana, and their canine partners left.

After Ino has a quick word Naruto couldn't hear with Sakura, his teammate felt tired and left soon after with a clone as well. With a comfortable pace, Ino leads them to an unspecified destination, all the while they talk about mundane things like pranking, being a leader, and how she's lived as the heiress of one of the honored clans. He was so engrossed, he was mildly surprised to be in front of his old apartment complex.

His old home was never beautiful to look at, however, it may as well have been a palace compared to what it looks like now. Windows are broken, there appears to be fire damage, it's dirty, and worst of all, it's surrounded by hoodlums. Cracking their knuckles, Naruto and Ino work their way up to the fourth floor, effortlessly decimating the large and armed group of gangsters, and before Naruto enters his old apartment, he creates several clones to go room-by-room to make sure all the thugs were gone.

"Well that was exciting," Ino huffs.

Walking up behind her, Naruto wraps his arms around her midsection, relaying, "I can think of something much more exciting than that."

Inhaling deeply to remain calm, Ino is dazed by how effortlessly his body seems to warm her entire being up as if switching on the light. Her arms wrap over his as she leans back into his buzzing presence. She's only shocked out of her arousing stupor when she hears him whisper by her ear, "will you be my girlfriend?"

She felt her womanhood quiver and grow moist while her heart hammered with excitement. "I'd love to," she answers, however, her mind reminded her of her mission. Of her character, and what it dictates she must do for the person she loves. "But I have to tell you something first," she whispers, feeling her fingers shake.

"It can wait," Naruto happily sings, turning her around to look him.

"Sorry," Ino responds, using the opportunity to step away. The move clearly confused him as she says, "but it can't. What I have to say might… will make you change your mind about me."

"Uh, I doubt that," he laughs as he takes a step toward her. When she takes a step back, he's further perplexed, asking, " Ino…"

"What I have to say will be hard enough," she voices, stomping down on the urge to put more distance between them. She reminds herself, '_I__'m not a coward_,' before she voices, "but please let me finish."

To his surprise, she kneels, placing her forehead to the floor and triangle-shaped palms on the floor above her crown as well. He abruptly takes a step forward, asserting, "you don't have to kneel-"

"Please," Ino calls loudly, hating how weak she feels about what she must do, however, if she looks at him, she knows his adorably trusting face would make her not want to say it. '_And he deserves the truth_,' her mind declares as her voice bids, "let me say it like this, or I won't be able to."

"… okay," he hesitates to agree.

Exhaling a lung-full, Ino speaks. "Before that day that bound us together, I lived in this world I created; second-best kunoichi in our class, most beautiful, smart, confident, in love with the best man, with designs to be his wife one day. In that box I created, everything made sense, and the world was right. After what happened to me with Chōji's dango… the world I had created blew apart. I wasn't the same girl because so much of what made me was gone. I don't want to make excuses but I felt mutated, ugly, and I was so so angry and I couldn't do anything about it because I didn't understand what had happened."

"I'm sorry, Ino," Naruto regretfully admits. "I get that you didn't actually want to do that with me. Had I known, I would've stopped it. I was stupid and but it's different now."

"It is," Ino agrees. "For both of us. That's why I have to be completely honest with you. You deserve to know how horrible I can be-"

"You're not horrible," Naruto interjects, shifting forward. "No more than I am-"

"I raped Sakura," Ino flatly confesses, silencing Naruto down to his breathing. "At my worst, it wasn't so much her words that I couldn't take, but the new reality behind them. I felt like I had lost everything and I let my anger take over. I used my jutsu on her and took compromising photos of her. Then I blackmailed her for the photos by making her…" "ahem, by making her have sex with me and… and even making her have s-sex with you. I've long since learned what I did was horrible, and wrong, and evil, and there's no excuse for it. I understand if you never want to see me again, but you should know I will always cherish you and the times we shared."

Naruto's mind struggles to make sense of the meaning behind her words. They just don't connect with the girl before her in any way as he tries to vocalize the thing that doesn't make sense. "I don't- You couldn't- Ino, tell me- But Sakura's your-"

"I'm so, so, so, sorry, Naruto," Ino interjects, pressing her forehead as hard as she can into the board of the floor. She wants the pain, she needs the pain to get through it as she apologizes. "I won't ever stop being sorry. Till I die, this will be the worst shame of my life."

Naruto takes her hand and pulls her up to see her face. Her face would surely tell the truth, but she looks away, ashamed. "You're lying," he yells with hope that she is. "You couldn't do that!"

Weak in his grip, Ino uses all her strength to look in his beautiful eyes as she affirms, "I wish I were lying… but it's the truth."

Letting her go, Naruto steps back, mouthing, "I don't believe it. I can't! Not of you!"

Smiling with red-rimmed eyes refusing to cry, Ino asserts with confidence, "I have no doubt I would've fallen in love you before long." She back-steps toward the door, leaving him with, "your trust, love, and warmth altered my world for the better, Naruto, and I'll always be grateful to you. I'm sorry," she finishes, exiting the shell of his old apartment and leaving him to his betrayed thoughts.

SAKURA

When Sakura finally hears Ino enter her bedroom, the pink-haired kunoichi grips the instant-photo tightly in her grasp and walks out of her room. Though Ino wanted them to share rooms, Sakura reminded her blond sister that she will be doing a lot of studying and needs peace to fully concentrate. Sliding the last photo she hadn't destroyed in her nighty's pocket, Sakura couldn't believe how blatant Ino was being with her affections toward Naruto.

'_They held hands in public_,' Sakura's mind screams yet again, as her blushing body feels electric. '_Even Kiba saw them!_'

After leaving Naruto and Ino earlier, all Sakura could think about on her walk back to the Yamanaka compound was her night with Naruto, and how Ino would eventually feel the same elation she had felt. Sakura couldn't explain why Ino starting a relationship with a boy she's had sex with excited her so much. She fantasized about it every night since and has already masturbated three times to the last photo of herself giving Naruto's erupting cock one long lick.

The closest the pink-haired genin understood about the photographic evidence, was how the connection it displayed excited her. It was her body in the photo, but Ino was the one licking Naruto's large phallus, and now her blond sister wants the date the boy she had sex with. The connection was titillating to think about, all the more when she realizes Ino was right about their bond.

Standing in front of Ino's door, Sakura doesn't even knock before entering the heiress's room. It was rude, but not without purpose. Sakura may agree with Ino's opinion of their familial relation, but, that doesn't mean she won't demand what she needs. '_Sisters_,' Sakura's mind repeats. It was odd how much she agreed with their bond, and realizing how close the girls are—and will always be—made Sakura all the more confident she will have what she wants.

Ino is walking out of her closet in silk purple shorts and top when Sakura enters her room without permission. Sakura finds it odd she would just ignore her and watches Ino walk to her dresser and pick up her brush. The silence between them grows as Ino simply brushes her lustrous blond hair. Setting her resolve, Sakura walks over to Ino, takes the brush from her hand and takes over titivating Ino's golden mane.

Looking at the straight-faced Ino through the mirror, Sakura couldn't get a read on her sister. Still, she says, "I have a problem you're going to help me with." Other than her pupil-less attention, Ino doesn't react any other way. It almost unnerves Sakura from continuing, but, when she thinks about why she has to stay with other ninja's while Naruto can walk around free as he wants, Sakura holds firm.

"When I told you about my training you said I was crazy to train so much and one hour wasn't going to make a dent against all that fatigue," Sakura continues, though delicately brushing Ino's blond hair. "And you _were_ right. Boardgames weren't going to keep me from going crazy, but you can." Eying the girl she remarks, "or to be more precise, _Naruto_ can."

Again there's no reaction and Sakura can't help but wonder, 'what's wrong?'

Pushing through, the blushing girl continues, "even though you're Naruto's girlfriend now, you're going to convince him that you approve of me and him having sex! That's right! I want to have sex with your b-boyfriend, but let's be clear here, it has nothing to do with love and everything to do with your debt to me and assisting me with my training."

Ino takes in a deep breath and seems ready to protest, provoking Sakura to take out the photo as she moves in front of the beautiful heiress, and yell, "and if you don't like that, this should help you realize why you have no choice. I'll tell Naruto what his new girlfriend did to me!"

Breathing heavily, Sakura did not expect Ino to break down and start crying; not a light whimpering or mild shedding of tears. No, the beautiful girl looked pained with fat globs of tears gushed out of her squinting eyes, and her mewling shocked Sakura's heart into racing with worry. Forgetting the picture, Sakura takes her wailing sister in her arms and holds her tightly. Though Sakura tries to ask Ino what was wrong, the wailing girl wouldn't respond. Ino wouldn't even answer to her mother when the matriarch entered the room. In the end, Sakura stayed with Ino all night, holding her as she cried and slept and cried again.

NARUTO

Naruto should be happy to receive the memories of his clones training progress, as well as his clone's talk with Mabui, but he wasn't very content. The silver-haired woman was incredibly attractive, smart, and interested in what he had to say but after the revelation Ino had smacked him with, Naruto couldn't think or feel much of anything else. Seated at the dining table in Iruka's home beside Karin and in front of Ōyashiro-san, he hoped to feel better tomorrow. He wants to be cheerful when he meets the caramel-skinned beauty again.

"I apologize for the late hour, Naruto-dono, Karin-dono, but thank you for meeting me," Ōyashiro speaks. He takes a sip of their tea and compliments Iruka's cozy home. There were many scrolls from Karin's research neatly stacked to the side, but as a whole, the entire house was very clean.

"Well, I still have to give you the ryō for the chakra blades," Naruto comments before Karin asks, "how can we help you?"

"I'll get right to the point," Ōyashiro claims. "I want to be of service to you. I want to be able to facilitate a need of yours in equal measure to the item I'd like in return."

Looking from Naruto to the veteran tradesman, Karin asks, "what item?"

"Kubikiribōchō," Ōyashiro answers.

"Sorry, but it's not for sale," Naruto regretfully admits.

"I see," Ōyashiro easily responds, however, undeterred, he continues. "You must have a sentimental attachment to the weapon- Oh, better yet, I imagine you want to use it to become a legendary swordsman yourself. Legendary swordsman Uzumaki Naruto. It has a nice ring, I must admit."

"Actually, I'm not planning on using it," Naruto tells the man. "It's too big and I'd rather rely on taijutsu than kenjutsu."

"That would explain the chakra knuckle-blades," Ōyashiro mumbles to himself loud enough for the Uzumakis to hear. "So, if not to become a swordsman, then sentimental reasons?"

"No," Naruto callously replies. "I mean, I won it but I don't care about it one way or another."

"Well then, might I ask why not sell it to me," Ōyashiro asks, quickly adding, "I'll pay generously for it."

Even Karin looks at her down cousin curiously when he answers, "I told Zabuza-jiji he can work for it."

"I see," Ōyashiro nods as he responds. "Well, played, Naruto-dono. If I'm understanding you correctly, if Momochi-dono didn't mind you selling Kubikiribōchō, you wouldn't be opposed to selling it to me?"

"Nope," Naruto says.

With a confident voice, Ōyashiro then asks, "and if I offer you triple the retail amount, would your reconsider selling it to me now?"

Curious, Karin asks, "how much is-"

"Four hundred and sixty-six million ryō," Ōyashiro answers all the while staring at the listless Naruto to gauge his response.

Karin gasps, stunned with wide-eyes, but after what Ino admitted to him, Naruto is numb to expression. Ryō isn't everything and he doesn't like the idea of lying, so he answers, "sorry. I wish I could but, I gave Zabuza-jiji my word."

"No need to apologize, Naruto-dono," Ōyashiro says, shaking his head. "It's quite admirable of you. Our word is our bond, after all, and for the moment, I'm quite content with the knowledge of your position."

After they let him out, Karin gasps aloud, "four hundred and sixty-six million! That means the retail for Kubikiribōchō is a hundred and… fifty-five point three something or other! Do you know what we can do with that amount? We'd be one of the richest clans in the village!"

"It's just ryō," Naruto glumly states, before telling Karin, "I'm going for a walk. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Karin answers before asking, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he responds with a weak smile, happy she didn't ask him about Ino. "I just have a lot on my mind."

Nodding, Karin tells him, "I'll be here if you need me."

"Thanks."

It wasn't long before he found himself in Kurenai's bed. Though they discussed Hinata, she could tell he was distracted. When he eventually opened up, he didn't explain more than his dashed hopes of nearly having a girlfriend, and worse than that, how he feels about the horrible mistakes of an intimately close friend. He nearly feels betrayed. The beautiful Jōnin's words were as comforting as her presence, but even as they sleep together, he doesn't feel quite right.

MABUI

"So he _**is**_ the same boy," Mabui gasps after Samui gave a detailed description of the Uzumaki who fought and defeated Momochi Zabuza. It was baffling to the silver-haired stunner that a sixteen-year-old genin can be stronger than the Demon of Hidden Mist _**and**_ prodigious in Fūinjutsu. She can't help but gasp to her teammates, "he didn't even _**look**_ injured!"

Seated around their small dining table in the middle of their empty living quarters, Atsui seemed pensive, seemingly trying to make sense of the same thing she is. It just didn't seem believable, and if it wasn't for Samui's first-hand account, they wouldn't believe it. The symmetrically beautiful leader is stone-faced, however, and Mabui easily imagines she's reflecting on her lack of communication, as any leader might in such a situation. If Samui would've spoken more, Mabui could've made the connection earlier and they could've planned to use Mabui's connection with Uzumaki to secure his favor, if not outright steal the blade from him.

"Ōyashiro asked for more time," Samui tells her subordinates, forcing Mabui and Atsui to assume that's still the primary course of their mission. Rather than explain to her subordinates if there are any backup plans, Samui stands and retires into their shared bedroom.

Mabui follows and isn't surprised to see Samui is already in her sleeping bag. Her leader wasn't sleeping, so Mabui speaks as she begins to change. "Thank you for telling us Uzumaki's description. With that, I'll try to charm him to our side."

"Understood," Samui voices with her back still to Mabui.

Rather than retain the silence, Mabui asks direct questions to encourage the beautiful leader to speak more, starting with, "is there a specific tactic you would like me to incorporate?"

"…What are his interests," Samui coolly asks.

"Fūinjutsu and…" Mabui hesitates to finish. On a mission, Mabui is fine flirting and seducing others if it's safe to do so, however, she draws the line on going the extra mile, especially all so Bee-sama can have a new sword.

Samui eventually voices "…And?"

Though she doesn't want to be ordered to do anything she would be uncomfortable doing, Mabui answers her commanding officer, "he asked me about women and love."

"Do what you must," Samui states from her resting place in her sleeping bag.

"Understood," Mabui responds. Though she could've ended it there, Mabui's psyche training tells her to speak about her day with the blond prodigy. As Mabui recounts her interaction with Uzumaki Naruto, she hopes to get through to Samui and breakdown, if only a little, some of the girl's fear.

TENTEN

Opening the rear access door of Tent Out of Ten, Tenten asks, "what do _**you**_ want?"

Without being permission, Haku enters the merchandise bay of the weapons shop. Though Tenten tried to stand in front of him, she can't help but think of her father and weakly allows the beautiful shinobi in as he answers, "I'm here to assess the quality of my weapon."

"I am _not_ your weapon," Tenten cries back.

Haku stops walking toward the stairs that lead to the apartment above and turns to leave, commenting, "very well. I'll let Zabuza-sama know-"

"Wait!" Tenten yells as she reaches for Haku's dark green tunic. "Wait! Are you crazy?! Don't-" Haku's calm dark eyes relay Tenten's clear options, to which the bun-haired belle slowly asks to know, "…how could you be okay with this? If I don't do what you say, Zabuza kills my father!"

"I fail to see how you lose here," Haku calmly responds.

Eyes widening incredulously, Tenten rebuffs, "what I just said already means I lost!"

Calm as ever, the beautiful boy asks, "how? Your father is still alive and will remain so. And all I'm going to ask of you is train to be a weapon even Zabuza-sama would be proud of. Neither of which feels like losing to me."

Cautiously, Tenten asks, "what do you mean by train?"

"You belong to me, Tenten," Haku reiterates. "But you also belong to Zabuza-sama's and Naruto-sama's because what's mine is theirs. That being said, you're so pitiful as a ninja, it would embarrass me to present you to them."

Ruffled by the observation and hating herself for being unable to confidently dispute it, she instead returns, "I don't need you to _present_ me to anybody-"

Turning again to the door to leave, Haku repeats, "I'll alert Zabuza you do not wish to cooperate-"

"Fine," Tenten yells, grabbing the sleeve of his dark green tunic. "Fine. Just- …what do you want?"

Nodding, Haku begins walking again, heading toward the stairs as he asks, "when was the last time you murdered someone?"

Tenten is taken aback at the questions as they walk up the stairs and is slow to honestly respond, "…I've never killed anyone."

"Hmm," Haku lazily hums before abruptly deducing, "I suppose we can find a homeless man for you to kill." At Tenten's yelping cry, Haku turns to the girl as they enter the apartment and relays, "it's fine, Tenten-chan. I won't turn you in to the authorities-"

"It's not about getting caught," she boldly asserts. "I'm not killing some random person! What _is_ wrong with you?"

"I certainly can't claim to be… normal," Haku sheepishly admits with the sweetest smile before purposely pointing out, "however, I am also not weak."

"Neither am I-"

Haku interrupts by asking, "shall we put that to the test?" Tenten stiffens as Haku continues his leisure pace around the living room. "If you beat me, you will no longer be my tool and I'll make certain your father does not die by Zabuza's hand, directly or indirectly."

"And if I lose?"

"Then the status quo remains," Haku answers.

It didn't take Tenten too long to answer with conviction, "fine! After I win, you promise no harm will come to my father?"

"You have my word," Haku asserts with a short bow.

They traveled to the roof for their match and though the space was small, it was equally so. It didn't take long for Tenten to feel that quicksand. She couldn't even manage to make Haku use his jutsu, let alone his weapons. His speed alone outmatched her, the foreign boy parried everything, and she felt the pressure like she was drowning in it. In the end, Haku didn't break a sweat, Tenten never landed a strike, and she couldn't stop disparaging thoughts repeatedly asking, '_how can I be __**so**__ weak?_'

Crouching beside the huffing Tenten, Haku asks, "do you understand now?"

"…No," Tenten growls. "Why are you so good? Why is Naruto? And Neji-kun, Lee, and Guy-sensei? And everybody, but me!"

"I can't speak for your teammates or '_everybody_,'" Haku calmly voices. "However, I can tell you why Naruto-sama is strong."

Sitting up, Tenten demands, "tell me. How did he beat Zabuza?"

Taking this conversation indoors, Haku and Tenten settle around the dining table before they speak. Tenten has a bag of ice against her bruised cheek as Haku articulates, "it's not about the strategy Naruto-sama used to beat Zabuza-sama. It's about his mental fortitude." At Tenten's drawn in eyebrows, Haku answers, "Naruto-sama has an innate understanding of who he is and isn't afraid of his capabilities."

She sarcastically asks, "why would he be? Why would anyone be scared of being _that_ strong?"

"Our deepest fears are not rooted in our inadequacy," Haku wise counsels, "humankind's deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. Most people you come across in life are content to simply have a place in society. They are content to conform and with good reason. To do so is much easier to live with; it's accepting, sociable, and comfortable-"

A tired and hurt Tenten accidentally let slip from her lips, "sheep," surprising and scaring her at the same time.

Haku has the decency to let it slide as he continues explaining from across the table. "But playing small doesn't serve the world. It serves the interests of others at the expense of your self and your dreams. Zabuza-sama and Naruto-sama may be polar opposites, but neither men have such fears. They don't accept conformity. They are daring, and without hesitation, would fight death itself for what matters to them. That is the key to their strength."

Tenten takes a minute to consider Haku's words before asking, "and you can make me that strong?"

"I can only show you the way," the boy responds. "You must be the one to walk it, and crucially, without fear."

Tenten sags her shoulders and with deep resignation, answers, "…well, it's not as if I have a choice."

"Good," Haku voices before declaring, "your first task is to kill a homeless-"

"I'm not killing a homeless person," Tenten calls out. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Tenten-chan," Haku patiently starts. "The largest area of improvement isn't your body, but your mind. You have too much fear, and if you're going to be a weapon worthy of the strongest opponents, you need to change your mindset."

"To that of a killer like Zabuza?"

"Not necessarily," Haku returns truthfully. "I myself do not engage in killing."

"See," Tenten huffs.

"After I killed my father who had killed my mother before trying to kill me, I didn't adhere to it as readily as others might have." Tenten looks at Haku's serene face, and couldn't believe such a calm and beautiful face would say something so horrible. Her own father may value money over many things but even he would attempt to kill his own daughter.

"Still," Haku continues. "That event did brake me enough for Zabuza-sama to mold me into his weapon. Both Naruto-sama and Zabuza-sama have gone through mental barriers I doubt you've ever neared, hence why I suggest murder. No one will miss a homeless person-"

"I'm not killing anyone," Tenten calls, already feeling sick to her stomach at the way Haku wants to train her. Tenten then asks, "is there another barrier that doesn't involve murder?"

Tenten can't help but be jealous of the beautiful boy as he quirks his neat brow in thought. She couldn't believe how unfair his beauty is as the boy mutters to himself, "you're _so_ innocent, there should be something… oh!" Haku then happily asks, "have you had- wait, do you have a boyfriend?"

Startled, Tenten's voice stutters when she asks, "what? Why?"

"Do you," Haku maintains.

"N-no," she hesitates to respond.

Continuing to his invasive questioning, he asks, "do you have someone you love?"

"I… I don't have to tell you that," she defends.

"Then this conversation is over-"

"Wait, wait," she calls before he even gets up. Nervously, she blushes to admit, "I… sort of _like_ someone… but… he doesn't feel the same."

"I see," Haku mumbles. After a moment of deep thought, Haku nods and merrily tells Tenten, "well, if you're opposed to murder, then having sex with Naruto-sama is your only other option."

Dropping the bag of ice, Tenten slams her palms on the dining table, shaking the wood, as she sits up, the movement of which knocks the chair back, and yells, "WHAT! HOW DO YOU- …WHY WOULD YOU- WHAT!"

Standing himself, Haku raises an easing palm to settle the pretty girl's shocked countenance as he explains, "I am not holding your hand through this, Tenten-chan, nor will I explain this multiple times. I'll say this once and give you the week to think it over." He waits several moments for her to object, but the only sound from her is heavy breathing.

"Sex is something intimate," Haku starts. "It's a social bond you share with a significant person you relate well with. In some respects, it's the very vulnerable heart of you as an individual… that level of sensitivity will kill you in battle. As you are, you are all about your feelings; your fears, your insecurities. All of that needs to be dialed back a substantial amount so you can stop thinking about how you feel and instead concentrate on the outcome that _**must**_ happen. The burden of murder would be a good dampener, but loveless sex works well enough."

Haughty and blushing, Tenten tries to argue, "first, I don't agree-"

"Says the sheep who lost," Haku interjects.

Visibly upset, Tenten struggles to swallow her pride to utter, "…Even if you believe that's what I need, why Naruto-kun? W-why n-not… y-y-you?"

Shrugging the little her question actually matters, Haku answers the wildly blushing girl, "you're not my preference. Also, Naruto's the only person I know in Konoha, we live together, and as his tool, I obviously serve him in any way I can."

With tight animated fists, Tenten cries out, "but _**SEX**_!"

With gravitas that cut through her reservations, Haku palpably vocalizes, "you want to change but you don't want to sacrifice. Zabuza-sama, Naruto-sama, myself, and many other strong warriors had to sacrifice who they _were_ to become who they _are_. I guarantee you no legend you met was born that way. They were made into being; forged into being. I can understand your hesitance to murder someone, but if you're unwilling to sacrifice even this in order to cross beyond your comfortable boundaries, then I don't know how to train you. You have a week, then I will expect an answer."

Though Tenten expected Haku to leave after clearly explaining his position, the confusing boy sits back down. Confused, Tenten looks at the boy with a curiosity that clearly says, '_what more is there to discuss?_' Answering as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, Haku asks, "how do you expect to run your shop, alone, while simultaneously continuing your career as a kunoichi without assistance?"

NARUTO

The second Naruto opened his door, he was surprised to see Sakura waiting for him. He's supposed to meet her along with Kakashi and Sasuke at their spot on the bridge and he wasn't looking forward to it. He hadn't seen Sasuke since their match two days ago and now he knows what happened to Sakura by Ino's hands. Looking at her tired, angry, yet lovely face, Naruto isn't sure what to expect but they say their farewell to a studious Karin before leaving.

Fifteen minutes into their walk, Sakura sighs before asking a nervous Naruto, "do you know what I was doing all last night?" He doesn't speak, however, he shakes his head, 'no,' to which she responds, "I was comforting an uncharacteristically distraught and weeping Yamanaka Ino."

Though the day is bright and perfect, Naruto mournfully responds, "…she told me."

"I know," the lethargic Sakura yells. The streets they walk are lamely populated with stragglers as Sakura continues. "The second I threatened to do horrible violence to you, she finally tells me she confessed everything to you and to leave you alone."

Stopping in their tracks, Naruto turns to her and admits his confusion. "I don't understand Sakura. Why are you at her house? Why are you still her friend? Is she still blackmailing-"

Raising her fist and prime to strike him, Sakura seemingly changes her mind and sighs as she lowers her deadly fists. "No, baka," she calmly answers. Resuming their walk, she listlessly informs him, "listen… I was a bitch, like, a true-to-life bitch. And Ino was even colder. It wasn't right what she did and I won't say otherwise, but, I can't say there wasn't a clear benefit."

"And that is," Naruto asks.

"…I was- I _learned_ I was obsessed," she starts, slowly turning to him as she adds, "with Sasuke. I don't know how this happened, but I convinced myself that he was the best thing in this world and I wanted to be his everything. With those photos, Ino forced me to read a _**lot**_ about obsession… even now, I still hate her for it," she adds with a small smile. "I learned, desire creates paradoxical effects, like, the more you want something, the more you chase after the very thing that eludes you."

"That sounds pretty familiar," Naruto repentantly admits to her. Her green eyes say she understands he's talking about himself because she chuckles and affectionately shoulder-checks him. Her cheeks blush a pretty shade of pink, contrasting alluringly with her green eyes under pink eye-lashes.

"Anyway," she continues. "Another effect is the more interest you show, the more you repel the very object you desire. You know, that same book also said that my approach was so strong, it likely had the effect of making Sasuke uncomfortable. Can you imagine, Sasuke, uncomfortable?"

"Yeah," Naruto chuckles to mentally picture, adding, "oh, man! It'd be like telling the broody bastard the food he's eating was made with love!"

Sakura and Naruto laugh together as they leisurely walk the serene path to meet their teammates. Eventually, Sakura continues, adding, "out of all the books Ino made me read, one said showing contempt and disdain is the prerogative of the king. It makes people want to seek your approval. Where the king's eyes turn, what he decides to see, becomes reality; what he ignores and turns his back on is as good as dead." Wondering about his own obsessed chase of Sakura, the pink-haired girl adds, "I remember thinking that's exactly what it felt like if Sasuke didn't look at me, didn't pay attention to me, like I'd die."

Nodding in understanding, Naruto asks with some amazement, "Ino made you read all that?"

Lazily nodding, she answers, "yeah."

Naruto's mind couldn't help but think that seemed like a benefit. What happened also helped him get over his obsession with Sakura, to which Naruto comments, without embarrassment, "but she also made you have sex with me."

"Now that I think about it," Sakura voices as her brain analyzes the situation with that parameter. "I think she did that because she wanted you to stop chasing me on top of showing me how little I valued myself; sort of like a two-for-one." He nods at the objective assessment when Sakura asks, "you remember asking me if I wanted to stop several times? Well, she also gave me the option to stop or say no, but like Sasuke's attention, I didn't want to feel the ''_death_'' of losing him, so I always did it. All those experiences helped me realize how far I strayed from the girl I used to be… the one in the park by Yoshino's on her daddy's shoulders watching the Sakura trees bloom."

"You almost sound… _okay_ with what she did."

"I hate that it took so much to make me see things differently," Sakura admits to him though enjoying the birds flying above. "I still have a lot of self-reflection to do, and training on top of that, but I wouldn't be in a position to do so if it wasn't for Ino." Sakura steps in front of Naruto and softly explains, as if defeated, "I don't know how you feel about Ino—I mean she did something immoral and criminal—but I still trust her… crazy as that sounds."

"So, you're okay," Naruto slowly asks. Taking a step closer to really look at her, he emphasizes, "I mean, _**really**_, are you okay?"

Smiling the sweetest smile he'd seen in a long time, Sakura answers, "yeah, Naruto. I am." He nods and they walk in silence until they see their teammates, both of them-

"Am I seeing things," a shocked Naruto asks.

"That's… Kakashi-sensei," Sakura gasps. "Early!"

"The hell is going on," Naruto cries.

Naruto enjoys hearing Sakura laugh, and their talk, more than Kurenai's arms holding onto him, made him feel okay about it all. There's more to consider between Ino and himself, however, he feels confident that time will heal this wound.

Sakura brings him out of his thoughts when she tells him, "you know how I know you're going to be okay too?" Quirking his blond brow, he shakes his head, and she responds, "Sasuke tried to kill you and you don't seem to hate him, in fact, you still want to help him. On the bridge, Zabuza nearly killed you, and yet, you didn't hesitate to ask me to help him. Neither one of us hates Kakashi-sensei for neglecting us in favor of Sasuke. This entire village practically hated you and yet, you still want to protect them." Sakura becomes pensive for a moment, a slight smile under her pink cheeks as she jests, "you might be too good for us, Naruto."

Snorting, an embarrassed Naruto chuckles, "nope! Definitely not."

INO

Sweaty yet under her covers, Ino's mind was on a vicious loop. She couldn't process anything but the repeating memory of her self-harming confession. It's night time and she barely remembers admitting to Sakura what happened with Naruto. She barely recalls her mother bringing her food and sadly repeating how it was all her fault. She doesn't remember eating, going to the bathroom, or washing. Ino simply stayed in bed with a mess of tissues scattered all around her.

It even took Ino several minutes before she realized a tapping noise was coming from somewhere, then several minutes after that to turn to the irritating noise. To her horrid shock, Naruto is sticking on the wall outside her window, looking at her.

Immediately, Ino's mind catalogs everything about her appearance that's not up to her standards of public viewing. She could feel her nose is red and stuffy, her eyes were puffy and irritated from all her crying, her usually silky hair was a clumped mess, her skin felt oily and lifeless, and she smelled… horribly. Nothing about her was attractive and her immediate reaction is to throw the covers over herself.

With her trained ears, it's ridiculously easy for her to hear him enter her room and walk to her bed. She can barely breathe and much too soon, he's right beside her. He sits on the bed before placing his hand on her shoulder and she can feel his warmth like she never knew how cold the world actually is. Ino immediately felt his comfort and was aching for more until he slowly tries to draw the comforter off her.

When Ino holds tight, Naruto lets go and slowly voices, "if you hadn't told me, I never would've known." Ino is all too aware of that fact; much to her emotional agony, however, she says nothing as he softly continues. "Despite what you did, I still think you're a good person, Ino… or you never would've told me."

Drawing courage from thoughts of his smile and Kurenai's approval, Ino responds, "if I was a good person, I wouldn't have done that in the first place."

"Maybe," Naruto responds. "But Sakura seems okay with it, and if she can move past it—if she can trust you—then I want to as well." Ino's sure he can feel her heart beating a mile a minute. It's suffocating under the think sheet making her sweat worse, but, she didn't care as long as she can hear him.

"I came here because I don't want to lose you," he voices and an overly mortified, excited, sad, and happy Ino feels him try to remove the thick blanket again, and Kami help her, she lets him. She allows him to see her vulnerable face—mask-less—in all her unappealing emotions. Rather than be disgusted by what must be a laughter-inducing appearance, he smiles his genuinely sweet smile, and it breaks her heart when he confesses, "it won't be as easy as before but I think that's fine. I still want you in my life, Ino."

Rather than voice the immensity of the solace revitalizing her tired veins and withered muscles, Ino just wraps her arms around his strong neck and embraces him as hard as she can for as long as she can until. She hates herself for sobbing in happiness, but she can't stop how she feels. She holds him while he rubs her back, and eventually, she succumbs to slumber from sheer exhaustion.

* * *

Yay! There will be more Ino and Naruto in the future but they're in a better place than ever before. They now have a steady foundation to build upon. I always knew that my Ino would eventually confess what she did. She knows it was wrong, and to keep it from Naruto would only propagate how wrong it was to a whole new level. I hope this wasn't too melodramatic, but I needed this to happen so the road will be much smoother between them.

I'll highlight more of Sakura's reasoning later, however, all the ingredients are already there. Sakura needs something, Ino owes her big time, she's already lost her virginity, and there's a hold button on her quest for Sasuke.

A long long time ago, I had one thought for Tenten. "It's be funny is a weapon specialist became a weapon." Stupid I know, but, I still get a childish kick out of it. I also thought it was funny she'd rather Haku do the dirty deed, lol. Anyway, I'm glad she's under Haku's tutelage. I want her to get strong and I think Haku will do a great job. Also, how boss is Haku?! Effing Best Wing-man Ever! More on Tenten later.

Mabui is chipping away at Samui a bit at a time, trying to get at the center of the poor girl, and I'm slowly working them to the deep drill that is Naruto. I can't wait to focus more on them! 😁

Temari is coming up next. I'm salivating to get her in the harem! And I haven't forgotten about Jiraiya! He's coming soon. Lots of very interesting stuff coming guys! 😁

To all my amazing patrons, thank you again! I'm getting closer to hiring an editor for my original because of you guys, so I truly do appreciate your support. Again, my patre on is not for fanfiction but for my original novel. My patrons will receive it before anyone else 😁😁 Ulquiorra, I haven't forgotten about you my friend.

Lastly, Happy Halloween! I am dressing like BBC's Luther and my girl is going to be Alice.

As always, please let me know what you think and have a great one,

-Grae


	27. 27Omiai

Hey friends! Glad to be back 😁😁

I'd first like to explain my absence. Due to life pressures, I took some time to finish that novel that I'd been writing at the same time as Last Prayer. It's a simple 50K story I'm going to be putting up on Kindle for a fun, experience, and money.

I'm sorry if some felt I'd abandoned, especially since I haven't updated From Ruin yet, but, I won't. Speaking of... forewarning, my next update will be From Ruin's chapter 25, then I'll update Last Prayer again after that.

Warning: Sexual Situation and Language.

12.6K Enjoy!

* * *

SASUKE

Walking the bustling and hectic streets of Konoha to his mandatory counseling session with Yamanaka-san, Sasuke only registers a person is walking right beside him when the chilling voice speaks, "such a disappointment, Sasuke-kun."

To his credit, Sasuke continues his leisure pace with his hands in his pockets despite the gut-wrenching alarm going off in his gut. The young avenger didn't need to turn to know the elderly woman walking next to him was Orochimaru in a disguise. He's more concerned with how fatally distracted he's been for the past three days and mentally chastises himself for his slip. Still, he couldn't deny what Naruto had said shook him to his roots.

"My, my, my," the scratchy voice hums in amusement. Looking straight ahead, Orochimaru notes, "nine babysitters just for you. It's almost as if Sarutobi-sensei doesn't trust what you'll do."

"It's you they don't trust," Sasuke stated.

"Ambition frightens the weak," the legendary shinobi huskily returns. "Are you frightened, Sasuke-kun? Has the impotent weight of the ordinary horrified and robbed you of your ambitions?"

Again, Sasuke recalls Naruto's words during their team meeting three days ago, and again, he's never been so confused. He recalls the oddity of Sakura and Naruto arriving at the meeting spot together, their laughter and how much their serenity annoyed him. The moment it seemed to Sasuke like the Dobe was happier than he had any right to be, it instantly made him think it's due to a false sense of smug superiority because of his one win. Sasuke wanted to fight Naruto right then and there, however, his body tenses at the recollection of the blond's unexplainable power. His teammate may be an idiot, but his strength is genuine.

When the team united, Kakashi started, "alright, team." It was the first time they've been together since the prelims of the exam and Sasuke recalls constantly having to keep his anger in check. Though the air between them is tense, their oblivious sensei continued saying, "first, let's congratulate Naruto for making it to the third round. Congratulations, Naruto."

"Congratulations," Sakura yells with a bright smile, matching his as he coyly averts his embarrassed gaze. Sasuke remained silent as Naruto thanked them. Their sensei then added, "since you'll be facing Gaara, I want us all to train you for your match with him since he seems to be the likely dark horse."

Naruto seemed surprised by that, asking, "really?"

"Yeah," their pink-haired teammate calls out, agreeing with Kakashi. It wasn't the first time he wondered why she was acting so differently toward him and Naruto, but Sasuke didn't care as she asserted, "we'll make sure you're at your best."

It did surprise Sasuke when Naruto curses, "shit."

"What," a concerned Sakura asked.

The team became curious when Naruto turned to Kakashi and explained, "well, I thought you were going to train Sasuke so I made training plans of my own."

Though angered by his insinuation, Sasuke was more interested in his plans, promptly asking the Dobe, "what training?" He may have lost once, but he wasn't going to allow a second loss to occur. He'd sooner die than let Uzumaki Naruto think he was better than him.

"What I usually do," Naruto answered Sasuke with a non-committal shrug. "Plus whatever my Godfather's teaching me."

"Godfather," Sakura repeated curiously as Sasuke asked, "who?"

"Just this old pervert I know," Naruto told them. "He stays outside of the village for years, so I've never seen him, but he'll be here soon."

"…I see," Kakashi slowly says in thought, making Sasuke wonder if he knows the identity of this sudden Godfather. Kakashi all but confirmed his suspicion when the Jōnin asked, "is he really going to train you?"

"Yup!" Naruto beams as he added, "team 7 can still train together, though. Like in the mornings maybe. But I think you should focus on Sasuke and Sakura." Hearing his positive tone with his upbeat attitude is always enough to make Sasuke ignore him, but, when Naruto presumes to know what's best for him, Sasuke can't help but want to place the loud idiot in his place. He remembered yelling in his mind, '_how does he not know he means nothing in this world! Why isn__'t he died! Why aren't they all dead! Why is it only my family…_'

Sakura lamented to admit, "I could definitely use the help."

"Who is he," Sasuke demanded to know. Turning to Kakashi, he points out, "I thought you were supposed to be our only sensei. Does he get special treatment? Does this mean I can search for my own sensei?"

"Sasuke," Kakashi voices. "Calm down. _**I**_ am your only sensei, unless I approve and the Hokage allows for a second, or even a third."

Rather than waste more time and effort on that query, Sasuke asks what's at the heart of his anger. Turning to Naruto, he demands to know, "why do you have so much power? You're not a better fighter than me, you're an idiot most of the time, and your chakra control is wasteful. There's no way you should've beaten me so how did you!?"

"I beat you because I had to," Naruto heatedly retorted. "Simple as that. Even now you're still acting so stupid about this. I told you before you aren't the only one suffering, so quit acting like it."

Sasuke hurled back, "why should I?" Kakashi steps close enough between them to alert them both he'll stop anything that goes too far, nevertheless, Sasuke yelled at the blond, "I don't care about anyone else! Why would you even **think** it makes any fucking sense to care about others when everyone in this damn village is so content to forget the murder of my great clan? Why should I care one ounce about anyone else's suffering when they're too weak to do anything about it for themselves?"

Standing firm and confident, Naruto returned just as fervently, "to make sure others don't suffer the same pain you did, you idiot! Instead of crying about your tragedy like it's your only damn option or like it's going to change anything, you should be more focused on fighting what's out there."

With a calming palm on a huffing Naruto's tense shoulder, Sakura hopes to defuse the heated exchange by asking, "what do you mean, _what__'s out there_?" Sasuke had wondered as well but was too angry to care then.

"Kakashi-sensei'll tell ya," Naruto answered her while eying Sasuke. "There are all sorts of super-strong shinobi out there, way stronger than me, you, Kakashi-sensei, or even Ji-chan. And they'll do anything they can to destroy our village and everyone in it. They might even have good reason to, not that it's right." Specifically focusing on Sasuke, Naruto relayed, "and you're foaming at the mouth just to fight me? Wake up already! The world doesn't revolve around you and your revenge."

Eying the sky-blue of Naruto's stern eyes, Sasuke callously proclaimed, "if this world ignores my pain, my revenge, then it shouldn't exist."

"…Sasuke," Sakura sadly bemoans.

Shrugging, Naruto casually reasserted, "then I'll just kick your ass again, you broody diva."

"Anytime," Sasuke hurled when Naruto voiced the confusing, "not that I need to. You're not my priority but that doesn't mean I don't get where you're coming from. We're teammates, so, I'll still help you."

"I _**don**__**'t**_ _want_ your help," Sasuke proclaims, hating the blond's sanctimonious preaching, mentally finishing, '_as if he understands!_'

"Tough," Naruto snarled back. "You're still getting it."

Kakashi grips Sasukes agitated shoulder as he asked Naruto, "how?"

Naruto casually bewilders Sasuke by responding, "obviously, by talking to his brother."

Sasuke challenged the blond on the spot before being held back by Kakashi. The Avenger argued, laughed, and outright dismissed Naruto, however, deep down, he wondered how serious the confident blond was. He'd been wonder about that ever since then. Though they celebrated Naruto's win and trained the two days after that, Sasuke stayed in his mind, quietly turning over all the possibilities of Naruto's assertion. Walking beside the disguised Orochimaru now, Sasuke still wonders if Naruto can capture his brother.

As unbelievable as it is, it seemed Naruto knew something. Considering the Dobe's familial relationship with the Sandaime, Sasuke reasons he may have heard something important from him because if anyone would know more about that night, it would be the Hokage. The Avenger hates realizing he knows next-to-nothing about that night or why such a bloody extermination had to happen. For years, the only thing he cared anything about was murdering his wretched brother and bathing in his still-warm blood for ending their family, their home. But now, he also wants answers.

'_What am I missing_,' Sasuke wonders, and to that end, he demands to know of Orochimaru, "what do you know about Itachi?"

"Far more than I can explain in the fifteen steps I have left," Orochimaru hums clocking the shinobi following Sasuke rearranging their formation. "I'll only offer you this chance once, my dear boy, and I'll expect an answer the next time we meet. Join me and all the power you will ever need to seek your own forbidden knowledge will be yours."

"If you want me to join you you'll have to tell me first," Sasuke retorts, however, Orochimaru simply grins his wide and wicked smile as he jests, "and where would the fun be in that? Ku ku ku."

With that, Orochimaru disappears smoother than air, to the level of skill Sasuke even doubted the snake-nin was there to begin with. With Sasuke's sixteenth step a masked shinobi lands in front of him and directly asks, "was there a woman walking beside you?"

Looking around at all the colorful people scrambling through the bustling streets, Sasuke honestly answers, "yes." It's not as if they have the power to do anything against the Kage-level missing-nin as he adds, "though there are many villagers all around us."

The masked shinobi asks, "was she suspicious?"

"No," Sasuke honestly answers. It's true Orochimaru withholds as much as possible, but in an unorthodox way, that's not suspicious. It's as if you can trust that you _can__'t_ trust him and that's a welcomed comfort to Sasuke. His masked guard seemed satisfied and allowed Sasuke to continue to his sham of a therapy session.

KURENAI

Sitting beside Naruto on the oak coffee table in her low-lit living room, Kurenai waits patiently until he finishes retelling everything that's happened in the last three days. Though they've been meeting to help Hinata, among other satisfying activities, Naruto had only recently had a frank conversation with Ino earlier in the day and completing that convoluted series of events. It troubled Kurenai to hear what Ino had done, and by the end, she softly asks, "so, you're just friends?"

"For now, I think so," Naruto answers just as softly. "Ino wants our friendship to be the top priority; which I agreed with because I definitely don't want to lose a friend if I don't have to. She knows what she did to Sakura is a hard thing to move past but she's willing to wait as long as it takes for us to be comfortable again."

Pondering their arrangement, Kurenai asks with a hint of apprehension, "do you think it might take you a long time to become comfortable again? Maybe something more?"

Fortunately, Naruto didn't notice the hint of longing in her tone as he casually shrugs his answer of, "not sure… but I get what she did and that's a good place to start."

"Smart girl," Kurenai quietly remarks with a smirk. At the start of his tale, Kurenai was ready to say goodbye to the physical side of their immensely satisfying relationship, but she couldn't help but feel relieved by the end. She was also a little angry at Ino's poor choices. Though being a capable manipulator is an advantage in life as it is in their profession, she couldn't agree with manipulating Sakura and Naruto into having sex with each other. The only reason she couldn't be furious with the beautiful Yamanaka is because of the intent and the outcome. Kurenai could agree with treating obsessive attraction—as both Naruto and Sakura clearly had—but not with Ino's method.

"As a woman and mentor, I'm disappointed in her," Kurenai admits, continuing to keep her voice low. "But given what she went through, I can sympathize. Because she confessed of her own volition, I can believe she simply made poor choices. However, as a ranking kunoichi, I would've reported her immediately after you told me."

"What," Naruto quietly calls out. "I get it was illegal, but, it was a mistake and she apologized. Even Sakura doesn't mind now."

"I understand that, Naruto," Kurenai quietly comments. "Reporting her isn't necessarily a bad thing. Whether some form of punishment came of it or not, the Hokage needs to know these things. Every ninja in Konoha has vulnerabilities that can be exploited by the enemy should they learn of it. True defense comes from acknowledging your weaknesses as much as your strengths so we can remain vigilant. What Ino did _was_ illegal, but, she likely would've only received a warning, demotion, or sanction, and that's without mentioning, she's hardly the first ninja to use their technique on a fellow ninja. In our world, blame would certainly fall on Ino for what she did, but only half of it. For being caught by surprise, Sakura-chan would share in the blame as well."

"So then why won't you tell Ji-chan," Naruto asks.

"Think about it and tell me," Kurenai challenges him. Challenging Naruto to think as often as she does, it makes her happy when he doesn't fight her on it anymore. As Naruto takes a moment to think about Ino and Sakura, she finds it more important now that he's going to be his clan's leader.

It's obvious Ino would have the most to lose, but so too would her clan's reputation, to which Naruto moans, "oh. Because the Hokage would hear about what happened to Ino with that blue pill, which might make her clan feud with the Akimichi, which would suck."

"Yes, it would," Kurenai mentions. The enchanting sensei scans the couch before them from end-to-end as she nearly whispers, "I'll add it to my black scroll."

She can feel Naruto eying the perfect posture of her fit frame, her crossed legs in red silk pajama-shorts, her long, shiny, layered mess of ebony hair for a few moments before he slides up against her. His warm furnace of a body instantly penetrates her skin, warming her to her core as he asks, "so, are you happy?"

Though she enjoys his warmth like the evening sun, Kurenai grows suspicious as she rotates to him and curiously asks, "happy in what way?"

Naruto moves away just enough to rotate his strong frame so as to bring and lay his leg on the length of the coffee table, take hold of her athletically slim waist and press her right side against his torso and pelvis. Though she could've stopped him any time, especially with her student on the couch in front of them, it seems incredibly likely that their days together are nearly at an end… as she always knew it would be. Though she played coy to his obvious arousal, she enjoys the way his fingers comb through her ebony locks as he clarifies, "happy you still have me all to yourself."

"Oh, Kami," she gripes in amused disbelief. With his left hand in her hair, sweeping it over her shoulder, lightly pulling at the strong root behind her sensitive ears in a way that reminds her of some of her best orgasms with his hand in her hair. Her sexy frame begins to tingle and softened, warming and priming for him despite the wrong situation for it.

"You, me, and Hinata-chan," he comments looking at the unconscious girl lying peacefully on Kurenai's couch. As his right-hand grips her mostly naked thigh, slowly massaging her hot inner leg muscle, he leans in to whisper, "what do you think?"

"I think you've been talking to Anko," Kurenai responds feeling her heart pump blood faster to her steadily soaking sex. Though she allows his hands to tempt and tease her, she entertains herself by playing hard to get.

She can feel his chest jostle against her arm as he soundlessly laughs. His left-hand massages her long neck as he explains, "it's not like I go looking for her." Taking control of her nape just under her jaw, he applies a soft yet dominating grip reminiscent to more amazing orgasms. Kurenai can't help but feel ashamed as she spreads her legs just a little bit wider as he voices, "she just pops up when I'm alone and makes me treat her to dango."

His left-hand leaves her neck to grab her arm and wrap it around his back, further entwining their cozy cohesion as she leans against his frame. Naruto's lips begin nibbling on her neck as Kurenai tries, "can we not," all the while monitoring when Hinata might wake up.

Kurenai inhales deeply when his left-hand massages her back with a focus on her lower flesh and his right-hand slides under the waistband of her flimsy silk pajama short-shorts. His hot strong digits stroke her lubricating lips with practiced ease as he cups her mound, whispering in her ear, "why are you avoiding the question, Nai-chan?"

Regardless of past fantasies, she shouldn't be doing this in front of her unconscious student; not when that student is so pure in her love for the very boy she whole-heartedly enjoys fucking. However, as he slowly strokes her pulsing pink lips, she asserts, "I'm not avoiding anything."

"Let's not pretend," Naruto voices in her hair by her ear. Pressed against him, legs spread and leaking at the apex, he couldn't be more accurate as he affirms, "I can feel how much you want it. You're soaking my fingers," he slowly adds as he slowly inserts a finger in her hot love lane.

"You're mistaken-" She tries closing her eyes as his left-hand wraps around to take hold of her erect nipple and supple breast.

"My sexy sex-sensei is hot and wet," his voice breeds into her ear. "Tell me how bad you _need_ my cock."

"N-Naruto…" Kurenai tries through her fogging attention that's splitting between his lips sucking on the sensitive skin behind her ear, his hands massaging and fingering her, and her unaware student. "Hinata is right… there. Please, show some r-respect."

"I am," he insists. Adding a second finger curling inside her moist love muscle, he denotes, "can't you feel how much respect I'm showing your wet pussy?"

Closing her eyes to the steadily growing pleasure coil at her womanhood, Kurenai weakly moans, "Naruto…"

He whispers, "I heard you fantasize about getting fucked in front of your students," stunning her.

"Fucking Ankoooo- Mnn!" she utters before a pang of ecstasy interrupts her.

He's stroking just under the quiver center of her G-spot as he observes, "you're getting tighter… Tell me," he commands pulling her nipple in tandem with his curl stroking fingers. "Do you want to be watched while being fucked?"

"N-no," Kurenai manages to heave out.

"Mnnn," Hinata moans and Kurenai snaps her crimson-red eyes open at the alarming sound.

In a panicked whisper, Kurenai cries, "Naruto! Stop-"

"Better say it now, Nai-chan," he calmly voices right next to her hair-covered ear. "Or your precious student is going to see us."

Clapping her hands together to begin changing the scent of sex in the air to normal cloth and wood odors with her genjutsu, Kurenai admits, "yes, yes! Now stop- Mnn!" Kurenai looks down as Naruto removes his toasty hand and she feels a thin piece of cloth against her sensitive and leaking quim. "What was that?"

"Sensei," Hinata's voice carries to them.

"Just a little something I made," Naruto voices as Kurenai continues to add her sensory-altering chakra to the air, amending what would normally smell of sex to the normal scents of her living room and concealing her rock- hard nipple, her stained silk pajama bottoms, and Naruto's presence.

Sitting up and looking around, Hinata sadly realizes, "again."

"It's okay Hinata," Kurenai voices as Naruto raises his paired fingers to his chest activating the cloth clinging to her juicy honey-hole. Kurenai inhaled deeply when she felt the cloth begin to vibrate, instantly thinking of his prodigious genius in Fūinjutsu. '_This is what he__'s using his talent for_,' she mentally yells as he controls the intensity and direction of the vibration.

"I didn't even last a second," Hinata sadly realizes, hesitating to recall, "I… I b-barely felt his w-w-warm hands and s-strong arms around m-me b-before I passed out! I'm hopeless!"

"Nn, no you're not," a squirrelly Kurenai insists. Shifting closer to her student, the aroused sensei instantly regrets it when the pleasure makes her knees buckle. The blushing Kurenai maintains, "progress may be slow, but it's s-still pr-ogress. You couldn't even handle… knowing what was coming ah-and now you can hug him for a second. You're getting better, t-trust me."

Kurenai doesn't let her panic show when Hinata leans forward in concern, asking, "are you okay, Sensei? You're red… and you're breathing heavily. Do you want to stop?"

"No," Kurenai answers. Kurenai crosses her legs as she takes Hinata's hand and assures the beautiful girl, "no, I'm fine. We can continue. Are you ready?"

Nodding, Hinata replies, "just give me five minutes," to which Kurenai tenses as she acknowledges her student with a sexed-up, "_**mnn**_." Until Hinata was ready for 'genjutsu-Naruto' to 'return,' Kurenai had to wait hundreds of agonizing seconds with Naruto's Fūinjutsu vibrator making her sex and legs shiver with micro tremors of pleasure. When the Hyūga princess was finally ready, the genin performed the scripted act of congratulating each other on making it to the finals before Naruto hugs her. Hinata lasts slightly longer than a second before glowing red and passing out. Naruto gently lays Hinata on the couch before turning to her.

Kurenai was on the coffee table again, suffering muscle-weakening pleasure coursing through her. His eyes were a darker blue and a blind man could see how much he desired her. Mindlessly, Kurenai opens her legs for him, only to realize how wrong the situation is for that. Naruto's between her fevered limbs before she can close her legs, taking her head by her shiny black hair and tilting it back as if to take her plump red lips with his. She expected his lips—_wanted_ his lips—but instead, his hands massage her neck and scalp as he whispers, "you didn't answer my question."

Closing her eyes to highlight the tingling of her sensitive scalp and vibrating sex, she utters, "Naruto, this isn't funny-"

Naruto leans the last little bit to take ownership of her slack maw. Her pink lips split wide for his rough probing tongue, tilting her head to allow him as much access as he desired. By now, it was all too easy for Kurenai to feel his want, his heat, his lips and hands, and returns it kindly; to the point she's disappointed when he pulls away just enough to contend, "laughter isn't the sound I want coming out of your mouth, Nai-chan."

"Naruto- Mnnff," she sounds when he raises the potency of the vibrating Fūin cloth against her sex and clitoris. In front of her unconscious student elevating close to a powerful orgasm, Kurenai rests her sweating forehead against his six-pack as her plump bottom trembles in anticipation.

"There's my sexy-sensei," Naruto voices from above her as he continues to massage her neck and head. Lowering himself to kneel in front of her, he massages her shuddering thighs as he says, "I won't stop until you're honest with me."

"I am… Mmmn," Kurenai moans, bending down to rest her hot forehead against his. She opens of lust-filled crimson eyes to gaze into his, feeling so close to the pleasure exploding in her as she proclaims, "I said it! I said it already! It's an old fantasy!"

"I didn't mean about your fantasy," Naruto softly voices, licking a bit of saliva at the corner of her open pink lips. "I want to know if you're happy about us not having to stop." His strong hands slide to her back before gripping her fleshy buns. "I want to know if you're happy to keep cumming around my cock," he professes as he swiftly pulls her off the coffee table to land on his cock-restrained lap. Her legs on either side of him slows down her descent but can't stop her pleasure-riddled love pocket from plowing against his pitched tent. With Hinata laying down just in front of her, Kurenai refused to answer and they stayed that way, gyrating, cuddling, and massaging until Hinata regained consciousness.

Naruto never allowed her to orgasm for the rest of the hour, keeping her close to the edge until the end of Hinata's special training where she bid her student a goodnight then dragged Naruto upstairs and rode him to one of the most cosmically satisfying orgasms she's ever had. It was only after she came down from her euphoric high that she realized two things; Naruto hadn't cummed yet and he made clones of her students. In front of three clones henge'd and acting like her students like Hinata, Kiba, and Shino, Kurenai felt wrong, dirty, excited, shameful, and fantastic as she lived out an old fantasy to a night of amazingly fringe orgasms.

NARUTO

"FINALLY!" Naruto yells, wind whipping through his blond hair and blaring in his ears as he lands on the wide back of a tall, broad-shouldered shinobi with a bloom of spiky white hair that reaches down to his waist. He wore a red haori with yellow circles on each side over an outdated shinobi uniform, hand-guards, and wooden sandals. Naruto yells, "I found you!"

"Wha tha-" a crouched Jiraiya hollers, slamming his hand against the wooden barrier separating him from his bathing research to keep from hitting it face-first. Leaping to his feet, the white-haired man twists around to reach the blond stuck on his back, bellowing, "who are you! Get off!"

Whirling around, Naruto holds on tightly as he happily communicates, "I've been looking everywhere-"

Managing to grip the orange sleeve of Naruto's jumpsuit and pull, Jiraiya cuts him off, asking, "who the hell are you," as the widely smiling Naruto energetically asks, "nee, nee, where have you been? What have you been doing? Were you peeping just now? Where are my presents!"

"Quit hanging all over me, brat!" At the ruckus created around the woman's outdoor bath, it was inevitable screams and cries of peeping interrupt them. Laughing throughout the ride, Naruto doesn't let go as Jiraiya speeds away. The elder shinobi sprints with the vigor of a youthful man as he escapes the bath's security through the busy streets of Konoha, leaping from building to building with practiced ease. Once they were safe in a nearby park hidden by a thicket of trees, Jiraiya finally manages to pull Naruto off and hold him up by the white collar of his orange jumpsuit.

It's the first time Naruto's seen his father's sensei up close and thinks the red lines under his eyes that extend down his face like blood-tears is really cool. Naruto expected the horned-forehead protector to be etched with the Konoha leaf symbol rather than the word, oil. Overjoyed to see him, Naruto happily caterwauls, "you owe us a looooot of presents!"

"See what you've done… whoever you are," Jiraiya yowls at the blond. "You've jeopardized my valuable research!"

Laughing, Naruto corrects, "you mean your peeping? I can't believe you _really_ do that!"

"Can't believe-" Jiraiya starts to repeat when he realizes a more important thread to argue. "That's a complete misrepresentation of my art!"

Hanging by his collar, the jovial Naruto remarks, "your art is going to put you on a watch-list if you don't stop."

Unceremoniously dropping Naruto on the earthy park ground, Jiraiya proclaims, "that's never stopped me before. And a young fool like you is incapable of comprehending how amazing the adult world is."

"Yeah I can," Naruto protests.

"Ooh, is that so," Jiraiya mewls skeptically, scratching his chin. The elder walks around Naruto, inspecting the blond from top to bottom before sharing, "if that's true, then you've no doubt had the honor of discovering my amazing contribution to the world." He hops back, landing on one foot that produces an unexpected loud clacking noise with his wood-sandals. Sinking his hand into his red haori but doesn't pull it out right away as he yells like the ringleader of a carnival, "behold young one! All my diligent research has empowered me, Jiraiya the Gallant, to scribe the most accurate novel known to man, far and wide, the great, the amazing… Icha Icha Paradaisu!"

The orange book he pops out in his triumphant pose is instantly familiar to Naruto who yells with a pointed finger, "Ahh! I read that!"

"How-" Jiraiya gasps before realizing, "ho, ho! Young you may be, but you possess the energy of masculinity in you!"

"I didn't know that was your book," Naruto huffs, recalling the book in Kakashi's hands as well as the time he skimmed through it before Kurenai agreed to teach him.

Striking out his open palm, Jiraiya announces, "your adulation is unnecessary, shōnen!" Bringing his hands proudly on his hips, the elder specialist proclaims, "the long hours of research, the late nights filled with sake, gambling, and women; it's my divine calling to have all that fun for men everywhere! Looking in your eyes, I can see how amazed by my masterpiece you are-"

With squinted eyes, a bored Naruto flatly states, "not really."

As if wounded, Jiraiya grips his chest, wailing, "blasphemy! Sacrilege!"

"Wha," Naruto startles to sound, retorting, "it's not my fault your book doesn't work."

Waving away the blond critique, Jiraiya practically spits, "Bah! What would a child know!?"

Happy to take offense, Naruto calls back, "shut up! I know a lot!"

Shaking his head at the young, innocent, inexperienced child with a hint of sadness, Jiraiya pats Naruto on his shoulder, comforting him as consoles, "it's okay, shōnen, all men must begin somewhere. First, you're happy to discover your appetite for the elusive female temple, then reading about them further wets that gnawing hunger. Soon, you barricade yourself in your room, beating your tadpole all the way into your twenties. It happens to the best of us; nothing to be ashamed of."

Grossed, Naruto shrugs off the elder's hand, calling back, "tch, I don't need to do that!"

"Nonsense," Jiraiya asserts with confidence. "Everyone knows if you don't blow your bank every once in a while, you'll get so backed up, your ball-sack explodes."

"That's not true!"

"Is too-"

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto," they hear before a masked shinobi lands on the grass before them. Naruto can tell he's Ji-chan's guard as his masked teammates land behind him. Relaying their directive, the lead orders, "your presence has been requested by Sandaime-sama."

Slumping his shoulders in defeat, he asks, "can it wait?" Glancing at the white-haired sage, Naruto groans to the team, "I just found my Godfather."

Shocked, Jiraiya yells, "Godfather?!" Naruto wonders how long the old pervert is going to play this charade as the man retorts, "who said I was your Godfather?" Naruto snickers as he panics and spouts, "whoever she is, she's lying!"

"Uzumaki-kun," the masked Jōnin repeats with more authority, to which Naruto asks Jiraiya, "can't you come with me, Ero-sennin?"

"Ero!" The petulant adult crosses his arms as he huffs, "brats these days have no respect for their elders. You're welcome to take him, shinobi-san."

"Oh, come on," Naruto groans. "You can peep on women later so, so, won't you come with me now?"

"Genin, Uzumaki," the masked Jōnin repeats louder before adding, "our Hokage has requested your presence."

Struck with an obvious idea, Naruto crosses his fingers and calls out, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Twenty clones pop into existence before eighteen immediately dispel. When two Narutos remain, the one near the Anbu tells the clone, "you stay with Ero-sennin and make sure you don't lose him." The Anbu however, don't fall for it and strike the one who hasn't moved from beside Jiraiya. When his clone burst, Naruto whirls on the elite guard, yelling, "ahh! What the hell!"

"Genin, you've been given a direct order-"

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto chimes, waving him off before turning to the tall pervert and commanding him, "don't go anywhere!" His stern pointing lasts as long as he's able before Naruto leaps away with the team of elite guards. When Naruto leaves with the Anbu, a green frog on Jiraiya's scroll, hidden underneath his long spiky hair, hops off the rolled-up paper and pops back into a smirking Naruto. Turning to his godfather, Naruto remarks, "thanks for not telling them."

"I didn't do it for you," Jiraiya asserts. "I only thought to ask you a question and they were interrupting, is all."

Happy to hear, Naruto quickly asserts, "the answer's yes."

Hands on his hips, Jiraiya eyes Naruto skeptically as he replies, "you don't even know what I was going to ask."

With a shrug, Naruto responds, "meh, I'm sure whatever it is, the answer'll be yes." Counting with his fingers, Naruto asks and answers, "do I know who you are? Yes. Do I know who my parents are and that you taught my dad? Yes and yes. Do I know about my _other_ chakra? Yes. Do I know how to use Rasengan? Yes. Do I know you're a Toad Summoner and you're going to teach me Kuchiyose no Jutsu so I can learn Sage Arts just like tou-chan? That's a fat hell yeah!"

Stunned slack-jawed, Jiraiya's eyebrows are high under his forehead protector and his mouth is stuck open, as if to ask, 'how,' but couldn't sound more than the H noise. At Naruto's innocent smile, Jiraiya finally bursts in sheer gut-busting laughter, eventually affirming, "you… you're something else, kid! Now I feel embarrassed," he adds, scratching the back of his head. Naruto is elated to hear as Jiraiya admits, "I wasn't sure how meeting you would go but I never could've predicted this."

Though it's great to meet family, Naruto recalls Naru-nii explain the details around learning summoning and sage arts. In hopes of becoming stronger and faster than his future counterpart, Naruto quickly bids, "Sweet! Now teach me!"

"Hold your horses," his elder responds pumping out a palm. "First, tell me who told you all that. I spoke with the Sandaime about you, so I know it wasn't him."

"Uaahh," the blond bemoans, slinking at his crushed haste. "Can't we just start? I want to get to Mount Myōboku already."

Snorting, Jiraiya muses aloud, "don't kid yourself. You may know far more than I expected but there's no way you're making it to Myōboku anytime soon. So, come on. Spill it."

"Don't underestimate me, Ero-sennin," the blond declares with a fist pump.

"Will you knock it off with the Ero-sennin-" Jiraiya tries to say as Naruto cuts in, "I'm a lot stronger than I look."

"I'll be the judge of that," the elder sage is happy to remark. "Since you've gathered all this intel, I guess it only makes sense I teach you Kuchiyose, but, forget about Myōboku for now. I'll give you to the end of the week to summon anything stronger than a tadpole. If you can't do that, you tell me everything."

After all the insight and chakra-control training Naru-nii's given him, Naruto knows in his mind, body, and chakra that it takes about half-a-tail of chakra to summon the Toad Boss, so Naruto chimes back, "when I summon Gamabunta on the third try, you're going to give me _**and**_ Karin every present you've missed out on."

Quirking his white brow in confusion, Jiraiya asks, "Karin? Who the hell is Karin?"

"Uzumaki Karin, my cousin," Naruto answers. "She did the math—she's good at that stuff—and was nice enough to skip the first five years since we'd be too young. So, let's see… ages six to sixteen, thirteen holidays and two birthdays per year, times ten years, at an average of about twenty-seven hundred ryō per present… you owe us four hundred and eighty-six thousand ryō in missed gifts."

Raising his long arms in a huge X over his head, Jiraiya yells, "get out of here! Even if you were foolish enough to think I owed you, why would you ever think I owe her anything?"

One of Naruto's best fantasies has always been getting a present on his birthday and giving others a present on theirs. Simple though it may be, he's never had that. Casually answering as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, Naruto returns, "because we're family and we love each other and we give the people we love presents." Aside from grumbling, Jiraiya remained quiet against that logic, to which Naruto adds, "plus, you're part of our clan."

Quirking his brow, Jiraiya returns, "since when did I agree to that?" Naruto simply smiles as if it was a foregone conclusion. Shaking his head, Jiraiya grumbles, "ugh, you turned out to be such a cheeky brat. Fine."

"Sweet," Naruto hollers before asking, "where's the contract? Let me sign it?"

"One thing at a time," the strong elder tells him. "Let's move somewhere more remote," and they shunshin out of the little park.

TEMARI

Three of the Sandaime's elite guards land in the semi-circular office with an orange-clad blond boy between them and Temari already hates him and his outlandish clothes. Even if she's dressed in her usual purple kimono that ends mid-thigh with a red slash keeping her light armor tight to her bodice, it's all new and presentable. Her sandy blond hair may still be in four ponytails but it's clean and lustrous. As she expected, she senses the guards remain near, hidden behind the panels of the walls as the Hokage waves Naruto over and purposely points to the space beside his chair.

'_The old man doesn__'t trust us_,' Temari thought as Naruto takes his place beside his Hokage. '_Of course he wouldn__'t. I wouldn't either. Not when it comes to the village's strongest weapon_.' Despite her observant thoughts, Temari still feels all the necessary pieces are in place to make her plan succeed. Initially, she was baffled by the task demanded of her and didn't know how she could manage such a convincing con-job within the time frame given, however, she honestly surprised herself. '_It makes sense and there__'s no way they can rationally decline._'

"Hey, Ji-chan," Naruto casually calls, surprising her as the blond takes notice of them. She can feel Kankurō's curiosity at the relationship between the Jinchūriki and the Hokage, however, she remains focused. Naruto greets them, "hey Temari-chan, Face-Paint," irking Kankurō effortlessly. Temari is happy he doesn't rise to the provocation as Naruto asks, "what's up? Hey, is Gaara coming too?"

"No, Uzumaki-kun," Temari answers.

"You can call me Naruto," he tells them with a smile. It bothers Temari how he can just smile like that, as if he didn't have a monster inside of him.

"Naruto-kun," Hiruzen begins with his slower yet alert voice. "Had you known Temari-san, Kankurō-kun, and Gaara-kun from before?"

'_Vague question, intentionally singling out my name with the -san suffix,_' Temari immediately picks out. '_Had Uzumaki spoken with Sandaime-sama about them? Is this just a show for their benefit? Why single me out using -san rather than -chan? What does he know? Could he have received a report about our official royal hawk sending a message and receiving a rapid response from father? What has Hiruzen-san guessed?_' Temari's mind was a flurry of tactical questions she'd assign probability percentages to. Most of her immediate concerns have a low percentage of possibility, but none are zero. '_Even if the elder suspects Suna__'s sudden interest in Uzumaki is because we've guessed the orphan is their Jinchūriki, that doesn't mean he knows how perfect my plan is for the annoying blond is and how it'll doom their dominating village_.'

"Nope," Naruto easily answers, sweeping her out of her thoughts. "I just heard about them."

"Were you aware they're the Kazekage's children," Hiruzen asks.

"Really," Naruto asks, eyes growing large as he turns to the Sand siblings in genuine surprise. Temari has long felt Uzumaki-kun is honest to a fault. It seems impossible for him to hide his emotions in sudden situations and she truly believes he hadn't known of their lineage. "Sweet, so, Gaara's the son of a Kage?"

It was an odd and obvious question he asks in amazed wonderment, continually confirming to Temari how dim the blond is as Kankurō points out, "that's what being the children of Kazekage means."

"Yeah, I get that. I just thought it was cool," Naruto lips with a melancholy smirk. For some reason, Temari felt as if the thoughtful blond was withholding a tidbit of intel. She's always been good at reading people Uzumaki-kun is nothing exceptional. The blond continues to ask, "if Gaara's not showing up, what's going on? I was in the middle of meeting Ero-sennin."

As a woman, Temari is repulsed by Uzumaki for openly meeting with a pervert. It makes her worry about what she'll have to do with him in the latter part of this scheme. Hiruzen laughs softly with a nodding head and as an observer, Kankurō is simply confused. Without knowing who this pervy sage is, Temari voices, "I didn't mean to interrupt your meeting."

"I'm sure you'll see him again," Hiruzen conveys to the boy. "I called you here for an important matter. That is to say, Temari-san has requested your attendance in this diplomatic meeting. She's invited her brother, Kankurō-kun, and Jōnin-sensei, Baki-san, to be her witnesses. It's also why Mitokado Himura and Utatane Koharu from Konoha's Council are here as well."

The blond turns to the elders seated in opposing seats at the side of the warm room, seemingly cut off from the main group. Seemingly acceptable, Naruto slowly mouths, "okay. What's up Temari-chan?"

"I'd first like to say, thank you very much," she begins with a bow that her brother and sensei emulate. "All of you, for taking the time to meet with us and indulge my selfish request."

"It's our pleasure to have you," Hiruzen voices with his genial smile. "Like wind and fire, Sunagakure and Konoha are allies and I consider Rasa-san to be a friend. What would you like to discuss?"

Clearing her throat, Temari fakes a bit of blush to her cheeks as she reveals, "I'd also like to apologize. This will be a personal and deeply embarrassing request."

"Please, continue," Hiruzen directs.

Nodding, Temari asks Hiruzen and by extension, the room, "I'm curious if you're familiar with the custom of Omiai? If I recall correctly, the trend was abandoned by your nation's code of civil conduct."

"Mnn, it's been quite some time since I've heard that term," Hiruzen slowly voices, tilting his head as if eying into the past of all his out-of-date knowledge. "In my youth, the practice had only just been removed from common circulation. While not illegal today, peace between clans, villages, and nations made the practice unnecessary for many decades now."

From the side of the oval office, Koharu voices to the room, "Land of Wind has also ended its practices of arranged marriage."

Whipping his blond head to his Hokage, Uzumaki seems shocked to hear that. Though it's an official diplomatic meeting, a wide-eyed Uzumaki seems to have no qualms repeating loudly to his superior, "**arranged marriage?**"

"Not quite," Temari voices. "That's a common misrepresentation. Omiai is more aptly a meeting opportunity or series of meetings with serious considerations for the _possibility_ of marriage; not forced marriage. Basically, a man and a woman are introduced to each other to consider the process of courtship. But many think of it as arranged marriage because Omiai has more to do with the family or businesses involved than actual love."

"It's matchmaking," Kankurō dismally adds. Though enthusiasm for the plan would be appreciated, it works in their favor if Kankurō appears very much against it.

"Currently, 6.2% of marriages in our nation are still being arranged via Omiai," the glasses-wearing Himura adds from his seated place at the fringes of the room.

"…Okay," a flustered Naruto slowly accepts, still clueless as to what arranged marriages has to do with him.

Everyone else seems to understand her direction as Hiruzen voices with a tone of consideration, "I see. Rasa-san is interested in a transnational marriage between his daughter and Naruto-kun."

"Wait, what," a stunned Naruto blurts out as the elder Koharu speaks, "Kazekage-sama is quite bold."

"Too bold," Himura adds before the Sandaime—while patting Naruto's shoulder in solace—voices his displeasure, "Himura." The glasses-wearing elder remains quiet as Hiruzen continues, "I was unaware your father believed in such a custom, and while I would not pass judgment on his authority to lead to the best of his ability, in this matter, I cannot agree with his request. Not only do we not practice Omiai in Konoha, but Naruto-kun is also very special to me and I would not make such a demand of him, even to further cement our friendly relations."

"I understand completely, Hokage-sama," Temari replies. Having already planned for that result, Temari continues, "our honorable father does indeed believe in the old custom to form and protect strong military alliances among villages or even nations as a means to ensure mutual support, however, he has _not_ requested Naruto-kun as a candidate for my Omiai."

With squinted eyes, Naruto mumbles, "I'm so lost."

"Please continue," Hiruzen requests.

Considering Naruto's lack of knowledge on this, Temari nods and fully explains, "as you may or may not know, our nation is a major power among the five due to increased capital per worker, advancement in puppeteering labor, a highly skilled and educated workforce, supportive policies by our Kage, and most importantly, a good world trade environment." Though all of that helps Suna and their nation, all of that pales in comparison to her father's magnet release fishing for gold deposits deep within the sand, however, Konoha doesn't need to know that state secret.

"It's no secret most of our land is unsuitable for agriculture," Temari continues, displeased by admitting to their enemies one of Suna's many disadvantages. Temari feels an urge to hit Uzumaki for looking at her empathetically, as if his sympathy had any value to a proud ninja of the Sand. "Because Land of Wind lacks many raw materials and farm goods needed for industry and energy, our honored father must make mutually beneficial alliances and positive relations with others; trade enterprises, prosperous villages or clans, and if the circumstances are ideal, even other nations."

"I understand the Yondaime's challenges quite keenly," Hiruzen acknowledges. "As allies, we will, of course, do all we can."

'_You mean when your economy isn__'t suffocating our own very nearly to our demise_,' Temari mentally berates the elder. "And Sunagakure is incredibly grateful," Temari thankfully responds with a bow her bother and sensei imitate. She continues to explain to the room, though more for Uzumaki's benefit, "in order to strengthen our position, our honored father covers our deficits-trades with our surplus-trades, as many nations and villages do, and for the good of the village, Kazekage-sama would utilize the practice of Omiai to secure a suitable match for the only daughter of the Land of Wind's Kazekage."

"And you're cool with that," Naruto gasps to ask, quickly following it with the obvious, "what if you don't love who your tou-chan picks?"

Temari finds it disturbingly funny the blond would ask that when her mission is to guarantee he falls in love with her by fucking him like a common whore. Showing a hint of sadness, even using melancholy thoughts of Daimaru-kun to make it feel genuine, Temari answers, "I will do my duty to our village."

"As it should be," Koharu slowly voices from the side of the room.

Naruto seems oblivious of her importance as he quickly asserts, "not when it comes to who you marry, baa-chan. That's insane," he huffs and rather than being reprimanded by the council, they simply sigh as the Hokage agrees with a humming nod. To Temari, it's yet more proof of how important Uzumaki-kun is to them as well as how much more vital her success needs to be.

Speaking directly to Naruto, Temari expresses, "deep down, I'd very much like to love who I marry."

"Then tell that to your tou-chan," Naruto points out. "You're his daughter, which means you're super important to him. If you explain it to him, I bet he'll support you."

Kankurō snorts and Temari quickly responds, "it would be… _ideal_ if that were the case, Naruto-kun. However, our honored father, and by extension, his children, must do what's best for the village. The people we protect must always come first."

"Your father must be very proud," Hiruzen voices, patting Uzumaki before he can protest uselessly again.

"I like to believe so," Temari voices before adding, "but he is also considerate. It's why I'm here." Forcing blood to rush to her cheeks in hopes of appearing embarrassed, the sandy-blond kunoichi continues, "you see, despite the needs of the village and the candidates that achieve that end, he has honored me with the option of entering a candidate of my choosing."

"I see," Hiruzen says, and to her surprise, Naruto adds, "I don't."

Trying to move him along, Temari explains with more patience than necessary, "in an omiai process, the participants chosen for the potential to be married to me are called candidates. Kazekage-sama will serve as my omiai's Nakōdo and he already has a candidate that would greatly help the village."

Naruto's confused face alerted her before his voice asks, "Nakōdo?"

"The Nakōdo serves as the go-between between myself and the candidates, assisting in research, introduction, and the details behind the final decision," she answers him to his satisfaction. "With his wide range of influence and intelligence, my honored father will research and choose the candidates for me, however, because he does care for me, he was gracious enough to allow me to offer a candidate of my own for his approval."

Turning to the flummoxed Naruto with a bemused smirk, Hiruzen asks Temari, "and you would like Naruto-kun to be your candidate?"

Trying to add as much blush to her cheeks and neck, Temari nervously professes, "yes, I would, Hokage-sama."

"Whaaaaaaa," a wide-eyed Naruto utters in continuance before breaking out of his stupor to point out, "b-but you don't- I mean, we don't even know each other, so, so, how can you l-love me-"

"In time, I may fall in love with you," Temari interjects. As this is the riskiest part of her plan, she delicately explains, "I want to submit Naruto-kun because, aside from Gaara, he's the strongest genin I've ever seen and strength is important, not only to me but to my honored father, the Nakōdo for my Omiai and Kazekage. Submitting Naruto will allow me to get to know him as a person and if he shows his strength to the crowd during the final test of the exams, my father may delay or end the process with his candidate."

Temari bows deeply and her voice has as much sorrow and hope as she can artificially muster. "I know I've professed to do my duty for my village, for our people, and I would like to believe that I will, however, if at all possible, I'd like to avoid that inevitable union with a stranger for as long as I can. I apologize, Hokage-sama, Naruto-kun, I know I'm abusing your kindness and using you—I must seem so selfish to ask this—but until I saw Naruto fight his teammate in the prelims, I fully expected to be married off immediately after the Chūnin exams. After he defeated Uchiha-kun, I knew it had to be him."

"Would your Kazekage not see this as a betrayal," Koharu asks, looking directly at Baki-sensei.

At Temari's nod, Baki extends an official scroll to no one when a masked guard of the Hokage appears from the ceiling and takes the scroll before disappearing again. After five seconds the masked shinobi appears beside Hiruzen and presents the secured scroll. The wait as Hiruzen applies his chakra to reveal the formal letter her father personally wrote.

"My honored father approves," Temari answers. "In that letter, Hokage-sama, you'll find his words explain how he would rather I marry who I choose, if not outright love, however, due to the pressures of his office by the council and the future of our village, he must marry me to the son of a wealthy merchant if I cannot find someone suitable." Though every bit of the story is a lie, it's an official lie backed-up and signed by the authority of Suna's leaders, a document she can't wait to burn after the success of their surprise attack.

As Hiruzen reads the letter Temari had convinced her father would secure her plan, Temari adds for Naruto's benefit, "I'm not pressing you to marry me anytime soon, Naruto-kun. It's true we don't know each other, but, if we can agree to the process of Omiai and my father convinces the elders that this is to the village's benefit, we can remain engaged for years and at least get to know each other and each other's family."

"Really," Naruto asks and she can easily pick up a hint of interest in his voice.

"I don't believe Naruto-kun currently has a girlfriend," Hiruzen begins, adding, "however, if he found someone he loves-"

"If he does, that's fine," Temari assures them, figuring that's where the elder was heading. "I don't want to shackle Naruto-kun in any way. We can be friends or date or whatever feels comfortable and still call it off at any point."

Hiruzen then asks, "and would you prefer to announce publicly-"

"That won't be necessary, Hokage-sama," Temari assures them. "So long as the necessary people know, that's all that matters."

The room then suffocates in apprehensive silence. Kankurō is very stern, nearly angry, Naruto is looking over the letter her father wrote, and the Third Hokage is introspective, turning in his chair before standing to look out of the wide window. This is the brittle moment of truth for Temari. She's laid out a reasonable need they can easily facilitate without difficulty. She can then use the last three weeks of the month to get close to Uzumaki without Konoha's interference and manipulate him for their combined demise.

Though she worries in many different, yet, equally disturbing ways that the orphan, and possibly pervert, Uzumaki Naruto will be her first sexual partner, she can't think about that at the moment. This moment needs to fall in her father's favor before she can allow herself to stress about prostituting herself.

The room is tense and everyone seems to be waiting on the pensive Kage and genin, however, no one expected a gigantic summon to explode into existence via white puffy smoke in the far off distance. Looking out of the large window, Temari's moss-green eyes widen in surprise at the sight of a rusty-red toad wearing a large blue happi vest in the distant forest. The mountain-sized amphibian with a dosu blade at its hip towers over the tall forest surrounding Konoha and the ninjas in the office can feel the tail-end of the earthquake it must've caused. Despite the far range, Temari can see the giant toad blow out a large cloud of smoke from its kiseru pipe as well as an orange and yellow dot moving around on its head. From where Temari stands, however, she can't tell what the dot is.

Hiruzen laughs his slow repetitive laugh, turning to Uzumaki who steps beside the elder to see before snorting, "ha! I knew it!"

"Isn't that an interesting development," the Hokage voices before the toad disappears in an enormous puff of white smoke.

Temari was nervous before the giant toad appeared and now she's confused. Feeling like she's lost her grip on the direction of the dialog, she reiterates in hopes she hasn't messed up her odds, "as the Kazekage's only daughter, my father has allowed me to submit my own candidate into the preliminary list. The selection process includes an investigation phase of the candidate that requires I get to know Uzumaki Naruto, which is important because I wish to submit him as soon as possible. It has not escaped my notice that he is unique—important to Konoha—and I do not want to cause any undue anxiety between our allied nations."

"You're here to ask my permission," Hiruzen states returning to his seat with an elated Naruto next to him.

"I am, Hokage-sama," Temari concedes. "I came to make my intention clear. I'd like to spend time with Uzumaki-kun and get to know him. It isn't an engagement, however, should everything proceed without incident, I would like Naruto to be my husband." Naruto's eyes couldn't get any larger. He even forgot to breathe until Sarutobi pats his back to get him functioning again. After an awkward moment, Temari nervously offers, "I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have…"

Hiruzen turns the option to respond to a perpetually stunned Naruto and decides to ask instead, "would you be opposed to a chaperon?" She would be opposed to it, however, that might tip them to an ulterior motive. When Temari assures the elder leader she wouldn't, Hiruzen turns to Naruto and responds, "if you're truly to become a clan head and leader of people, I feel this would be a good opportunity for you to learn weighing the options of a situation; the advantages and disadvantages. So, I leave this decision to you."

"That is a mistake," Koharu voices from the side. "This decision is a political one and must be made by the Hokage."

"He is too young to see the future ramifications of presently benign decisions," Himura adds.

Seemingly snapping out of his stupor, Naruto tells them, "I am not. I know Suna and Konoha will always be allies, I just… I didn't expect this, is all." Though Temari mentally scoffed at his comment, when he turned his attention on her again, she felt the decisive weight of the moment. With her critical reservations of being a whore for her village compartmentalized in an impenetrable box, the prosperity of her village—of her father's ambition—is what mattered to Temari and she felt they would rejoice when Naruto says, "I uh, guess. I mean I'm not really thinking about marriage and stuff. There's a lot I have to do before any of that."

"I feel the same way," Temari voices, hoping against hope she can get away with just giving him hand-jobs or, at worst, blow-jobs.

"But," Naruto voices appearing as if it's difficult for him to think, reaffirming her belief that she can never be attracted to someone with a sub-par intelligence. Still, he seems to be expressing second thoughts as he voices, "uh, if I can help…" Her hopes soon began to dash when he eventually says, "actually, I don't really know what I'd be helping you with. I mean, all that stuff you said about Omiai and your tou-chan makes sense, but, what I don't get is you. I mean, I got the feeling you liked really smart guys."

Temari hadn't expected him to make such an astute observation about her and rushes to admit, "I can't say for certain why I like you." Though a part of her easily sees Daimaru-kun in him. His brash, no-fear attitude toward the world. Her childhood crush didn't have enough sense to feel threatened by her father or brother… '_or too much courage_.' Shifting thoughts of her deceased affection, Temari blushes to publicly confess, "you're different, Naruto-kun. Different from all the other boys I've met. And all I can say to you is, I hope getting to know each other will help us discover how much we can mean to one another."

Hiruzen tells Naruto, "it wouldn't be too different from what my son, Asuma, did for Tomoko-hime when she came to visit Konoha some months back." It doesn't take Temari more than a second to realize how that works in her favor as the elder continued. "Asuma was tasked with representing the village as the princess' personal escort, however, nothing happened that wasn't meant to happen."

"I'm sure we can be friends even if this doesn't work out," Temari voices. "And of course, I'll still be grateful for your help. So, would it be okay if I send my father a favorable response?"

"Well, I'm all for hanging out and being friends," Naruto honestly tells her. "As for that other stuff, I still think you should be allowed to marry who you want, when you want."

"That's kind of you to say," Temari voices. "If you like, we can talk some more over lunch."

Turning to his Hokage, the elder nods his consent before Naruto tells her, "sure. Just let me check to see if the boss is available."

As he crosses his fingers, that statement nor the clone he creates make any sense to Temari. Additionally, the clone disappears almost immediately after he created it, prompting Kankurō to look at her for a hint of comprehension. Silence and confusion grow from the Suna-nin in the room for many long moments until Naruto startles and blinks like he's been pinched. This blond boy continues to surprise her as he sadly voices, "aw man. He definitely wants to meet but he's not in our dimension anymore."

NARUTO

The news with Temari was surprising, however, as Naruto traverses through the elevated majesty of Mount Myōboku, he was more enchanted than he had ever expected to be. Naru-nii did say no amount of detail he recounted could ever be better than seeing it for himself, and as ever, Naruto could only agree with his future-self. Walking in front of a bewildered Jiraiya but behind the hopping sages Shima and Fukasaku, Ma and Pa respectively, with the orange Gamakichi riding on his head and the yellow Gamatatsu in his arms, Naruto is in a daze trekking through the oily-warm lushness of the Land of Toads.

The colorful floral of the tropical wilderness project every shade of green with colorful petals and can be as small as a pebble or as tall a building. Abundant fountains and waterfalls disperse folds of featherlight mist in the atmosphere, watering the vegetation and keeping his skin cool. The earthy scent is even stronger than the forests around Konoha and the gentle breeze distributes murky mist and pollen alike. Heart-shaped green leaves shade their trail from the beautiful spring sun, creating greenish-yellow rays or rainbows that make the land of the Toads seem magical. As the young and energetic Gamakichi and Gamatatsu comment on the history of many of the large and small toad statues they pass, Naruto is stunned by the jungle beauty of it all.

While Naruto is falling in love with the beautiful landscape, Jiraiya had to interrupt the younglings to ask, "na, ma, pa, we're nearly to the temple. Can't you just tell me what this is about?" Turning his attention to Naruto, Jiraiya comments, "and you, Naruto! Don't think you've gotten out of explaining to me how you managed to summon Gamabunta on your third attempt. Gamakichi and Gamatatsu I can understand, but the chief Toad? Not even your father, the best student I've ever had, could achieve such a feat so quickly."

Chuckling, Naruto returns with a smile, "I told you not to underestimate me."

"We don't know much more than you Jiraiya-jo," Pa croaks. "Ōjiji-sama only told us to expect you and pick up Naruto-jo the moment he summoned Bunta-kun."

"You should be honored, boy," Ma tells Naruto. "Many before you have had to wait months or years to hear Ōjiji-sama prophecy."

"A destiny has never been so clear," Pa adds and soon the group, absent Gamakichi and Gamatatsu, find themselves inside a large circular temple in the presence of the great toad sage. Mostly brown with a faded white belly, the elder sage is as tall as a building with a professor's hat with tassels on his head and a necklace with an orb that has the word for oil on it. He sits on a pillow and the grand circular room is filled with small and large Fūinjutsu scrolls.

When Ma and Pa take their place either side of their respected elder, the wrinkly old toad leans forward, seemingly to look at the group through his squinted eyes. "Today, I have called you for… Who are you again?"

Naruto looks from Jiraiya back to the giant elder toad as Ma answers, "this is Uzumaki Naruto. You summoned him, Ōjiji-sama."

"Jiraiya-jo is here too," Pa adds.

"Ho ho… of course," the frozen-faced toad laughs. Slowly, he turns his squinted focus on Jiraiya before rotating to Naruto, and telling the blond, "in my dream… there's a voice in your head… that is and is not yours."

Ma, Pa, and Jiraiya quirk their brow at the divination while Naruto is surprised the old super-sized toad knew about Naru-nii. For the past week, Naruto's been relaying the details of the Thunder God technique line by line. Thirty or so minutes a day without seeing Fūinjutsu is taking longer than they thought, but, it won't be long now.

Gamamaru continues to slowly voice, "I have also seen… you will meet an octopus."

"Huh? An octopus," Naruto repeats, wondering if it's the same octopus Naru-nii told him about.

"The vision is cloudy… but I'm sure they are… octopus tentacles," the tall elderly toad hums in agreement. His aged voice then adds, "and a raccoon… a cat… a turtle… an ape… a horse… a slug… and a beetle."

"Uuuuh, okay," Naruto groans in confusion. Naruto repeats the animals in his head when Jiraiya steps forward, and with a high volume, respectfully asks, "ne, Ōgama Sennin, are you well?"

"I am," the still toad answers.

"That makes less sense than usual Ōjiji-sama," Ma notes.

"All things make sense… under the right perspective," the elder sagely explains to them. He perplexes his young toad sages further when he reveals to Naruto, "in my dream, you will battle many eyes… blue eyes I've long since seen… but red eyes as well… all with the power capable… of destroying the world."

'_Naru-nii wasn__'t kidding_,' Naruto mentally remarks. Not that he felt he was, however, to hear it from this old sage just makes it feel real. Up to this moment, Zabuza, Sasuke, and Orochimaru have been the strongest opponents he's ever had to fight, and he couldn't even pin Orochimaru down. Naruto knows about Itachi, Obito, Pain and all of the Akatsuki, and Madara are still out there. He knows about the war to come and the lives that will be lost, and as anxious as that makes him, he can feel support in Naru-nii, in Jiraiya, in his senseis, his friends, and in himself. This is what being Hokage means and he's been preparing for this his entire life.

"Do you understand, Uzumaki Naruto," the elder great sage says, interrupting his thoughts.

Tilting stern and confident blue eyes on Gamamaru-sennin, Naruto firmly replies, "yeah."

"Do you really," Jiraiya spouts, bending at the waist to look up at Naruto sideways. "Care to explain that to us? You know far more than you should, you're summoning like a pro; there's far too much that's gone unexplained."

"Such is the uncertainty… of certainty," Gamamaru sagely orates.

Simply nodding at the revered toad, Jiraiya turns to Naruto and expresses, "I know I haven't been around like I should've. I can blame it on my destiny, on my writing, on my assignment for the village, but more than all of that, I blame my fear. I've messed up a lot, Naruto, and I don't have much of a right to ask this, but, will you tell how you went from Dead Last to holding your own against Orochimaru?"

Out of curiosity, Naruto asks, "Ji-chan tell you all that?" His Godfather nods. While he hates that he had to be horribly alone when he was younger, especially when he did have family who could've been in his life, he forcibly shoves those aching feelings to the side. They've never helped him before, and that hate won't help him now. Taking a deep calming breath, Naruto instead smiles as he's always done. He remembers the people currently in his life and the people that will one day be in his life, and Ero-sennin is someone he's been eager to meet since Naru-nii first mentioned him.

Jiraiya isn't sure what to make of the boy's smile before Naruto begins to explain, "I've been wanting to tell you since I first heard about you." Turning to his toad instructors, Naruto shares, "I don't mind telling you guys either, but you all have to swear you won't tell a soul about this. I mean it. This is probably the biggest secret you'll _**ever**_ hear."

Standing up straight and nodding to Naruto like an equal, Jiraiya affirms, "I promise," as do the toad sages.

Naruto asks Pa, "is this place secure?"

Fukasaku hops over to the wall and activates one of the best Fūinjutsu privacy seals Naruto has ever seen. The alignment and distribution of tasks were incredibly efficient and multi-layered similarly to a double helix. He was so impressed with the glowing seals on the walls, Naruto nearly forgot what he was going to disclose. Jiraiya clears his throat before Naruto then explains the key points about Naru-nii, the future that was described to him, the villains that will cause it, and the training he needed to learn to defend the world from that outcome. Most of his story is simply the broad strokes, however, Naruto is more delicate when he reveals how Jiraiya dies and by whose hand.

"I know it's a lot," Naruto continues. "I've had months to get used to it, but so far, everything Naru-nii told me—everything I was able to change because of him—has been true."

"That's…" Ma utters to silence, followed by Pa's, "mmn," as they eye a shaken Jiraiya. The well-built man was eerily silent throughout, head down with furrowed brows and slumped shoulders. His eyes seemed vacant, as if searching the memories of his past for any sense of this future and how he contributed to it.

"Ho, ho, ho," Gamamaru slowly laughs. "Even at my age… I can still feel humbled."

"Don't be," Naruto tells the great toad. "It's not like I can actually predict the future or anything. I just got the best cheat array." Turning to Jiraiya as he processes the magnitude of everything Naruto confessed, the blond continues, "part of the reason why we wanted to tell you isn't just because you're family and we want to protect you. Naru-nii and I also want you to do something." It was part of their brainstorming sessions. Neither Narutos like it but they can't deny it makes a lot of sense.

When Jiraiya's eyes seem to return to the present, Naruto tells him, "we think you should talk to Nagato. I'll talk to him too, no doubt, but I can't right now. On top of that, Nagato doesn't know me, he hasn't killed you, and I haven't beat him. None of what happened before has happened yet, so I can't be sure I'll change his mind unless I tell him about Naru-nii."

Jiraiya's voice is strong, nearly desperate when he finally orders Naruto, "no one must know about this connection you have."

"Agreed," Pa seconds with Ma's firm nod.

"You must never tell anyone about your insight into the future," Jiraiya further adds. "And I'll see Nagato. I have to." At the deep concern on Naruto's face, the white-haired elder pats him on his blond head as he assures his Godson, "don't worry about me. Now that I know Pain's fighting capabilities, it's less likely he can defeat me-"

"Kill," Naruto interjects. "He _killed_ you. I may not know you as well as my future self got to, but just like Haku, I already know I don't want to lose you. Believe me, I'd be on my way to Amegakure if it wouldn't cause a ruckus with everyone here."

Comprehending the dilemma, Jiraiya remarks, "you know more because of your Naru-nii, but you're also restricted by what can and can't reasonably explain." The stoically worried Naruto doesn't care about that though and Jiraiya huffs in amusement. "I promise you, Naruto, I'll come back. I'm done making mistakes, and, you need a reasonable line of intelligence you can blame the things you know on. Stay here, learn sage mode and protect Konoha during Suna's invasion."

"We'll teach ya right up," Ma declares with Pa's nodding hum.

"Gerotora," the great elder sage calls. Naruto didn't know who the giant toad was talking to until Jiraiya claps his hands together and summons a long black and orange toad with dark markings under its eyes and around its mouth. Its abdomen seems to be a scroll until the scroll-toad shrinks to a dog-sized amphibian. Gamamaru explains to the group, "I have foreseen… your transfer to Naruto as well."

"Ōjiji-sama," Pa respectfully bellows with concern. "Gerotora is the key to Tetragram's seal itself. Will it be alright to give it to Naruto-jo?"

"All is as it will be," the elder sagely sounds.

With that, no other objections were raised and Gerotora extends his abdomen before unrolling the contract key to Naruto's seal. As Naruto walks up to the unfurled scroll, coating his fingers in his blue chakra, Jiraiya explained the Yondaime's intent to eventually give Naruto free access to the key and stresses caution. Nodding to his Godfather, Naruto taps his five fingers against the squared-off chakra segment of the Fūin contract before the unsavory frog then struggles to squeeze its way down his throat. They spend the next hour detailing a decent plan for the coming weeks before Ma and Pa show Naruto where his father had buried his Hiraishin no Jutsu Fūin scroll.

Beside a spiral column, under a tall statue of a frog no different than the other statues he's seen, rests the only thing of his father's he knows exists. Naruto had the great pang of longing and his hands were on the statue, ready to hoist it out of the way and dig for his father's legacy but he stops himself at the last minute. Holding onto the statue turns into a hug and he closes his eyes to fondly remember the only conversation he's ever had with him. After many mournful minutes, Naruto steps away from the closest thing to a burial plot of his father he has and claps his hands together.

With Ma, Pa, and Jiraiya respectfully looking on, Naruto prays in silence. He offers them his gratitude for saving his life. He confesses his deep dismay that they're not with him. He recites his adventures with Naru-nii. Finally, he promises to make them proud and do everything in his power to not only save the shinobi world, but somehow, his divine big-brother as well.

* * *

Well, there's a lot to unpack here 😁

Jiraiya! It took a couple of drafts before I felt comfortable writing him. He's a pervert sure, but he never felt disgusting to me and that was a tricky line to tread. One thing I'd like to point out. I realized as I was writing that in canon, Jiraiya teaches Naruto how to summon, Rasengan, and some control over Kurama's chakra. Naru-nii already taught Naruto most of that, so, there wasn't much for him to do, which is why I have a mission for him. Hope it works out well.

I've done my research on Mt. Myōboku and though Pa said it can be reached on foot(through a maze), to me, it's always been treated like another dimension. That's why Naruto's clone said, "he's in another dimension."

That stuff with Omiai is real. Temari doesn't have a lot of time and she needed one quick and effective way of freely being around him without causing problems. Since I heard of matchmaking in Japan, I thought that might work. Suna's down economy also helped.

I guess there wasn't much to unpack. Lots of training, Samui & Mabui, and Temari ahead! Thanks to my Pay-Tree-ons and my fantastic fans. Please let me know what you think and have a great rest of the day, week, and Thanksgiving!

-Grae


	28. 28Hope Vs Experience

Hey friends! Happy Holidays!

First, my customary apology. I wanted this chapter out a week and a half ago, however, family, friends, holiday shenanigans... it was difficult. Additionally, this chapter was a stubborn one but I got through it.

FYI it's only been a couple days since the Omiai stuff in Hiruzen's office.

Warning: Kissing, Language, Complicated Physics.

14K for those who like to know. Enjoy!

* * *

KURENAI

Sitting comfortably on Kurenai's couch, cups of tea and an empty box of dango on the coffee table, Kurenai just finished explaining last night's dinner with Naruto, Karin, and Hinata. Kurenai remained silent, waiting on her pensive friend.

The choice to remain silent was finally broken with a short snicker. Slumping her shoulders, Kurenai exhales as her dearest friend gradually chuckles louder. The erotic kunoichi manages to yell, "are you fucking shittin' me?!" before laughing out loud. The dark-haired woman leans back, holding her gut as she laughs for several long minutes, till she's leaking from her eyes and hurting from her jaw and abdomen.

"Anko," Kurenai eventually groans.

She can't completely stop snickering, however, she calms down enough to apologize. "I'm sorry, babe," she says. "It's just- come on! The same fucking thing? The same situation twice in one year? It's insanity! Asuma had to be the escort for that bitch-princess and now Naruto has to escort the Kazekage's daughter!"

"It's not funny," Kurenai groans around rubbing her frustrated face. "And it's not the same-"

"You have to tell him," Anko interjects rubbing the laughing-tears from the corners of her leaking eyes.

Shaking her head with some confusion, Kurenai asks, "tell who what?"

"Oh don't even try to spin that nonsense with-"

Kurenai cuts in, "it's not nonsense-"

To which Anko easily cuts in, "I'm not an idiot-"

Leading Kurenai to interject, "I didn't say you were but don't just assume-"

"You're falling for him! For Naruto," Anko yells, silencing Kurenai. "Why else would this bother you enough to tell me? Because you're like, really and properly falling-"

"I'm not-"

"You are," Anko maintains. "You are, and stop bullshitting a bullshitter."

Kurenai begins to say, "I…" however, can't quite separate her thoughts from her emotions and it's unclear to her what she wants. It still amazes her that Naruto can matter this much to her; that she's truly considering a public and committed relationship with him. But it's not what's expected of her. What if it doesn't work? Would her father approve? Would her Hokage approve? Is their relationship fine as it is? Kurenai is bombarded with questions she can't answer without some perspective. It's why she immediately called Anko. Exhaling, Kurenai simply talks to her friend.

"Anko, I know for sure I love parts of him and really _really_ like all of him," Kurenai begins. "He's just amazing, plain and simple. Someone who's suffered so much for so long and still cares that much about his village is almost impossible to imagine in our world, but I see it in him every day. He's handsome and strong… _**really**_ strong. In fact, I'm fairly certain he can be promoted to a special-Jōnin on his Fūinjutsu acumen alone."

"That's hilarious," Anko quips with a snort. Having read the genin's jacket, Anko knows a great deal about the blond and comments, "Uzumaki Naruto, the dead last of his class being bumped up to the brain sect with all the other geniuses. Kami, who would've thought, eh?"

"He's just full of surprises," Kurenai replies. Blushing, she honestly adds, "and the sex… it's, well, otherworldly. He's a beast and I can't keep up anymore."

"Mnn, do tell," Anko seductively voices with a coy grin.

Ignoring her friend's lewdness, the raven-haired beauty speaks, "there are so many reasons why he's great, but that's not love; not romance. When Asuma and I were together, every day was pure joy. I felt so loved and beautiful and energized and smitten and nothing in this world seemed insurmountable so long as I loved him and he loved me."

Earnestly, Anko asks her confused friend, "and you don't feel the same for Naruto?"

"No," Kurenai sadly answers.

"I guess I'm screwed then," Anko huffs.

Focusing her curious gaze on her friend, Kurenai asks, "what do you mean?"

Anko prefaces her answer by asking a question. "Does that mean you can't love Naruto or someone in a different way?" Kurenai isn't sure how that relates until Anko further explains, "what you just described when you and Asuma were together is the type of love I hear all these young bitches gush about like it's the single most amazing thing in the world. Not that I'm knocking you for it, but, five, six years ago, you were the same. That's romanticism and if that's the only way to have that long-haul love, then I'll _never_ find someone because I can't stomach shit like that."

"It's not the only way to love someone," Kurenai admits. With considering, the red-eyed Jōnin states, "your love will be different from my love but that certainly doesn't say you can't wake up every day just thrilled to be alive, in love, and full of hope."

"I get that," Anko agrees, adding, "and that sounds nice."

"It is," Kurenai assures her.

However, Anko's face winces as she slowly affirms, "a little _too_ nice."

Tilting her head so her lush ebony hair slides farther along her shoulder, Kurenai groans, "Anko…"

"No, babe," Anko protests. With animated hands and a head full of steam, Anko argues, "I like the sound of that, really, I do, but, rhetorical question here; who's dick is currently fucking you into high heaven? Are you going to blame not currently being with Asuma on timing, circumstance, or your careers? As if things like that are strong enough to erode that life-long pure joy?" With racing thoughts, Kurenai remains silent and Anko continues to say her piece. "In my rather humble observation, a long-lasting healthy relationship needs more than just that frilly love or, by definition, it's not as strong as it can be. It's like you tell your brats, you need more than one skill up your sleeve or you don't make it in this world. You love Asuma but as great as your love was, as much joy as you had, you aren't together. You guys didn't have the… _whatever_ else you needed to get that mission success."

Kurenai felt judged and sidelined, but disregarding her knee-jerk emotions, she listened to the blunt words for what they were and respond, "I'm not trying to be argumentative about this, but, I felt like Asuma and I had more than love. We were friends first and have a working relationship." Thinking about his life as the Hokage's son and the string of loveless relationships he's had, Kurenai admits, "I knew we were different, but I'm telling you, I felt we understood enough to make our love work."

"You're not alone. We all did," Anko remarks, shuffling closer to her upset friend. "If you forgave him for the bitch princess, I'd even say you'd more than likely be together by now, maybe pop out a kid in a couple of years… or maybe not."

"I remember how certain I was that my heart belonged to him," Kurenai sadly recalls, falling further into her clear memory banks. "Even now, I- my heart still wants him more than anyone."

"I know, Babe," Anko sympathizes, taking ahold of her friend around the shoulder for a firm supportive hug. "You've been distracting yourself with your team and with Naruto, but I think it's been long enough. It's time to put on your big-girl panties and come to terms you can live with. I mean, when stuff doesn't work out, most of us want there to be meaning behind it, but whether there is or isn't, you gotta figure if this is just a holding pattern, or, is this the new you."

"Being precedes essence," Kurenai softly recites into Anko's strong nape.

"Come again," Anko curiously asks.

"It's a concept of existentialism," Kurnai lazily answers, enjoying the comforting embrace of her friend. "It boils down to having a choice even when we're under the illusion that we don't."

"Kami, you're such a nerd," Anko happily huffs, easily adding with a pinch of her shirt-covered nipple, "a super hot nerd."

Pushing away, Kurenai laughs. "Ever since my father, I've always been independent, and with Asuma, I truly felt in my heart I could finally devote myself to another man again… but now… after everything Asuma and I have been through… and Naruto… it's like choosing between experience and pragmatism or love and hope."

"Sounds shitty," a nodding Anko agrees before asking, "how many times have you guys broken up?"

"Ugh, three times," Kurenai shamefully admits. "The first one was when he didn't know how serious I felt about him. He thought we were just having fun."

"It's hard to give up the bachelors' life," Anko mumbles her commentary.

"Second time was after our fight about him giving up being a field ninja," Kurenai stresses aloud.

"Oh, yeah," Anko recalls with a hum. "You wanted him to be the Head of the Sarutobi Clan?"

"Sandaime-sama wanted it as well," Kurenai argues, making it clear she wasn't forcing Asuma into it. "And it would've been safer."

"That's true," Anko chimes, taking a sip of her cool tea. "The third one was… oh, yeah, he wanted you to stay home; cook, clean, and pump out baby after baby."

"We both wanted different things," Kurenai slowly supposes. "To do, and be, more for the village."

"Does Naruto care what you do?"

"He just wants me to be safe and happy," Kurenai affirms. "…he said he'd always protect me," she shyly adds with a repressed grin and slightly blushing cheeks.

"Look at you all giddy and girly," Anko teases, poking at her friend. "Kami, that's so disgustingly cute. Making me wish I fucked him first."

Wide-eyed, Kurenai yells, "Anko!"

Raising her hands into an X, Anko calls out, "alright, no B.S, no judgment, no one but you and Naruto. Just brutal, ugly, uncomfortable truth…" Kurenai's anxiety amped up in the short pause before Anko asks, "can you love- can you be _happy_ with Naruto?"

For a solid two minutes, Kurenai sat in silence, staring at nothing, deep in thought, and blank in expression until her cheeks blush red and plops her face in her hands, as if defeated. Anko was nice enough to withhold her laughter and just smiled broadly.

NARUTO

With his eyes closed, the sound of a falling stream of water splashing into a tranquil pond felt no different than the flow of natural energy fusing with Naruto's expanse of chakra. Naruto felt at peace molding with nature like the purity of serenity. Everything feels in line with how Naru-nii had described the feeling and he was ready for the substantial increase in his strength when a horribly rigid club whacks Naruto hard against his skull.

"Oww," Naruto yells as Pa huffs, "alright," dripping with sweat. "Break time."

Wincing while he rubs his head, Naruto complains, "but I can keep going," as Pa smacks the five clones Naruto has meditating near the oil into puffs of white smoke.

"Well I most certainly can't, ma boy," Pa responds, wiping his brow of sweat. "We've been at it all morning and you're doing phenomenally well. I assume your future self gave you some insights as to how it's supposed to feel."

"He did," Naruto replies before adding, "but so did the Kyūbi," with a smack to his stomach.

Nearly gasping, he asks, "truly?"

"Yup," Naruto enunciates with a hard _P_. "He said since all bijū are half nature and half something else, I've been exposed to it for a long time."

Curious thick and gray brows draw together as Pa asks, "something else?"

"He wouldn't say," Naruto asserts with a shrug. "But he said all the bijū have an affinity for natural energy, which is probably why it doesn't feel all that impossible for me."

"There's some logic there, and if true, that's quite the benefit for you," Pa hums. "Let's grab some grub. Ma's cooking the good worms for you today."

His stomach lurches at the thought of eating more of Ma's worm soup. Smiling politely, Naruto shyly admits, "you know, I can just wait for you here- AH!"

Raising his brow in concern, Pa asks, "what?"

"Naru-nii is here," Naruto gratefully declares. "I should…"

"Of course, of course," Pa chimes with a wave of his webbed feet. "Tell him we say hello and thank you."

"Will do," Naruto responds before taking his mediation pose and mentally greeting, '_yo! Perfect timing. I nearly had to eat more of Ma's cooking!_'

Naruto can almost sense his future counterparts need to hurl, sounding, '_Ugh… the worms_,' across Naruto's mind. '_I'm here for ya man_,' Naru-nii sternly promises.

'_They say hello by the way_,' Naruto readily passes on.

'_Cool_,' Naru-nii comments. '_It's weird how other people know about me now._'

'_I know_,' Naruto agrees, shifting in his stone seat. '_Ero-sennin actually took it pretty hard but I think he's better now. I can't tell if it's a good thing or not. Makes me wonder about who else we should tell_.'

'Yeah, same here, but I think coming clean is for the best,' Naru-nii slowly and objectively voices. '_Doing this by ourselves doesn't feel right, which only means that some people need to know_.'

'_Here's hoping_,' Naruto mumbles.

'_We gotta talk about the Hiraishin_,' Naru-nii proclaims. Naruto perks up as his future self adds, '_not sure if we have enough time though, which is pretty funny_.'

Naruto chuckles at the irony of not having enough time to talk about a time extending technique before asking, '_what's up?_'

'_So, you know the time expansion at the heart of the contract? Not the chakra imitating gravity part-_"

As a bird lands on his shoulder, Naruto mentally asks, '_the equation? T=To/√1-V²/C²?_'

'_Yeah_,' Naru-nii answers before further adding, '_breaking down the guts of this tech doesn't quite fit with how Tou-chan described it_.'

'_You know_,' Naruto hums recalling that odd feeling. '_At the time I was just super stoked to be talking to Tou-chan so I hadn't noticed, but when I was repeating it back to you, I did think something wasn't adding up. I'm pretty sure I wrote it out right._'

'_Yeah, you did_,' Naru-nii assures him. '_Looking over it, it should work fine. It's just how tou-chan worded it that threw me a bit._'

'_What'cha got?_'

'_Nothing too difficult_,' Naru-nii answers. Like a gut instinct, Naruto doesn't need to really think when he hears Naru-nii orate with technical accuracy, '_T, which is time, equals To, which is the time recorded on earth, over √one minus V², which is velocity-squared, over C². C is, obviously, the speed of light, which is then squared._'

Nodding in total understanding, Naruto allows his intuition to speak the pictures in his head, easily plugging in, '_T is the time I move in relative to others. To is the time recorded of the people on the earth, which is a relatively slower velocity than me. V is the velocity of the earth. C is the speed of light_.'

'_Right_,' Naru-nii agrees before voicing, '_so, if I need your speed—T— within the tunnel created by the gravity function to be faster than everyone else's—To—outside the tunnel, then I need to solve for velocity to make the speed you move at—relative to everyone else—closer to the speed of light so that from your perspective, everyone'll look like they're frozen._'

'_Sounds like how I wrote it_,' Naruto thoughtfully points out, easily recalling the formula. '_There's also the gravitational function of the Fūin contract which uses my chakra to create a hole in space-time I can pass through—the tunnel—which is going to take a __**lot**__ of chakra._'

'_I think that's the info tou-chan was mixed up on_,' Naru-nii voices with mild concern. '_Like, I know he didn't have a lot of time to explain everything, but he didn't even mention how you can make the distance you '__**teleport**__' feel shorter by adding more chakra to condense the tunnel you're traveling through. Imagine how much easier it'll be spending minutes inside the Hiraishin instead of hours to '__**instantly'**__ '__**teleport**__' to Suna or somewhere far._'

'_You think there's any chance I can see him again_,' Naruto asks before elaborating, '_you know, just to tell him?_'

'_Kami do I wish there was_,' Naru-nii sadly confesses. A moment of silence passes between the orphaned blonds before the future Naruto adds, '_I never say never, but…_'

'_…Yeah_,' Naruto agrees with a dour tone. Another bird lands on his shoulder before he moves away from that sore ache in his heart. '_Um, yeah, so, that gravity energy part is my chakra manipulating mass and warping matter around me which lets me pass through solid objects and space in an 'instant.'_'

'_You got it_,' Naru-nii agrees as if they're one mind. '_Basically, the laws of nature say that Space is a three-dimensional spectrum that provides us with length, width, and height. Time is the fourth dimension and offers a forward direction to that spectrum, thus a space-time continuum. Gravity is a curve in space-time, which means gravity can bend time and space, so according to this Fūin contract, your chakra, acting like gravitational energy, warps matter around you like a hole_.'

'_I wonder what the tunnel's going to look like_,' Naruto casually muses. '_I'm imagining one of those funny mirrors, you know, the warped ones that make everything look twisted or curved but more circular_,' Naruto postulates, tilting his head so the birds momentarily flap away before returning.

'_Same here_,' Naru-nii chuckles. '_It'll be super heavy moving through that tunnel so you'll really need to train your ass off if you don't want to be crushed to death. The faster you can get through the tunnel, the less chakra you need to use._'

With serious concern, Naruto exhales through his teeth and flapping lips, sounding, '_**psshhh**__, a lot of training is the bare minimum to becoming Hokage, so I got this. But, considering what I'm up against, I can't help but feel a bit green, you know?_' Naru-nii hums in agreement before Naruto adds, '_we're less than three weeks from the third task, and even though Ero-sennin promised to stay for the invasion, Orochimaru is __**crazy**__ strong._'

Naru-nii pauses a second before doubtlessly asking, '_is that going to stop you from fighting Orochimaru or anyone else who's stronger?_'

'_Hell no_,' Naruto quickly asserts.

'_I know_,' Naru-nii calls out, further arguing, '_it's how we're wired. Look, when you get back to Konoha, ask for help where you need it. There's nothing we can't do when it comes to saving our special people. Definitely ask Hinata-chan for pointers on shooting out chakra from your tenketsu._' After Naruto's agreeable hum, Naru-nii adds, '_let people help you because I know you're going to do everything in your power to stop the invasion, stop Ji-chan's death, stop Gaara, and capture Orochimaru._'

'_It sounds insane when you say it out loud_,' Naruto briskly utters.

'_Life of a hero, dattebayo_,' Naru-nii proudly proclaims. '_I have the utmost faith in myself which means I have the utmost faith in you. As much as you want to protect Iruka-sensei, Ji-chan, Team 7, Kurenai-chan, Karin-chan, Haku-kun, on top of all our friends and sensei, they definitely want to protect you too._'

'_…You're making me want to train so bad right now_,' Naruto mentally admits feeling hot moisture form at the corners of his closed eyes.

'_I know the feeling but don't burn yourself out_,' Naru-nii warns. '_I've passed out a few times going all out. It wastes more time than saves. Actually, tell me what's been going on with you. We've been all about the Hiraishin for a while, we haven't really talked._'

Happy and eager to oblige, Naruto begins by asking, '_out of curiosity, did Temari-chan ever say she liked you?_'

Naruto can't hear his future-self smack himself in the head, however, he can imagine it before the older Naruto wearily challenges, '_you gotta be shittin' me… __**another one?**_'

Fortunately, Naru-nii hadn't taken the sudden and astonishing alternative development of Temari's Omiai too personally. Naruto had explained signing a document diplomatically outlining everything they had gone over in Ji-chan's office and how the relationship is nothing more or less than what they want it to be. Naruto also told his future ego how he's planning on using this opportunity to get closer to Gaara.

'_If we don't have to fight_,' Naruto mentally reasons, asking, '_that'd be better, wouldn't it?_'

'_I guess_,' Naru-nii capitulates. '_So long as you both truly understand each other, then yeah; that's all that matters. It sucks about Temari's dad making her do that though. How'd Ino-chan or Kurenai-chan react when you told them?_'

'_I haven't had a chance to tell Ino-chan yet_,' Naruto starts before he further reasons, '_and I figure, with the invasion coming, there wasn't much need to tell Nai-chan more than the escort story_.'

'_Ugh, I hate lying_,' Naru-nii muses.

'_Same_,' Naruto emphatically agrees, nodding his head and momentarily clearing his head of a resting bluebird before it lands on his soft hair again.

As previously stated, Naru-nii makes certain that Naruto understands, '_you know I don't care if you tell Kurenai about me, right?_'

Naruto answers with a droll certainty, '_I know._' Standing from the stone platform bordering the pond, the blond begins stretching as he explains, '_I want to, but with her, I think she'd prefer not to know… unless ordered to. She's really big on covert intel gathering, management, and dissemination. I can hear her voice now, telling me how flattered she is that I trust her so much but how dangerous the information is and how I need to be more responsible and words, words, words. She's such an adult_,' he finishes with a roll of his humored eyes and a small smirk.

Chuckling a bit, Naru-nii comments, '_that's funny. Was she cool with the escort thing?_'

'_She said she understands_,' Naruto hesitates to admit. Thinking over dinner with Kurenai, Hinata, and Karin, Naruto felt as if Hinata's and Kurenai's reactions were lackluster. Karin seemed excited, however, recalling Hinata and Kurenai's tepid feedback, Naruto responds, '_but it didn't feel like she was okay with it. Plus, the skin between her brow crinkles when she thinks too much about something that worries her._'

'_Maybe it __**does**__ worry her… or doesn't… I don't know_,' Naru-nii huffs. '_You know I'm clueless about this kind of stuff. Though, I did gain more insight into people when I mastered Kyūbi Sage mode. Maybe that'll help you out_.'

'_Sounds sweet_,' Naruto happily notes. '_How long do you think before I master that?_'

'_Oh, not anytime soon_,' Naru-nii quickly responds, making Naruto grumble at the loss of instant gratification. '_Anyway, I'm about out…_'

Lately, it's been getting harder and harder to leave Naru-nii for the day. The more Naruto wants to help his important people in his timeline, the more he wants his future self. Even though the only difference between them is age, Naruto sees him more as a brother than his future self; always watching out for him like he imagined brothers do. So with a hint of melancholy, Naruto responds, '_thanks, Naru-nii. Tomorrow?_'

'_Tomorrow_,' Naru-nii replies with determination.

After a quick chat with Kurama, the rest of his training on Mount Myōboku went well. Naruto felt closer to tapping into the monstrous might of the planet's spirit energy known as senjutsu chakra. After Pa called it for the day, Naruto became eager to return to Konoha and meet his appointments. With the sudden amount of connections in his life, he felt a warm comfort at the thought meeting Karin to talk clan business, Mabui to talk Fūinjutsu, Ino-chan to become centered, Temari to learn more about her family, his team for comradery. As it's been the past two days, Naruto is returned in a puff of white smoke atop the stone monument of his father so he can gaze upon the lush wonder of his home. Regardless of the village's hostility toward him, he has more than enough people in his life to make this community a home.

Creating three clones, one heads to meet Karin, another meets Mabui, and the third meets with Temari while he visits Iruka before meeting his team.

MABUI

"You continue to impress," Mabui gushes in genuine amazement. She and Naruto are closing the numerous scrolls laid out on the table. They've been meeting fairly regularly to discuss and practice Fūinjutsu and though neither of them said it out loud, Mabui has become his unofficial student. Mabui recognizes his brilliance and can't help but ask him all sorts of questions about processes and procedures. With two master's degrees, the silver-haired model feels like a student again looking up to her young genius sensei.

Naruto blushes and waves her compliment away, chuckling, "thanks but it's nothing."

Watching him seal all his materials in his a single scroll before pocketing it in his back pounch, Mabui shakes her head, asserting, "it most certainly is _not_ nothing. You could be instructing the finest Fūinjutsu masters."

Walking out of the Fūinjutsu section of the library, Naruto chuckles before responding with, "well, right now, you're my only… _student_? Which is beyond weird to think about!"

With her mission always in mind, Mabui tends to stay as close as physically possible when they study, always leaning toward him when she asks for help and as they exit the library to the wonderful daylight and busy Konoha streets, she merrily bumps him with her shoulder. Continuing to tease, Mabui asks as if wounded, "because I'm old?"

"If you're old then I must still be sperm," Naruto jokes, making light of the small age difference between them. They walk to their usual bench in the nearby park. Many kids play and chase each other and a few of the men openly stare at Mabui's statuesque form in a fitted pencil skirt and long sleeve gray blouse. As they take a seat, Naruto explains, "it's weird because no one's ever thought of me like a sensei before."

"That can't be," Mabui asserts with confidence.

"It's true," the blond argues.

"If I may be candid," she voices in askance. With his nod, she pridefully answers, "in all my years of study, you are one of the greatest practitioners of Fūinjutsu I've _ever_ met, and I used to rub shoulders with the upper echelon of academics." Mabui doesn't mention how hard it was to be in some of those parties or discussions and remain professional. In fact, she's certain her fiance took her to many of these gatherings because he knew she was a sapiosexual and would be aroused the entire night. While Mabui wouldn't say intelligence is her number one desirable trait in a partner—kindness to all and strength also factor in—she knows how wet she can get when a genius is blowing her mind with phenomenal expertise.

Naruto's explanations tend to have her warm and moist by the end of their study sessions, though, fortunately for her, he's rather young for her. Her fiance may have been thirty years her senior but there's something about sexual relations with a boy ten years younger than her that seems taboo. Even still, she enjoys her time with him as she adds, "so, I find it incredibly difficult to believe you're not the most influential name in the field of Fūinjutsu across the five nations."

"Wow, I wouldn't go that far," Naruto responds with a chuckle. Mabui looks at him in earnest, to the point a doubtful Naruto has to ask, "…are you being serious?"

"Of course," Mabui returns, fingers in her hair to keep in place as the wind picks up. Mabui ignores the few men glancing at her seated, leg crossed, as she readily informs the blond genius, "I should be calling you Naruto-sensei."

"Stop it," he lamely gaffs. Looking at her as if she were crazy, Naruto admits, "I may know a _little_ more than you, but you're learning really fast. You're nearly at the intermediate stuff and it's only been a week since we met." When Mabui thinks about how many months she's spent attempting to decipher a single Fūinjutsu, his comment doesn't feel as flattering. She quickly becomes a mixture of aroused and scared when he finishes, "I'm a hundred percent sure you'll figure out that secret project you keep showing me in no time."

Surprised he could tell she's been sneaking segments of the old Fūin scroll she inherited, Mabui's face braces as she hesitates to ask, "you could tell?"

"Yeah," Naruto easily replies. She feels defeated when he adds, "you've only snuck in three segments of the initial array but it's pretty obvious they come from the same jutsu."

Cautiously, Mabui asks, "does it bother you that I'm keeping it a secret?"

"No," he quickly assures her and it just touches her heart when he reassures her, "I only want to help."

"Funny," Mabui enjoys saying, adding, "that's exactly what a sensei would say." Naruto rolls his head back exhaustively and Mabui smiles as she tells him, "I'd like to help you too. That is to say, I don't want you to think I'm only using you for your intelligence."

"Add that to the list of things no one's ever said to me before," Naruto blurts

"Well then, it's my honor to be your first," Mabui teases, tightening her thighs together at the titillating thought of taking the virginity of a genius. "Maybe if I know I've helped you, maybe with your love life, then I'll feel more comfortable trusting you with my family's Fūinjutsu. Have you asked either one of those girls about… You didn't ask, did you?" The sour look washing over his face was answer enough.

With a spirit of failure, he huffs, "well… it's not an easy thing to ask! How would you feel if your boyfriend asked you to be in a polyamorous relationship with another girl?"

A sequenced flicker of reflected light tells Mabui that Samui is nearby observing. With the stoic beauty near, Mabui knew there was only one answer to that question. Despite her aversion toward the poly lifestyle, Mabui knew she had to say whatever she needed to for the desired outcome. Adopting a cute disposition, Mabui bashfully answers, "I'm currently not dating anyone, but—and this is a big but—if the right man asked me and the other girl turned out to be someone I can truly care for, yeah, I'd consider it."

With squinted eyes, Naruto's jaw drops. Surprised throughout, he asks, "really? Wait, you _don't_ have a boyfriend?! But you're so gorgeous! How's that possible?"

"First, thank you. That's sweet of you to say," Mabui genuinely responds. Pushing the mental image of the confusion Darui brings her, she articulates, "but yes, I'm currently single, and to answer your question, selecting someone on the basis of appearance is superficial and doesn't last long when conversation happens. Beauty can easily lead to sex but that's no guarantee of building a meaningful relationship, and on many occasions, it doesn't."

Mabui couldn't help but wonder about Darui. The green-eyed beauty recalls their conversations perfectly and very little of the dialog has to do with anything meaningful such as interests, philosophy, politics, or future goals. Darui's very confident and forthright about his assertions, however, her intuition tells her he's treating her exactly like any other girl. Mabui doesn't feel special, and what's worse about feeling ordinary, is her opinion of Darui. If her fiance were alive right now, Mabui knows she'd drop Darui in an instant. Her first love is the new gauge by which all men are now stacked against, and though Darui is the highest thus far, he doesn't measure up.

Realizing she's never spoken about this aloud, Mabui tentatively takes a minuscule moment for herself to enjoy the sun in the shade among a lively village before she unburdens just a small portion of the baggage she's been carrying about the man she's been secretly seeing.

Sincerely, she voices, "more often than not, a physical match doesn't equate to an emotional one." Looking out into the park with parents or villagers on the streets, Mabui proclaims, "when you consider the majority of people are average looking, just because an exceptional shape and size of a human can make us weak in the knees doesn't mean the other less symmetrical or less fit are any less ideal. It's why it's valuable to look beyond the physical."

Though feels like a hypocrite, Naruto nods in agreement as he adds, "my sensei says that being really pretty can also be a problem because their looks can make it hard for the average guy to approach them."

"Your sensei's right," Mabui wholly agrees. "On many occasions, the only men that approach me are the players. Unfortunately, what they want is so base and superficial and obvious, it's a complete turn off for me. In truth, I often find myself remaining single for long periods."

Naruto nods in understanding before adding the opposite end of the same dilemma. "But you can't be too approachable because the guy who can only date you like that might get jealous easily and my sensei thinks that's the most unattractive quality."

"Your sensei seems very wise," Mabui comments, appreciating how attentive and studious Naruto is. In addition to identifying with sapiosexuality, Mabui has also been affected but the student and sensei relationship. She's always felt a strong bond with them. As an adolescent girl escaping the dregs of her poverty-stricken family and village, she understood that the role of a sensei is to provide her with all the tools she needs to ascend to a better state of living. When she had nothing, her sensei taught her to save herself, especially her late fiance. Forcing away those sad thoughts, Mabui adds, "being somewhat unapproachable helps to avoid insecure, clingy, controlling, and overly protective men that I may otherwise date. So, yes, there is a balance and it can be hard to navigate. Too sociable and you're just the girl of the night. Too reserved and you're alone a lot."

"That must be tough for you," Naruto sympathizes. "What's your type… or, I guess what I mean to ask is, what kind of guy would you be with that might make you say yes to polyamory?"

"Mnn," Mabui sounds, tilting her head a bit to think before answering. "I… this is a little embarrassing to admit but I'm attracted to men like y- uh, men with many of your qualities." Nodding her head to his quirking brow, she lists off, "handsome, funny, and above everything else intelligent. I absolutely idolize intelligence."

"I don't see why that's embarrassing," Naruto wonders aloud. "Aren't there a lot of handsome, funny and intelligent men out there?"

"I suppose that's a bit broad," Mabui admits. "However, I can't really prescribe what might make me say yes. A man can have those qualities in abundance and I could still say no, or yes. I guess it depends on their character. I may come around to the idea of being in a polyamorous relationship but the only way I can see that happening is if the man at the center is worth it. I know it's not a definite answer but that lifestyle is not something that just _anybody_ can do. I suppose the key component is a confident personality."

Curiously, Naruto tries to understand the sort of confidence needed by asking, "like how I know I'm going to be the best Hokage of all time?"

"Precisely," Mabui agrees, wondering how likely it is he'll become Konoha's strongest leader. "Just like that."

He ponders in thought a moment before he surprises her by asking, "can you think of a way I might be able to practice this? So I can feel more positive about asking a girl I'm interested in? I'm more of a hands-on type of learner."

Mabui marvels at how innocent he appears despite genuinely asking how to practice polyamory, as if he wasn't perfectly setting her up for a way to subtly earn his favor and complete the mission. After spending some time with him, she's certain Fūinjutsu is the only area he truly excels at. As she's never seen him fight and only has Samui's short description of his victory of the Demon of Hidden Mist, she can only say with some degree of certainty that he's likely a very good combat specialist as well. Other than those two positives, he's kind, respectful, and trusting—a little too trusting. It's this blind spot of his that tells her he truly wants a way to practice polyamorous relations and not outright inviting her.

Still, this is to her advantage and Mabui responds, "well, I don't see why not. I'll have to brainstorm ideas that have the highest possibility of success. But I have to ask, is this a lifestyle you want to pursue?"

"Well," Naruto hums, creasing his brows in deep thought. "I think I'd be fine with one girl, but… well, to put it mildly, I've met plenty of girls, but not one girlfriend, if that makes sense. I can be everything a boyfriend can be, but for one reason or another, no one wants me like that. I don't know if it's me, but, lately, I'm getting the impression that there is no _one_."

"Seems like there's a story there," Mabui teases while wondering about his experiences. Mabui makes a mental note to closely observe any girl he interacts with as she assures Naruto, "it's fine, you don't have to tell me, but, if you ever do, I'd be happy to listen."

"Thanks," he gratefully tells her.

She smiles as she assures him, "I want to help you, so, I'll let you know what I come up with."

"Thanks, Mabui-chan. That'd be really helpful."

"You're welcome," Mabui returns. Mabui stands from the bench, making a point to arc and pivot seductively before she turns to him and brightly asks, "same time tomorrow?"

"Sure," Naruto replies with his bright smile before he leaves.

For the surveillance she isn't sure is watching her, Mabui walks the third strategically planned route back to base. It takes her an additional thirty minutes to reach their new hideout, however, she knows Samui is observing her every step until she's finally in their second, extended-stay, safe house.

After Ōyashiro had told them he can no longer facilitate an aboveboard deal for them, the least he could provide was a small home near the farming fields of Konoha. It's an old wooden cottage with one bedroom for Mabui and Samui, a single bathroom, and a kitchen that doubles as the living room for Atsui to sleep in. The shabby rooms had minimal furnishings—an old stove, a small fridge, a creaky bed, a dining table, and four chairs—and part of the deal was Atsui had to help the farmer with labor on the fields. Luckily there was only a minimal amount of mold growth that they were able to completely remove.

Once Mabui bypasses the safeguards in place, she enters the dreary and vacant cabin and begins preparing the evening's meal. Eventually, Atsui returns from working the fields and Mabui is forced to hear the blond man whine about his degrading assignment, oblivious to the fact that her assignment is prostitution. Though the temptation to punch him in the mouth never ceased, the silver-haired beauty refrained. The Monster Report gave her all the patience she needed with him, thin though it may be. So even if her assignment in this team is to prostitute herself for a big sword, she doesn't compare their tasks.

The meal is ready when Samui finally returns. As they take a seat around the small and splintered dining table, the gorgeous blond takes out a small roll of paper that was no doubt delivered via messenger hawk and tells her team, "orders from A-sama." Placing the paper on the table, Samui recites from memory, "if Mabui cannot secure Kubikiribōchō through seduction, we are to take it-"

"Then let's just take it," Atsui hastily and passionately interrupts his sister. His voice is loud enough to concern Mabui as he continues to say, "we don't have to make my Mabui-chan do _**shit**_ with that brat! That snot-nosed punk doesn't even deserve her attention! This ain't hot, sis! This ain't hot." Mabui can't disagree more with Atsui. Naruto is the key to figuring out the Heavenly Transfer Technique and hopefully, gaining the rank of Jōnin. Though Naruto is too young for her, at the very least, he's caring, helpful, and once in a lifetime genius.

Without explaining more, Samui answers her little brother, "we're not equipped for that engagement."

Mabui has been around the stoic woman long enough to eventually understand that the '_we_' Samui is referring to is the two Chūnin on the three-man team. As their exit strategy in the heart of enemy territory would be more important than the actual theft, Mabui can't imagine a village as strong at Konoha would have any difficulty catching up to and capturing lower rank ninja like herself or Atsui. It's clear Samui would consider that a failure, as would their Raikage. Additionally, Mabui understands if Samui was teamed with other Jōnin, the situation would be different, which means her role seducing Naruto is still their best strategy.

Just then, a disturbing detail dons on Mabui, chilling her spine when she suddenly recalls how missions are discussed with A-sama's most trusted advisers, Dodai and Darui. Her green eyes widen at the thought Darui might know she has to seduce another man and her instinctual reaction felt vindictive.

'_Finally_,' her mind yelled. '_A taste of his own duplicitous medicine_.'

However, she quickly ceased feeding those darker thoughts for a higher self-worth. Even if her relationship with Darui is secret and rocky, it's still a relationship. He's a person with feelings and she doesn't want to betray another person's emotional trust. She didn't want to be the sort of person that would enjoy causing someone else emotional pain.

Tentatively, Mabui asks, "did A-sama discuss this with… anyone?"

"He makes his own decisions," Samui simply answers, to Mabui's relief, until the blond bombshell casually adds, "however, Darui-san and Dodai-san advise when available."

"Were they," Mabui quickly asks, clarifying, "were they available to advise?"

"That's unimportant," Samui replies as she offhandedly destroys the missive with a flash of fire. "We have our orders. Atsui, reconn options of retreat. I'll set traps. Mabui, seduce Uzumaki." Atsui's eye twitches as he holds in his immense displeasure. Samui ignores him to further instruct Mabui, "if he's uncooperative, we'll lure him to the ambush. Dismissed."

There's so much detail missing from that plan, Mabui can't help but mentally scream, '_how?_' Rather than vocalize that, however, she asks, "ah, Samui-taichou, may I speak with you in private?"

"If it has to do with the mission, I should hear too," Atsui protests.

Samui instructs her brother to leave with a single word. "Atsui," she voices and with a loud huff, her offended brother leaves them before she turns to her.

"I feel it's important… for the mission, to know how far I've been ordered to _seduce_ Uzumaki," Mabui begins.

"No boundaries were detailed," Samui dispassionately responds.

Mabui proactively asks, "none?" The beautiful blond Jōnin would've answered if there was an answer to give, prompting Mabui to then ask, "and if it goes as far as _sex_? Is he- are _they_ okay with that?" Again, Samui remains silent, to which Mabui interprets to mean if there was a limit, Samui would say as much.

The woman's silence felt like a blunt reality check, of sorts, for Mabui on the status of her relationship with Darui. It's similar to third-hand information, not all reliable but not to be discounted either. It tells her that Darui didn't succeed in setting a limit to how far she should go, or if he cared at all. It's not proof that Darui isn't serious about their relationship, but it's also not proof that he is either.

Samui turns to leave when Mabui quickly asks, "Samui-taichou, may I know- may I hear directly from you, my commanding officer, how far you would like me to go with Uzumaki-kun? I know how important Kubikiribōchō is to A-sama, but in your professional opinion, how far do you think I should go for a weapon?"

"…A mission is a mission," Samui begins, finishing, "whatever it takes."

TEMARI

Walking the crowded streets of Konoha under a bright sun and clear blue skies toward their meeting spot, Temari is in deep thought. To avoid the bustling crowds she takes alleys and outlining streets, and even then, there are a lot of shoppers, families, friends, ninja, tradesmen, dogs, cats, birds to fill the senses. Dressed in her usual short-sleeved purple kimono with slits in the skirt and a more revealing neckline, Temari ignores the crow as she repeatedly recalls her conversation with Baki-sensei.

_"Are these the photos," Baki asks, accepting Temari's sealed scroll after returning from a tour with Naruto. _

_ "Photo," Temari corrects, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall of their living room. It's just her and Baki in their shared three-bedroom apartment as she adds, "his cousin seems to be the only family he has, though a third or fourth person lives in the house with him. I haven't met the others."_

_ "Already in his home and near his family," Baki pensively comments. "He always struck me as an open individual."_

_ "His mistake," Temari remarks with a hint of pride._

_ "Is it?" Baki's question instantly makes Temari's rapid mind ponder alternative explanations as her half-faced sensei continues. "It'll be that much harder for you."_

_ With their goal in mind, Temari reasons aloud, "because he's easy… which means visiting his home is nothing significant."_

_ "Precisely," Baki tells her. "He may have shown you around his village and home, and you may have met his cousin, however, it seems he would do that with anyone, which means you're not special to him."_

_ After signing diplomatic documents for liability and prosperity, Naruto had shown her around the village. They went to his favorite spots and eventually ending the tour at his home where she met his only family, Karin-chan. Though she felt it was progress, she suddenly realizes it's not and bemoans, "it's only been one day."_

_ "You have less than three weeks to make him fall in love with you," Baki reminds her. "Your opening stroke was brilliant. It's allowed you in the door, now you have to make an impression."_

_ "I will," Temari heatedly declared before leaving._

The worst thing about that exchange is the perspective it provides. Temari feels as if she will have to be drastic with her advancement. Walking the slightly more familiar streets of Konoha, Temari mentally prepares to interact with Naruto again by recalling ever exchange of dialog she had with Naruto and his cousin to practice witty and cutesy responses. Temari will admit she's never seduced a man before in her life, however, she's taken a mandatory class on employing seduction techniques to gather vital intelligence. In hindsight, she currently feels she shouldn't have used her status as the Kage's daughter to skip most of the classes.

Luckily, she's interacted with Naruto enough times prior to this prostitution that it would be strange if she was suddenly cute and whorish, so she commits to being attentive and supportive of him and his ideas. At many stages in their tour the day before, Temari mentally tallies all points of note. So far, she's still certain she can manipulate him. He's strong but seems dull and easily pleased. Learning how the orphans are attempting to establish their clan in Konoha was a good burden to help them with, however, Temari knew it wouldn't be enough. Walking up the street to the Uzumaki's home, the straw-colored blond knew what she needed was something more singular; something that screamed '_must marry_' not '_property developer_.'

She abruptly hears, "hey Temari-chan," from behind her, stunning her spine straight and freezing her heart still for a fraction of a second. She lets out a settling breath as she turns to the smiling Naruto in his beaten and worn orange jumpsuit. "Sorry."

Shaking her head as if there's no need to apologize, she asks, "how was your day?"

"Pretty good," Naruto answers. "I got a lot of training in but not a lot of results… yet."

Smiling at his confidence, her inquisitive mind wants to know, "what sort of training?"

Though Temari is eager for any new intel to pass on, she disappointed to hear him glumly answer, "mostly meditation stuff. Trying to be really still is hard for me since I have so much energy."

It sounded like mental discipline training and nothing special, however, she kindly replies, "I can imagine. So what would you like to do today?"

"I'm just a clone but I'm down for anything," he tells her, to her disappointment.

Though Temari appreciates him saying as much, she feels insulted that it's a clone and not the real body. It sends the message that she's not a priority and that won't do, not with so much at stake and so many depending on her. '_Earn his trust, earn his trust, earn his trust_,' her mind yells in repetition as her voice asks, "may I know where the real Naruto is?"

"He's training with the Team right now," the clone replies.

"No offense, but can we wait for him nearby," Temari softly asks. "You and I can still talk, but I was hoping to tell him something personal."

"Yeah sure," the Naruto clone responds.

Deciding talking to the clone will suffice, for now, they make their way as Temari asks, "I can imagine this whole thing with me and the Omiai must be pretty weird for you."

"Well… a little," Naruto gruffly answers, lazily seesawing a flat palm. "Isn't it weird for you? I mean, your tou-chan wants you to marry someone you don't know? That would do my head in."

"Yes and no," she answers after a long exhale. "Obviously, I'd prefer to marry someone I love, but I doubt I'm the kind of girl that falls in love at first sight. What I value in a man isn't something you can see on the surface."

"What's that-" Naruto halts his curiosity when his brain answers faster. "Oh! Let me guess. Intelligence?"

Surprised, she turns to his smirking face and answers with an amused tone, "yes, actually. I didn't think I was that transparent."

Snickering, Naruto reassures her, "you're not," adding with a melancholy smile, "I've just heard that before."

Immediately, Temari wonders about other women in his life who may have told him that. The fact that he remembered suggests she's important or a sensei. Temari's original strategy involved removing any female attention in Naruto's life, however, considering how all of Konoha no longer have a future at the end of the month, any kunoichi attracted to Naruto will continue to take things slow. Besides, any kunoichi Naruto is attracted to will evaporate from his mind as much as his heart when he feels what she'll do to him.

"What do you look for in a girl?"

"Uh, well, I thought I knew what I liked but I've learned a lot in the past few months so now I'm not sure. Right now, I know for sure I like honest and pretty girls."

'_Possible rejection_,' Temari mentally catalogs, thinking how that heartache works in her favor. "To answer your earlier question, this isn't all that weird to me because the thing I like most about a partner takes time. So I _**have**_ to get to know a person before I date them anyway. What makes the Omiai bad is it has less to do with my needs and more to do with the needs of the village."

"What does Gaara think about that," Naruto asks. "You're brother and sister. He _can't_ be okay with this."

With a heightened curiosity about his mental train of thought, Temari bluntly answers, "my little brother doesn't care."

"Well he should," Naruto angrily asserts. "I get that he's had a tough life but you're family!"

Again, the connection Naruto seems to have with her brother seems to stem from a shared predicament. Cautiously, Temari asks, "why do you think he's had a hard life? He's the son of a Kage."

Turning to her, Naruto leans forward so as his eyes stare more prominently at her as he gravely answers, "it's in the eyes." Stepping back, he amusingly adds, "plus he always talks about killing people."

Impulsively, Temari snorts at the blasé manner Naruto accepts Gaara's homicidal declarations. She feared he would think she was a morbid for laughing at his comment, however, to her great relief, he simply smiles.

"My little brother has certainly gone through a lot in his life," she admits. Rather than change the subject away from her brother, she allows Naruto to indulge in the topic, offering, "maybe we can have dinner one day."

She's certain Naruto would be the only boy who'd happily answer, "that would be great."

His excitement to have dinner with her brother has Temari hoping Naruto is secretly a homosexual. Though that doesn't change what she has to do and it's a little off-putting if her first is gay, her mind effortlessly plays out a scenario in which he's unable to get an erection and she comforts him, thereby earning his trust.

'_Kami, let that be the case,_' her mind praises as she informs him, "I'll let you know what he says."

"Sweet."

Throughout the rest of their walk, they talk about mild subjects like interests and dislikes. Temari always allows him to go first to feed his ego and to gauge whether she should agree or disagree with his replies. They speak for nearly three hours when the real Naruto spots them. The clone says his farewell before popping away. His team seems odd. Naruto is holding up his pink-haired worn and exhausted pink-haired teammate. Their sensei is openly reading the same filth Baki gave her to research from. And the handsome Uchiha continues walking with little more than a sideways glance at her as he leaves.

"Hey, Temari-chan," Naruto greets before creating a clone to pick up an exhausted Haruno, princess style, and leaping away.

Temari smiles at the blond before bowing to his sensei, greeting him, "hello, Kakashi-sensei."

"Temari-chan," Kakashi greets. He then tells them, "I was asked to chaperon whenever possible, but." Turning to Naruto, he asks, "if you're fine on your own…"

"Yeah, we'll be fine, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto tells his sensei.

"See you tomorrow," the legendary Copy-ninja states before nodding to, "Temari-chan."

As Team 7 split between Kakashi trailing Sasuke and Naruto carrying Sakura, Naruto can't help but apologize to Temari. "Sorry about my team. Ever since the second task, Sakura's been training like hell to get better and Sasuke's just a moody booty."

Again, without a thought, she snorts at his quip while he smiles. Shaking her head, she casually replies, "no apologies necessary."

Naruto returns his attention to the Suna heiress to ask, "so you wanted to talk about something personal?"

Lighting up at the subject, Temari answers "I do. Can we go somewhere private?"

"Sure," he returns looking around the wide trail leading to the training grounds. He hums a moment before snapping his fingers and proclaiming, "there's a place close by I like to go to." Temari and Naruto walk into the forest talking about their day and some of the best meals they've ever had. By the time they reach an out of place waterfall in a field surrounded by forest, Temari is certain Naruto is addicted to ramen.

The sound of rushing water intensifies the closer they get and soon Temari can feel a light mist of moisture on her skin. There are a total of three hidden waterfalls near Sunagakura, none are as large, loud, or spectacular as this. When they stop at the ravine, Temari wonders around the straight branch stretching the length of the falling water at the halfway point.

"This way," Naruto calls out, leaping on the water. She follows him as he searches for something specific. When he stops, she doesn't understand why he tells her, "hold on," before he scoops her up and jumps straight at the waterfall. Holding him around his neck, her brain tells her not to worry before they break the rushing wall of water and land inside a cave. He sets her down before walking to some towels. Handing her one, she scans the room for any threats before taking stock of the simple furnishing in the mildly large room. There's a coffee table a few two sleeping bags and a carousel heater. It would be a square room if not for the rounded walls.

As Naruto asks, "how's this?" Temari is thrilled by the very wide whitish-blue wall of water.

"Aside from being wet," Temari begins, toweling herself off. "It's beautiful… and certainly private. Thank you."

He waves her off before asking over the rushing sound of the nearby waterfall, "so what's up?"

Releasing her wet pigtails, Temari is drying her hair as she hesitates to begin. "Um, can I be honest with you?"

"Always," he assures her, sitting on a soft pad by the table.

"Because I don't know what's going to happen with this Omiai, I'm nervous," she restlessly admits. Walking around the room and sitting on the padding opposite him at the table, she tells him, "I generally enjoy engaging my mind with random experiments like probability statistics or card games. It feels nice when I assess all the relevant variables to a given situation then accurately predict a future outcome. It's one of my strengths and I'm proud of it, but, I don't know how this—between us—will end. It's a lot."

"Yeah, it's pretty bonkers," Naruto agrees, then adds, "but, if it makes you feel better, I know how it'll end."

With a tilt of her wet head and suspiciously amused eyes, she responds, "oh?"

"Yup," he returns with his signature smile before answering, "it'll end how we want it to. As long as we understand one another, I think it'll be alright."

"Then I think we should talk about that," Temari says, leading him to her planned topic. "We've spoken in front of our respective leaders and officials, but it's just us now, and I feel we should discover what this means without the politics."

Nodding, Naruto says, "yeah, I like that," quickly asserting, "I don't know about you but I definitely want to be friends, no matter what."

"I'd like that too," Temari forces herself to lie. In her heart she couldn't care less if she were friends or not, however, she hates the deception. She's already noticed that he's a nice and open person and the more he continues to be that way the more she wishes he was an asshole. As he is, she feels like she's leading a lovably peaceful cow to the slaughterhouse. Her emotional training taught her that this feeling is just the humanity within her desiring to preserve the sanctity of life, however, she can't listen to that part of her now. Her mission is as hard as it is clear.

Temari then asks Naruto, "have you ever heard of a Love Map?" Shaking his blond locks, _no_, he leans his elbows on the table as she answers, "when you share your life with someone, I think it's important to show how much you care. Think of it as training. Rather than just saying you train every day, you physically show it. Little things, like hugs or notes, to big things like goals or anniversaries; it's nice to feel how much you're cared for and loved."

Looking at her in wonder, as if picturing that kind of life, Naruto warmly expresses, "that sounds nice."

"Yeah, right?" Temari agrees before continuing. "So this meticulous attention to showing how important someone is, rather than saying it, is called a Love Map. Being able to write down the map of your partner's likes, dislikes, hobbies, goals, and habits. It's important to any strong relationship."

"Yeah, I think so too," Naruto offers, recalling his own examples of this attention. "Like how I know when my sensei is worried about something without her saying anything, or when Sakura is about to quote a book or when Ichraku's is out of pork noodles by how many people are outside of the stand."

"Uh… yes," Temari agrees with reluctance. In her mind, she's just happy he understands the concept. "Though I was referring specifically to romantic partnerships, the theory is essentially the same. All of those examples, however, need one thing to survive, time. It takes time to know those small details but when you take the time and patience to do this, it can lead any couple to become… emotionally intelligent, which is vital to a long-lasting relationship."

"Cool," Naruto answers. "A Love Map makes a lot of sense now," he adds with wonder and deep thought. "Can you use this with anyone you know or does it have to be with the person you're dating?"

"Uh, I don't see why it couldn't work with your friends," she presumes.

"Cool," he replies. "I used to spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to make friends but I never heard about mapping out that stuff."

"Happy to help," she quips. Looking out into the mesmerizing fuzz of rushing water, she voices over the cold water, "so, I'm saying all this because I… and this is really embarrassing to admit, but, I want to experience growing such a connection to someone. Not just anyone either. I want to learn about my Love Map with a partner of my choosing."

Quirking his brow, he asks, "like a boyfriend?"

"I'll probably be married before I ever have a boyfriend and I doubt I'll have much of an option as to who I marry," Temari assertively remarks. "But I did choose you, and despite the odds, Otou-sama agreed. So, since we're here, rather than be down about it, why not make the most of it and build a Love Map of my own? If you and I don't work out months later, that's fine, but right now… I know you said you want to be friends, and so do I, but-" Temari clears her throat and can already feel her cheeks blushing as she struggles to say, "I want to experience _things_ with someone I chose… rather than someone my father has me marry."

"Things like what?" Though he cuts himself off to pointedly assert, "I still think you should talk to your dad. How can he not understand? He's your dad," he exclaims with extended and open palms.

"Thanks," Temari genuinely appreciates, then immediately recalls how much she wants him to be an asshole instead. Clearing her throat, she replies, "you don't know him. A small part of him is my father but when you're the leader of a village, the majority of him is the Kazekage. He can't be like normal fathers just like I can't be a normal daughter."

"Then he needs to change that," Naruto immediately claims. "When I become Hokage, I'm definitely not going to do something like that."

"You have my vote," she quips. "So, things like what, you asked. If you're not against it, I'd like to do things a little differently." With a blank look on his face, he simply nods before she continues. "I'd like to reverse our roles." Confusion settles on his face before she elaborates. "Normally the man tends to initiate things like being the one to approach a girl, asking her out, essentially making the first move."

Naruto easily understands, asserting, "Oh, yeah, my sensei says that comes from the very old way of doing things. Years and years ago, women handled the subtle jobs like running the day-to-day of a home, healing, or raising children while the men handled the more extreme jobs like hunting, building, fighting, all that kind of stuff. So, the strong and confident guys would ask the girl out, but the women would feel if he can do all the things that'll give her a good life. And that's how it would go, generation after generation until it became normal."

"The only reason that worked was because both parties knew the specific things they needed to survive and that system helped facilitate it," Temari comments, actually enjoying the insightful conversation. "Men wanted sex and someone to take care of their offspring. Women wanted to be protected from the elements, physical assault, or poverty as they raise their young." Naruto agrees with a nod before she continues, "fortunately, society isn't so primitive anymore, which is why I think I'll enjoy switching the roles a bit."

Again, his eyes squint in confusion before he cautiously asks, "so, you want to ask me out?"

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to initiate the first move," Temari purports. It's a bit of a gamble because she doesn't want it to seem like she's threatening his masculinity. He can be slow at times but he's always struck her as confident, and confident people don't depend on others to make their decisions. Temari makes certain he understands, "I don't mean I want to make all the decisions or take the lead. I'd simply like it if, for instance, we were out together and I want to hold your hand, rather than waiting until you do it, I'd like to know it's okay with you if I do it."

Temari can't help like she's betraying all independent women everywhere, along with Naruto. The daughter of the Kazekage, highly instructed in the ways of the killing arts, top of her class, a strong kunoichi like her shouldn't need to ask permission to be assertive. But she can't take the risk he'd be intimidated by an assertive girl, not when she has no other option but to make it work with him.

To her delight, he reacts as if her worry was ludicrous to begin with, crunching his facial features together as he scoffs, "yeah, I don't mind. But I definitely don't want you to do anything you're not comfortable with. The great thing about being friends is as long as we're honest, you don't have to be anyone but yourself."

'_Again with the friendship_,' Temari mentally tallies. 'It's like he's testing me.' She might consider that possibility if he were a little more cunning, however, he seems too straightforward for that type of thinking, and answers him, "that's good to hear, because, if I'm being honest, I'm a little excited to experience this to the fullest. I want you to enjoy yourself too. And who knows, maybe in a couple of months we may develop a really strong relationship."

"I know we will," he confidently tells her.

"You know the future?" Temari teases before asking, "what makes you so confident? I mean it's not like we really know each other. You already know how much I detest squid, but you like it. What if there's something about me you won't like?"

"I don't know about all that," Naruto replies. He rubs the table of the bit of dust on it, thinking a moment until he states, "mnn, well, I know Gaara is a handful, but you still care about him, which means you love your family. We have that in common." Smiling, he adds, "you're smart, strong, pretty, and you love your family… I mean, it's a fair bet we'll get along."

With the orange sun beginning to set, radiating a warm glow through the whitish-blue rush of water, a hesitant and nervous Temari inhales before leaning over the table and giving him a quick kiss on his lips. As far as kisses go, it was over too quick to feel good. Temari suddenly felt so dumb and mortified and unattractive, that she blushes deep red before spontaneously covering her beet-red face in her hands and face-planting forward on the table. Temari's mind is rarely so chaotic and hectic. Her mind is racing with negative and critical thoughts of her pathetic attempt to be charming.

She's trying to catch her breath when she hears Naruto ask over her heavy breathing and waterfall, "are you okay?" It only made Temari feel more embarrassed that she's making him worry over her. She's nearly sure she failed when he hesitates to ask, "uh, do you want to be my girlfriend?

Recalling how she prepared for that question, she takes several moments to regain calm down enough to recite from memory, "that doesn't matter to me. That title is so other people know what we mean to each other. Right now, I'm not worried about other people. I just want to see what you can mean to me."

"Oh," Naruto hums with amazement, giving her a desperate boost of confidence. "So… uh, we're… _whatever_?"

"Fluid," Temari suggests before adding, "anything and everything we want."

Raising the edge of his brow, Naruto cautiously asks, "and kissing?"

Again, Temari's panic checks her in the gut as she voices with complete certainty, "you hated it, didn't you?" Even as he waves his hands, she continues, "I don't have a lot of experience-"

"No, no, no, I didn't…" Patiently Temari waits for his meaning and though he only paused for a moment, it may as well been an hour before he clarifies, "I uh, barely felt it- ah! But not because it was bad or anything. It was just over so quickly. I swear." With her higher reasoning assuring her that makes sense, Temari nods before he asks her, "but you're okay kissing me?"

"I… I'm a girl!" she asserts like that's neglected information. Temari knows she always wants to present a strong and intelligent front, but that shouldn't mean she can't be feminine either. She rightly argues, "I feel things other girls feel-" "Oh, yeah, I'm not saying-" Naruto tries to interject but she cuts him off to embarrassingly proclaim, "and it's not like I don't find you attractive. So, yes, k-kissing is… I'd like to try _that_…"

"Oh, okay," Naruto easily accepts with a shrug and a nod. Standing, he takes his cushion and places it on the table before asking her, "come here." He pats the cushion as he asks, "have you ever kissed anyone?"

Taking control of her emotions, Temari stands as she answers, "I… you won't tell anyone right?"

Tilting his head with plain eyes as if to physically ask, '_really_,' she sits on the cushion on the table. He steps in front of her and widens his stance so her head is leveled with his chest as he assures her, "believe me, I can keep a secret."

Feeling the first traces of his body heat, she clears her throat as she voices, "that's good. Um, I've kissed one boy."

Looking down at her darker blond and damp hair, Naruto moves in closer as he inquires, "didn't it work out with him?"

"…No," she answers, willing her muscles to not react to his close proximity. Though her thoughts recovered memories of the hyper Daimaru, she didn't want to sour the mood by mentioning his death. "He left the village." Awkwardly, he apologizes, but she shakes her head before moving on to ask, "have you kissed anyone?"

"Yup," Naruto enunciates with a pop. She's sitting on the table, her closed legs underneath his wider stance, and inches away from his chest. His body heat washes over her, making her realize she was cold before as he commands her to, "close your eyes." She tries to ask why when he interjects, "come on. I know you'll like it."

This felt like a pivotal moment for Temari. She never wanted to compromise her safety by trusting him in such a vulnerable position. Though he doesn't act like her brother, Naruto and Gaara are the same and Temari's never forgotten how dangerous he is. Half smirking, he looks at her with his large sky-blue eyes, never once showing any signs of duplicity. With a deep breath, she mentally says a last prayer before yielding and shutting her eyes.

With her sense of sight obstructed, Temari redoubles her efforts to remain as calm as possible. Calling on all her mental training, she concentrates on how the foreign sound of water falling rapidly becomes much more clearer. She can acutely feel his presence when she hears Naruto softly say, "I want you to relax, Temari. Relax and concentrate on your breathing. Like you do in training. Inhale deeply. Exhale steadily. And with every breath you take, try and feel it in your body how at peace you are."

Despite the present possibility of danger, it was easy to fall on her training and slowly relax with the exotic sound of water rushing in the background. With another full breath, Temari can feel a bubble of toasty body heat around Naruto and herself defend them against the cool atmosphere of the spacious cave behind the waterfall. She hears Naruto shift slightly before feeling his warm hands land on her shoulders. She couldn't help but tense up.

"Stay loose and relaxed," Naruto softly voices. "Breathe, Temari. Breathe."

When her shoulders feel like warm butter again, Naruto begins massaging her deltoids. His grips hold her muscle firmly, near to the point of tight as he commands her to keep breathing deeply. Soon she relaxes and she can feel tension she didn't know she had left her shoulders. He then begins to draw the softened muscle up with gentle and constant pressure. With her eyes closed, surrounded by the unnatural warmth of his body, feeling put under by the hypnotizing sound of rushing water, loosening to his firm touch as he expertly kneads, caresses, and rubs out all the tension and stress in her shoulders.

Naruto worked her shoulders then traps till she was on the verge of sleep when she suddenly feels warm pillow-soft lips against her own. Her eyes snap open when she realizes he's kissing her full on the lips. The surprise lingers when his warm, strong hands slide up her graceful neck to cup her jaw before tilting his head so their noses are side by side. Opening his lips pressed against hers wider, Temari is easily overwhelmed. Her mind froze for several moments, however, the soft and gentle way he moved and played with her lips made her wonder if he enjoys kissing her, if she's doing a good job, if she feels good and just then, the setting, the warmth, and the affection helped her to relax.

Temari kissed him back and recalling some unknown origin of knowledge, she mirrors what he does with just as much affection and patience. She doesn't have much experience doing this or anything beyond kissing, but she was surprised by the combinations of soft natural lips with just a little bit of tongue. It was as if he knew thirty ways of kissing and Temari was lost. Naruto swept her up and to her surprise, she wanted more.

Her arms shot out of their own accord and wrap around his neck, dragging him in, or so she thought. Temari was pleased when his arms descended around her bodice and lifted her off the table and her feet. She took control then and he amazingly allowed her to lead, swivel and dip their stretched, pressed, and wet lips. Temari couldn't believe how amazing kissing could feel and enjoys every second of their combined taste, smell, heat, moans, and desire. They were present in the hot feeling and it felt like it could last for hours.

It's when her foggy and lethargic mind finally registers his strong chest pressed flat against her womanly bust that she feels a world beyond kissing. To her great astonishment, the core of her womanhood reflexed with juicy desire and her inner thighs tensed like an electric shock struck through them. It was a wake-up call. Temari felt like she was put under genjutsu and very little made sense anymore.

Naruto was still holding her to him when she suddenly breaks their kissing session. Panting, Temari notes her right leg is wrapped around his left leg, her arms are around his neck, her lips feel hot and swollen, her eyes are lidded, and on top of smiling, his expression seems just as captivated.

"You're a really good kisser," he happily tells her and she could feel her face flush with more rushing blood.

Ignoring how embarrassing her beet-red face must appear to him, an elated and weightless Temari clears her throat to thank him, but instead sounds, "wow." Mortified, Temari slumps her head on his shoulder, never having felt so awkward in her life. She knew she didn't have a lot of experience, but as long as she remembered what she read, she always felt she would be alright. She never expected Naruto to be one of the best kissers in existence. '_He may only be the second man I've ever kissed, but, Naruto must be in the top percentile_,' her mind argues.

"Was that too much," she softly hears from him.

Hopping back, Temari shakes her head as she doesn't want to speak. Turning her attention to the waterfall, she hastens to the rushing wall of water and dunks her head in. The rapid cold did wonders to wake her from her thrilling haze. With a deep exhale she turns to him, dripping water as she smiles and says, "that was… it felt really good."

"Oh, cool," he casually replies before asking, "again?"

She felt her legs wanting to move, however, looking at him, she suddenly struggled with her mission. This must be what they referred to by saying don't get too close. '_Always remain detached_,' she recalls her sensei lecturing. She also recalls her sensei teach, '_if you do get attached, then you should not pull back because they will feel it. You simply need to take more time before the moment when the mark's usefulness comes to an end. That is the time to be heartless and complete your mission._'

Temari never thought she would be in this position but looking at Naruto, she's uncertain of how she'll react, and that scares her. She's tempted to take a step back, but not only could that send the wrong message, she recognized that hesitation, that fear, so with great trepidation and uncertainty, Temari takes a step forward and nods. The rest of the evening was dedicated to his lips and hands. Temari was in such a daze she didn't even realize how she made it back to her room until she closed the door behind her.

A knock came then before she hears her sensei's voice through the wood asking, "anything to report?"

'_He's the Kami of Kissing_,' Temari's mind answers. She shakes her head before she answers, "some progress was made. Nothing more." When she hears him leave, Temari abruptly asks, "where's Gaara?"

"On the roof," Baki answer. "He's been… restless. Why?"

She had thought to talk to him but knew it was impossible now. Her baby brother is craving a kill. And in three weeks, she'll be feeding her monster-possessed brother Naruto… whether she wants to or not.

INO

Returning late to her home after hanging out with Naruto's clone, Ino eagerly rushes up the stairs and into Sakura's room to gush about their night. It was a friendly affair, but it's the best night yet. Though Ino wishes painfully to her bones things were different between Naruto and her—that she hadn't made so grave mistakes—she's simply happy that they're working on being trusting friends again.

Though Ino hadn't expected Naruto would tell Kurenai-sensei, she's glad he did. Ino respects Kurenai a great deal and it hurt deeply when the beautiful sensei explained how disappointed she was in her. Ino didn't even want to touch her tea, her stomach was in such knots. However, the beautiful woman understood the situation and while she didn't approve, she didn't see any malice in her heart.

"You were hurting and lashed out," Kurenai-sensei said. "You're not the first person that's happened to and you won't be the last. Your effort to make amends is encouraging and I still support you, Ino-chan."

It was a fabulous start to her day and astonishingly enough, she hung out with Naruto for hours. More than anyone, she wanted to share it with her sister. Unfortunately, the pink-haired girl was passed out in her bed. It's been like this since the second task. Ino hardly sees her and when she does, the girl is frustrated, studying, or sleeping.

Ino's too excited to leave Sakura be, however, rather than waking her up Ino showers, changes, and slips into bed with Sakura. The blond whispers her hopes for the future, her apologies for the past, and her gratitude for the present before going to sleep with her dear friend.

SASUKE

Walking out onto the stone path of the courtyard of his clan's estate, Sasuke asks the shinobi hidden in the shadows of the moonlight, "what are you doing here, Kakashi-sensei?"

Stepping out of the shadows created by the hip and gabled roof of the ancestral home, Kakashi casually answers his student. "There's been an incident." Sasuke crosses his arms as he stretches his senses to detect as much as he can. He's certain the three-man team of Jōnin are watching him when Kakashi adds, "one of the finalists has died."

"Why are you here," Sasuke asks his sensei.

Kakashi explains, "there's been a lot of deliberation behind my being here. Your absence was of great disappointment to certain groups interested in the Uchiha name; the last true Sharingan user. As such, rather than arrange the current contenders in an uneven tournament, Hokage-sama has approved offering you the opportunity to enter the tournament-"

"I accept," Sasuke quickly asserts.

"Easy now," Kakashi tries to placate his student. "Before you do, you should be aware… there's a caveat."

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke contends. "I accept."

"At least hear me out," Kakashi asserts. "Under no circumstances, will you be able to win the promotion to become Chūnin."

Drawing his brows together in some confusion, Sasuke asks, "what do you mean?"

Looking up at the night sky, Kakashi explains, "while it's true you're one of the top genin in our forces, and even stronger than some of the participants currently in the third task, you did lose in the preliminary." Sasuke scowls a moment, ashamed by his loss to Naruto. "So even if you beat every contender in the third task, you will not be promoted. Your participation in the tournament is strict to appease interested groups."

Sasuke's goal in life never strays far from his thoughts. The memories littering his clan's home always reminds him of the love that's been stolen from him. Itachi's death is his only goal and gaining promotions matter for the opportunity they offer to teach him more.

'_Teach me like Orochimaru is offering to_,' Sasuke thinks. Sasuke vaguely wonders if the incident that happened tonight has to do with him. '_It doesn't matter_,' he thinks. '_My decision is clear_.'

Kakashi allows a moment to pass in silence before asking, "well?"

"I accept," Sasuke coldly declares.

* * *

Wow, this chapter kicked my ass, lol. I don't know what it was but nothing seemed to click and it felt all over the place. Sadly, I just had to post it because three weeks on one chapter is unacceptable to me. Though as I said, holidays with family and friends took a lot of my time.

Just FYI, Polygamy is based on marriage. So, more than one wife or husband. Polyamory is the practice of having more than one loving relationship at a time where all parties involved are aware of the each other. Also, love is the emphasis here, so sex doesn't have to be included.

I'd love to thank my amazing patrons! You guys are amazing and a special thank you to you all! Thank you! /Graefoxx for those who would like to support me and my original work. My fanfic stuff is of course free.

As always I'd love to know your thoughts, comments, observations. Every little bit helps me be better. For example, a fan mentioned to me how the physics I used as the blueprint of Hiraishin didn't make sense. Now, I'm no physicist, but when I realized they were right, I fixed it as I progressed the story forward. I don't go back, if that makes sense. It's a mentality/philosophy thing for me not to go back.

Next update will be my Harry Potter fic, From Ruin, however, I'm going to give myself a couple days to enjoy Christmas then New Years, so a rough release date: 3 weeks. I'll push for less tho.

Have a great one, a great Holidays, and a Happy New Year, from a most grateful author,

-Grae


	29. 29The Mission

Hey all,

Happy Valentines Day. To quote someone, Love is just a word until someone gives it meaning, so Happy Hump day😍😘

Sorry for the delay but this was an unexpectedly large chapter. 15K in two weeks is a lot for me. But with my Patrons and Mamba Mentality, I got it done.

Special thank you to my amazing Patrons. I'm still blown away by your support. I'll get this fic done because of all my fans but it'll get done persistently because of my patrons. So, thanks again!

Warning: Kissing.

Enjoy!

* * *

HAKU

Early Wednesday morning, well before the day's trading can commence, Haku knocks on the rear entrance to the minor weapons shop. After five strong raps against the metal door, Tenten cracks open a sliver to the beautiful face of her new and sad predicament. Raising his delicate eyebrows expectantly, Tenten sighs before completely opening the door for Haku. She's wearing her favored pink, sleeveless, qipao-style blouse and dark green pants, and as he follows her through the stockroom to the apartment upstairs, Haku notices her sluggish shoulders, the pungent unventilated scent of metal, distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. He also notes clutter on tabletops, a trash can full of take-out containers, and delivery dates circled in red on a calendar. It's clear to Haku, Tenten has been running the shop for the past two weeks without much assistance—if any—and around her duties as a Konoha kunoichi.

Haku would've spoken to Tenten a week earlier—as she said she would—however, he couldn't leave Zabuza until he was certain he only needed rest. The entire time Haku tended to Zabuza, he was consistently amazed by how content he felt with such amazing men in his life. Momochi Zabuza; who taught him how to survive the brutality in this world, and Uzumaki Naruto; who's teaching the love of a friend. Tending to Zabuza's wounds, he never felt happier, and looking at a slightly worn Tenten, Haku felt an urge to reciprocate that kindness toward the bun-haired girl. After all, Haku can't understand why amazing shinobis like Zabuza and Naruto would care about a broken person like him but they do. Now that Zabuza has given him a weapon of his own to mold, Haku can't let either men down.

The state of the two-bedroom apartment was well-lit, spacious, and mostly clean; as if the girl always has to rush to clean as much as she can. Tenten herself seems tired. Her chocolate eyes aren't alert, the buns of her brunette hair sag as much as her shoulders, and right away, she lazily takes a seat at the dining table rather than offer or make tea. Haku imagines numerous mental tasks an adult is responsible for could be taking a mental toll on the young girl. Haku knows Tenten dreams of becoming an S-rank Kunoichi one day and can imagine how frustrating it is to be hindered by her daily training and the responsibilities of running a business by herself. Haku knows it's not impossible to do both, however, it's clear that Tenten is unaccustomed to such a lifestyle change.

Sitting in the chair across the casually dressed girl, Haku first asks Tenten, "well?"

Defensively, Tenten feigns ignorance by asking, "well, what?"

Haku answers with zen-like patience, "do you accept your place as my weapon?" Tenten balks as he adds, "and by extension Zabuza-sama and Naruto-sama's weapon?"

Twiddling with her fingers, Tenten sags in her chair as she questions, "ugh, do I have to agree to be their weapon too?"

"What's mine is theirs," Haku plainly answers. "However, I plan on training you to be as strong as possible, so, if you grow strong enough to beat them, I don't see why you couldn't win your independence." Haku cuts any response Tenten might have by reminding her, "please keep in mind I'm not here to debate this. You've had ample time to consider your pledge to me. I'm here for your answer and nothing more."

Understanding she's worried about her father—despite how terrible the man is—Haku waits several silent moments watching Tenten torture herself with indecision before she finally bellows, "…Fi- Fine! I'll be your weapon! Happy!"

Haku ignores the girl's saddened shiver to answer, "good. First thing's first-" Haku is interrupted when Tenten's head slinks, forehead first, into the table. '_She's not going to make this easy for me_,' Haku thinks as he tells the defeated girl, "my weapon damages others, not itself."

Lifting her head, Tenten asserts, "I'm not an _it_-"

"You're my weapon, my tool," Haku retorts, though absent any hostility. "A highly tuned instrument of death to use as I see fit."

Whirling her unfocused brown eyes, she asks with clear concern, "what does _that_ mean, '_how you see fit_?' I mean, how do I know you're not going to force me to assassinate some innocent person or sabotage my village?"

Nodding his head, Haku replies, "your fear is understandable, but you're only concerned because you don't know nothing more about me than the little you've seen or heard. I freely admit to you that if Zabuza-sama was the only master I served, you'd certainly be expected to do disagreeable—certainly illegal—tasks. He's ordered me to cheat, steal, lie, and kill on many occasions." Haku can visually see Tenten fall into despair before continuing. "_**However**_, even if I couldn't take the life of the person he ordered me to, lie to the innocent, steal despite having the funds, or deceive the considerate, he didn't discard me. He always kept his weapon."

A suspicious Tenten asks, "you didn't do what he told you to? Even though you practically worship him?"

Nodding his head, Haku explains, "he'd say I still had value to him." With a gentle and affectionate smile, Haku happily claims, "but I know it's more significant than he's willing to admit. He knows me to my broken core, and whether I stain my soul for him or not, he accepts me as I am. Zabuza-sama has indirectly taught me his code and I've wholeheartedly embraced it. We don't know who you are yet, Tenten-chan, so expect that I will push you to your limits and beyond; physically, to be sure, but more importantly, mentally. Discovering that maturation will be uncomfortable for you, but not unlike myself, you will learn what you can and cannot do, and like Zabuza-sama, I will continue to push you until who you are is undoubtedly clear."

Tenten mulled over his words for a moment before clarifying, "you said _if_ Zabuza was your only master. What did you mean by that?"

"For ryo, Zabuza-sama would certainly order you to kill, cheat, and everything in between," Haku begins to casually answer. "However, Zabuza-sama is not my only master. The reason why I won't order you to betray your comrades or kill unnecessarily is because Naruto-sama would undoubtedly be disappointed in me if I did. It's not his way, which means it's not my way."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Tenten asks, "how's that possible? I mean, Naruto and Zabuza are polar opposites. How can you possibly balance what they both want from you?"

With all his heart, Haku warmly answers, "it's possible because I love both men, and to my everlasting joy, they care about me enough to be… considerate. Or I'm just really lucky."

Seated opposite from him, Tenten doesn't feel fortunate with her masters, shrugging as she mumbles, "yeah…"

Extended a proverbial olive branch, Haku affirms, "your father's actions may be the reason you're in this situation, but you shouldn't believe he'll die if you don't do as I command." She looks him in the eye as he incidentally adds, "he'll only die if you attempt to go back on your word. I'll be demanding everything of you and I expect you to do everything you're capable of. Keywords; capable of. As in, what's in you to do. We'll learn who you are. Of that, I have no doubt. Do you understand?"

Tenten slowly nods in resignation before asking, "how will I have time for everything? What about my team, my missions, and the store? I have to close in the mornings as it is just to do missions, then I spend the rest of the day here trying to earn enough to keep the lights on and afford food-"

"You mean take-out?"

"I don't exactly have time to cook," she returns.

"I suppose," Haku agrees, looking around the part living room, part kitchen. "Have a little more faith in your master, Tenten-chan. I've given the logistics of this situation a fair amount of thought. First, I will be moving here with you-"

Blushing from neck to forehead, Tenten points out the widely questionable, "b-but you're a boy-"

"And your master," he responds, adding, "who's interested in nothing more than your success as my tool." Losing her modesty, Tenten tried not to take offense to that as he explains, "I'd rather not leave Naruto-sama's side, especially with his precious person coming home from the hospital today and his clan coming together, but shaping you into a proper tool is for the best. I'll have to commute every meal period to prepare their meals so be prepared to join me if the situation arises; dinners for instance."

"If you have to go back so often, you might as well stay there," Tenten argues. "Otou-san taught me everything I need to know so I'll be fine. I'm just saying I don't have a lot of time, is all."

"Staying here will also allow me to watch the store when you're away, as well as give me a base to sell my herbal medicines from," Haku reveals. "Additionally, with Iruka-san returning home and Karin-chan living there, Naruto-sama will likely have more privacy here."

Flushing red once again, Tenten groans, "ugh, you mean- him and me-" With the heavy thought of sex widening her browns, she asserts, "I- I don't think I can-"

Haku leans forward, looking into the girl's large brown eyes as he softly states, "Tenten-chan, I've already said this'll be uncomfortable for you and that I'll still demand it anyway. The next time you feel the need to protest, honestly ask yourself, '_would I commit seppuku to escape the shame of my immoral actions?_' If the answer is no, keep the complaint to yourself."

"And if the answer is yes," Tenten dares ask.

"Then I expect you to carry out your intent," Haku easily responds. "As my tool, we don't do half-measures and we don't go back on our word."

"Fine," she huffs. "So when are you forcing me to h-have s-sex with… with…"

Looking at the girl with a bit of disappointment, Haku asks, "you can't even say it?"

"It's embarrassing!" Slapping her hands on the table, she vehemently asserts, "I've never even kissed a guy before and you expect me to just have sex! With someone I don't even love! That's just too much!"

"That's reasonable," Haku agrees. "We'll start with full-body massages then. You'll be training a lot more with me so receiving massages from him will be beneficial to your muscle recovery. I'll speak to Naruto-sama later today-"

"What are you going to tell him," she interjects before pointedly noting, "and how's _**he**_ okay with all of this? Does he approve of raping-"

"For the last time, Tenten, your selfish actions put you here," Haku quickly retorts, standing sharply to his feet. He's not an angry person by nature, but he will not allow her to vilify Naruto. Looking down at a surprised Tenten, Haku maintains, "I won't allow you to escape your responsibilities by claiming to Naruto-sama you had no hand in this. Of course, I can tell him every single detail about the deal you agreed to, and knowing him as I do—how good he is—he would _**never**_ participate in any sexual acts with you. Naruto-sama would undoubtedly try to help you in some way, leading to a strong possibility of fighting Zabuza-sama again. I would not like that. It wouldn't be ideal, but, that's simply who Naruto-sama is. Zabuza-sama, on the other hand, wouldn't appreciate you going back on your word and considering the agreement you made with him-"

"_**Alright**_, alright, I get it," Tenten huffs.

Sitting back down after a moment of silence, Haku discloses to the bun-haired beauty, "I chose Naruto-sama to be your first for several reasons; he spared me and Zabuza-sama, he saved you and your father, he's kind, caring, strong, funny, and handsome. He'll be Hokage one day and likely enact many great changes to our world. You can do so much worse for your first time; I know I did. You simply can't see that because you're overly emotional about idealistic comforts. But remember this, life doesn't owe you anything, much less a fantasy, so stop focusing on how things ought to be."

Though she looks defeated to Haku, he appreciates her simple nod. Before he leaves, they then discuss the costs of her living situation and business expenses. Tenten barely squeaks by with the tenders she makes after her missions and what she makes as a kunoichi is her savings. Like many teams in Konoha, Team Guy meet in the mornings for training before working missions until noon, after which, the rest of the day is for self-improvement. Haku takes the spare keys to Ten Out of Ten and the apartment upstairs before leaving to meet Naruto at the hospital.

It didn't take long for Naruto, Karin, Iruka, and Haku to leave the hospital with the Chūnin sensei. Wheeling Iruka's wheelchair, Naruto's excitement could not be tamed and Haku wouldn't have it any other way. Making their way home, the ecstatic blond talked a mile a minute, all the while, Haku simply enjoyed the feeling of having genuine bonds and a home to walk to. However, the pleasantness of their peaceful walk made him worry about the turmoil in the future.

Haku wondered about Mei and what her plans to uproot their life might entail, because sure as her love for Naruto and Zabuza, he had no doubt she was planning something. Though the former hunter-nin is alert, he's never been deft at predicting that woman's movements, and despite Haku's implicit trust in Naruto, he's worried. Mei may make a move soon and Haku has to have faith Naruto won't be swayed by her.

Thoughts on how best to preserve Naruto's way of living are interrupted when Sakura and Ino meet them on the way to Iruka's. They present their happily embarrassed sensei with a bouquet of wildflowers along with congratulations and well wishes. Naruto had invited them, along with all the other rookies and their sensei, to lunch. Many agreed to come and those training for the final task of the Chūnin exam said they'd pass by. Sakura and Ino, however, want to borrow Karin before joining them at Iruka's.

KURENAI

Walking under the sunny blue sky blessing the bustling village of Konoha, Kurenai enjoys her peaceful stroll to Iruka's house. The homes in this residential area are strictly for shinobi—mostly those of a non-combative, clerical, or educational position—and once she passing the last of the homes with tall thatched gates, it's no more than a twenty-minute walk to Iruka's home. Like the others Naruto invited, she happily accepted the invitation to Iruka's Welcome Back luncheon and is helping Haku prepare the meal. The Chūnin sensei has been in the hospital for nearly six months after his spinal injury, and absent any blood-family, it warms her heart that Naruto will be there to help care for the teacher.

Walking the nearly empty path of the rural neighborhood, Kurenai's thoughts, once again, stray to Naruto, adding an audible sigh to the numerous insects clicking and birds chirping around her. Her blond lover is currently escorting the daughter of someone important, just as Asuma had, and she couldn't for the life of her understand why this is happening to her again. It nearly feels deliberate, as if she's at the center of a cosmic comedy and the joke's on her. Worst of all, she feels as if history will only repeat itself if she doesn't find her balance in this.

'_No_,' she mentally contradicts. '_Nothing will change unless I stop hesitating_.'

She just doesn't know why she's hesitating. With her well-trained mind and honest heart, Kurenai knows two things with absolute certainty; she loves both Asuma and Naruto—if in different ways—and she knows that some intangible _**thing**_ is stopping her from making a clear and confident choice, leaving her hesitant, indecisive, and standing still. The dilemma is so preoccupying, Kurenai asked Naruto for some space and relieved him of his assistance with Hinata's training; using an actual genjutsu of him to train her. She needed time to think, though another part of her self is accusing her of simply running away, as she did with Asuma. Her heart and mind were in such repeating conflict, she's relieved to sense her friend before the busty beauty lands smoothly beside her.

Sliding her hands in the large front pockets of her brown coat, Anko curiously asks, "aren't you a bit early?"

Playfully bumping shoulders, 'hello,' a smirking Kurenai answers, "I'm surprised. No new notes on how I ought to defile Naruto next?"

"Oh, babe," Anko huff with a smirk. "I've got notes for days. But I'm willing to wait until I see how you both smash your pissers. I won't know how to help my babies if I don't know where they're at."

"For the last time, I'm not letting you watch," Kurenai snorts, groaning in amusement. "I wanted to get an early start before they get there. I'm not sure how many are staying for lunch so I want to be sure there's enough."

"With two weeks before the finals, these brats got a lot of last-minute training to get in," Anko comments. "I can't stay so that's one less mouth to feed."

With concern, the raven-haired beauty asks, "is everything alright? Are _you_ alright?"

"Yeah, I'm still in a weird place but it's fine." Anko shrugs before clearing her throat and considerately voicing, "I actually need to ask you something… and I'm not sure how much I should say."

As ninjas deal with sensitive material on a daily basis, Kurenai isn't bothered by her friend's hesitation and relays as much. "If it's work-related, you know you don't have to tell me anything compromising."

"Yeah, I know," Anko hums with a small smile. It's clear to her that Anko is uniquely bothered by this information as she slowly explains, "it's work-related, for sure, and I was brought in, but, it's the intel that sucks here."

"Okay," Kurenai gently words with a nod. It's not uncommon for ninjas to work without the complete story and she asks, "what do you want to ask?"

Turning her pupil-less brown eyes on her friend as they walk, Anko asks, "can you check-in on Yūgao? Like, often?"

Nearing Iruka's, Kurenai's ebony mane flows over her shoulder and collar bone as she turns a suspicious gaze on Anko, answering all the while, "…I can, of course. Why?"

"That's the complicated part," Anko half-heartedly smirks. Hiding what appears to be sadness, a cheerless beauty express, "you and me are her closest friends and she's going to need her friends now more than ever."

Feeling the sun suddenly get hotter, Kurenai's concern grows as she apprehensively asks, "Anko?"

Joylessly, Anko finishes, "just like Kakashi needed his friends after Obito and Rin."

It's enough of a blunt hint to stop Kurenai in her tracks, gripping her stomach at the rancid thought of Yūgao suffering the loss of her life. '_Hayate is dead_,' her mind realizes as she asks her friend, "how?"

"Sorry, babe," Anko replied. "I'm sure you'll hear everything later. I just can't right now."

"…Understood," Kurenai barely manages.

Kurenai wanted a distraction, just not one quite so devastating. Hayate was always such a calm and composed shinobi, retaining his gentle spirit despite the dangerous and dark duty of a ninja. '_And he was so in love with Yūgao_,' her mind recounts. Anko, Kurenai, Asuma, Kakashi, Guy, Raidō, and Genma all bore witness to the pair's initial meeting, their eventual partnership, their perfect union, their undeniable love. Despite his illness, their love remained strong and true, '_now he's gone and she's alone_,' Kurenai's mind finishes.

After Anko left, Kurenai had to use her mask of composure throughout the entire luncheon. Temari-chan showing up with her brother and partaking in the festivities right beside Naruto didn't even bother her. The only reprieve she received was when her Hokage asked her to escort him outside with Jiraiya-sama.

Just outside Iruka's small fence, Hiruzen stops to say, "I'm aware your students are currently undergoing special training with their respective clans." Standing at attention, Kurenai nods and confirms his assertion before asking, "am I correct in assuming you have time to spare?" With her, "hai, Hokage-sama," Hiruzen asks in his gentle voice, "I would like to add you to my protective detail along with Asuma-kun. I think it's unnecessary however my student here can be quite stubborn."

Momentarily turning to a smirking Jiraiya, Kurenai nods once again and asserts, "of course, Hokage-sama. It would be my honor."

"You have shown tremendous integrity and excellence in your duties, Kurenai-kun," her leader praises. "It is I who would be honored to have you."

To her great surprise, Jiraiya-sama of the legendary Sannin steps forward and bows—'_he's actually bowing… to me!_'—before saying, "for the care you've shown Naruto in my unforgivable absence, thank you. Sensei and Naruto speak very highly of you and Iruka and I'm eternally grateful."

"I- no. It was no trouble at all," Kurenai fumbles to say, trying not to think about how much she enjoyed taking care of Naruto. After their departure, Kurenai was delighted to receive such praise and mourning in the tragic news of Hayate's death and Yūgao's anguish.

KARIN

Konoha's hospital is strategically located close to the center of the circular high gates protecting the metropolis; meaning it's not terribly far from any point within the walls of Konoha. Iruka's home on the outskirts of the residential area is no exception, so it's not a major issue when Ino asks, "can we borrow Karin-chan for twenty minutes? There's a place we'd like to show her."

"We won't be late to lunch, promise," Sakura slowly adds. Two weeks into the training regiment the pink-haired beauty told her about is clearly getting to the her. It would kind of Karin to merely say she looks haggard. Her lovely pink hair is messy, her posture is tired, her eyes are unfocused, and her chakra is pale and unenergetic.

Eying his pink-haired teammate with deep concern, Naruto hastens as he asks, "are you okay, Sakura? You look tired."

Through her chakra, Karin can tell the girl is more tired than her response of, "of course I am. Strong as an ox," she adds, flexing her bicep. The way her chakra fluctuates with lethargic potency told Karin the girl had a masterful control of her chakra but also that she's been pushing it and herself to the limit, likely every day. Though Naruto still seemed worried about her, Sakura's clear desire to keep her fatigue to herself kept Karin from revealing anything.

Still, standing in front of such beautiful potential friends requesting to show her something excited Karin. Currently, she's only had a few chances to talk with the girls, and though making new connections makes her nervous, she feels very hopeful Ino and Sakura will be good friends to have. The red-headed Uzumaki turns to her cousin, who only smiles brightly and gives her an encouraging thumbs-up. Karin then asks the girls, "where is it?"

The confident Ino smirks with her answer, "a surprise."

Along with Iruka's encouragement, they separate, and to make certain to be on time to Iruka's 'Welcome Back' lunch, they sprint through the village from rooftop to rooftop. Though Ino and Karin had to match Sakura's decelerating speed, it didn't take them too long to reach the seedier part of Konoha. As she had no reason to, Karin had never been to this part of the village. From their height, it wasn't hard to spot pieces of trash, broken glass, and rubbish accumulated around the base of many old buildings. All windows and doors, regardless of damage, were fitted with iron bars and the paint that wasn't tagged with graffiti was old, pealing, and worn. As the three sprint from building-top to building-top, Karin knows precisely why the motley of villagers meandering about the streets below seem resigned to such destitution.

Recalling the one-bedroom shack Kusagakure assigned to her and her mother, Karin can easily recognize the signs of a slum area. Her mind can effortlessly overlap the impoverished neighbors of her old home to the motley residents of this neighborhood and knows with near certainty this state of living is the result of social, legal, and economic pressures; for no village is without it's lower class. It's all too common. Developers who prefer to cater their businesses to the wealthier avoid investing in these areas; families who have lost their breadwinner have nowhere else to live; gambles that didn't pay off; disabled veterans; low-income jobs; and addicts all help to create what Karin is observing. These people look about as miserable as the neighbors she remembers.

'_Misery loves company_,' her mind reminds her. Taking in the neighborhood as they race through it very much reminds her of the depressive dismay of her old life; of the hard life her mother accepted for them and of her mother's death. A hard pang of regret, anger, resentment, and revulsion unsettles Karin's gut, heart, and tear ducts. As the three land in front of a seedy four-story apartment building, Karin tries to ignore the likelihood of a mother in the neighborhood sacrificing nearly everything to keep her ungrateful daughter alive.

The four-story, rundown, squalid apartment complex with the foreclosed poster on the door is boarded up, tatted with graffiti and trashed, and mold but for some reason, they were here. Karin wonders why, thinking, '_this can't be what they wanted to show me_.'

Karin is debating offering an out-of-breath Sakura her arm to revitalize her when the pink-haired kunoichi informs them, "we can't stay long… if we want to get back in time to help with lunch."

"When we get back, the only way you're helping is by sitting down and resting," Ino hotly returns.

"Wait," Karin calls, halting the two girls from entering the building. Aside from sensing a dozen weak chakra signatures inside, she asks with a pointed finger, "_this_ is where you wanted to take me?"

Pressing her pink lips together like she's wincing, Ino admits, "I know, it doesn't look like much." Turning to the rundown mess of a building, she remarks, "but looks aren't everything."

"Come on," Sakura calls, cracking her knuckles. "There's rubble that needs clearing."

"Wait," Karin calls, stopping the girls once again. Somewhat worried about Sakura, she informs them, "there are twelve men in there."

With clear disappointment, Sakura asks, "that's it?"

Karin nods before evaluating aloud, "five grouped together on the east wing of the first floor, two on the west side of the second, three on the third, three on the top. The three on the top are the strongest."

Surprised, Ino asks, "did you even have to mold chakra to sense them?"

Karin shakes her head, no, adding, "I've always been a pretty good sensor-type," to which Ino smirks with a nod.

Sakura asks, "are any of them stronger than us?"

Shaking her lush red mane, no, Karin adds, "all have low chakra reserves with weak potency."

Eying Karin with pupil-less blue eyes, Ino notes, "impressive," before Sakura declares, "come on." She loosens her shoulder by rotating her arm as she says, "I'm going to be pissed if we don't clear them out in a minute."

Though Karin can defend herself well enough with her taijutsu, it's never been her strong suit. Healing and sensing are her niches and she's happy with that. Still, with Sakura's surprising one-hit knockouts and Ino's quick counters, the three kunoichi easily dispatched of all twelve gang members, sending the conscious ones running. On the rooftop, looking out to the iconic stone monument in the distance, Sakura was the only one that seemed tired, however, that had nothing to do with fighting the hoodlums.

Ino is primping her lustrous platinum-blond hair when she asks Karin, "so, what do you think?"

At a loss, Karin nervously answers, "uh, I don't get it? Think of what?"

"I guess we didn't explain much," Sakura replies with a tired smile.

Nodding, Ino begins recounting, "yesterday, we had Sakura's family over for dinner. Sakura's mother, Mebuki-san, works in the civilian council and she's been having a really hard time with this property. Apparently, any cash buyers or investors who seem interested in the place are scared off. As the price of the building and area continues to drop, the village bleeds ryo, causing a lot of headaches on the council."

"…Okay," Karin hums deep in thought before offhandedly asking, "you're suggesting our clan invest in real estate?"

Nodding, Ino reveals, "this used to be Naruto's apartment before he moved to Iruka's. It's seen better days, which is saying something, because full disclosure, it wasn't much before."

"It may not be much to look at but it's got potential," Sakura admits. "Since your clan has ryo to invest in a business, we thought this might be a good option. If you think it's an option you might pursue, I can ask kaa-san for more details."

"But please, no pressure," Ino quickly informs her. "There's no obligation to do anything other than what you and Naruto want to. It's not our intention to overstep. We just want to help in any way we can."

Looking around the cluttered streets below as well as other shabby buildings on the street, Karin felt even closer to her caring cousin as she absentmindedly asks, "Naruto used to live here?" Karin didn't mean to ask her rhetorical question aloud, but they answered anyway. Inspecting the similar living she apparently shared with her blond cousin, she notes, "the neighborhood looks horrible too,"

The beautiful kunoichi look at each other nervously before Ino voices, "…Yeah."

Karin wanted to put her all into building the Uzumaki clan with Naruto but standing on that rooftop, she felt something profound blossom within her. A connection to her selfless mother and what it could mean to help here; like a motherly smile from the heavens above. Fighting back melancholy tears, Karin boldly proclaims, "I like it."

Taken aback, Ino and Sakura ask in unison, "you do?"

"It's shit, but that's fine," Karin honestly conveys to them. "Hope doesn't survive long in places like this but that just means there's a lot of opportunity. We can buy low, fix it up, improve the neighborhood and other businesses in the area. So you're damn right I like it!"

Touched by the redhead's conviction—that oddly reminds them of Naruto—Ino and Sakura look on for a moment in reflective silence before the three sprint back to Iruka's. They were late but not by much, and as ordered, Sakura was forced to sit and relax as Haku, Ino, Karin, and Kurenai prepare lunch. Hinata was kind enough to give Sakura a much-needed massage while stories were shared around the table. The Hokage attended but only stayed at the luncheon long enough to greet the recovering Chūnin and his ninja.

Following the renowned leader to Kami knows where is the perverted, and somehow equally caring, Jiraiya. When Naruto introduced them, Karin was happy to add another member to their family, however, she was less thrilled by his pervertedness. The tall, broad-shouldered elder with his long, spiky, white hair toed the line between full-on deviant and eccentric elder perfectly, leaving Karin to both love and hate the man depending on the situation.

Many of the Konoha ninja couldn't stay. So close to the final exam, those participating in the tournament—Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Shikamaru, and to everyone's surprise, Sasuke—had to continue training, taking their sensei and or teammates with them. Though it was explained Sasuke's participation was merely to round out the tournament, Karin wondered if there was more to it. The last Uchiha was brought up often in Kusagakure's threat assessment. Out of all of the genin participating, Uchiha Sasuke was an opponent ranked in the top one percent. It would be in the best interest of other countries if he didn't participate in the finals, so Karin can't imagine how much political strings must've been pulled to authorize re-entry into the public tournament despite having already lost in the private one. Far too embarrassed with dirty thoughts about the handsome boy, Karin didn't approach him to ask.

The only ones to stay and have lunch with Iruka are Rock Lee, Haku, Sakura, Temari, and her brother, Kankurō. The Sand siblings were another source of wonder for Karin. Though polite and friendly, their chakras felt restrained and alert, as if they didn't genuinely mean what they were saying or how they were acting. When she brought it up to her cousin, he assured her it was fine but it still bothered her. Regardless, the lunch was fun and full of interesting classroom stories about Naruto and people she didn't know. Such an enjoyable lunch felt like fuel to Karin, and she couldn't wait to pitch her idea of helping Naruto's old neighborhood to him.

NARUTO

Naruto feels close.

'_Focus_,' he tells himself. A dozen of his clones have been at it all day and he joined them on Mount Myōboku right after lunch.

Days ago, Pa had taken Naruto to an otherworldly landscape on the Toad mountain that was made primarily of jagged limestone formations, like a forest of stone spikes anywhere from fifty to a hundred feet tall. On the very tip of these tall spears, Pa has ordered Naruto and his clones to sit on a square stone plate, become perfectly still, and accept natural chakra into his chakra system. In the beginning, it seemed impossible without the oil and it took Naruto nearly all day to ignore the cold wind, stop thinking about falling, and most importantly, to stop wobbling. Two days and hundreds of clones later, Naruto is nearly balanced on the unforgiving stone slab, moments away from being perfectly still and molding natural energy.

Sitting crossed leg on the stone square, he's just about balanced on the very tip of the harpoon-like rock when he abruptly hears from below, "**NARUTOOOOOOHHH!**" The scream was powerful and desperate and the sudden earthquake sadly tips him over. Angling his free-falling body in the rushing air to spin, slide and hop from stone tower to stone tower, Naruto barely lands on his sandaled feet before his tall, broad-shouldered godfather grips him in a painful bear-hug.

With giddy eyes and a great big smile, Jiraiya yells, "you lucky noodle!"

"Wha-" Naruto tries to ask the excited elder but the hug is too tight. With his sandaled feet dangling around Jiraiya's shins, Naruto groans, "argg, what!"

Quick as a whip and without dropping the blond, Jiraiya goes from hugging the boy to holding him out enough by his shoulders to look him proudly in eyes. The man was beaming as he emotionally expresses, "now I know we're alike, you and I! You make me so proud!"

Gritting his teeth and lamenting the loss of his progress, Naruto bellows, "what the hell, Ero-sennin? I almost had it-"

Shaking his head so his long spiky flails, Jiraiya asserts, "who cares about that!" However, the other clones now dragging the stone slabs back up the stone lances curse the old man. Jiraiya ignores them as he begs to know, "why didn't you tell me!?"

Completely lost, Naruto huffs as he inquires, "tell you what? What are you talking about-"

"Temari-chan, obviously," the perverted sage squeals.

"Temari-chan…" Skeptical of the topic, Naruto squints as he asks, "what about her?"

Snickering like a loon, Jiraiya whimsically moans, "you two have gotten _close_, haven't you?" Still being held off his feet by the powerful old man, Naruto rolls his eyes as the excited Jiraiya preaches, "while some may see her actions to get close to you as a preemptive attack to neutralize your strength before their coordinated invasion of our home, the manly spirit within us clearly recognizes her cuteness is worth the risk!"

Shaking off the man's iron grip, Naruto casually lands on his feet as he declares, "that's not, _**at all**_, what I was thinking!"

Thrusting his square jaw out with his powerful hands on his hips, the old deviant contends, "you don't have to lie to me, son. Others may think you foolish for risking the village over a beauty, but I one-hundred-percent support you! So what if it might get you killed! Women have a natural affinity to be as beautiful as they are deadly." Laughing loudly, he adds, "and the more deadly they are, the more loving they can be, HAHAhAHA!"

Naruto pleads with the laughing man, "are you even listening? I said that's _**not**_ what's going on-"

Leaning down, Jiraiya interrupts the blond to know, "how far have you gone? Come now, you can tell me! I'm your Godfather! Have you held hands? Petted? K-kissed?"

Waving his hand in Jiraiya's happy and blushing face, Naruto exclaims, "will you calm down and let me explain!"

Slapping the air as if he hitting any excuse out of the way, Jiraiya asserts, "bah! What's there to explain? You saw an opportunity to lose your virginity and you took it like any man in your position would. She's clearly on a mission to get close to you. Trust me," he laughs, slapping his knee. "I recognize that move a mile away with my eyes closed. There's little better treats in this world than an enemy country sending a gorgeous assassin after you. Let me tell you, it's some of the best times I've ever had!"

Rounded eyes of pure disbelief graced Naruto's countenance as he skeptically asks, "what was tou-chan thinking making you my Godfather?"

"Never question Minato-kun's brilliance," Jiraiya insists. "Before you were even born, he clearly understood how much you'd need my guidance in life. Now, as your Godfather, I need you to listen to me and listen closely. Don't _**ever**_ feel guilty for accepting the bounty of what's sure to be Temari-chan's delicious treats. She's already trying to deceive you; you've earned a bit of fun for the deception. It's only fair!"

'_**Mnn, that makes perfect sense**_,' Kurama reasons from his seal. Naruto rolls his eyes as the big red-orange fox generously adds, '_**finally, a reasonable human**_.'

Yelling, "will you listen," to both the perverts in his life, Naruto professes his true intentions. "I want to learn more about Gaara! Yeah, I thought maybe Temari was faking-"

"There's no maybe about it," Jiraiya imposes. "This close to the invasion, she _has_ to be working you. Hiruzen-sensei can't see it because he doesn't know what's coming, but after observing every inch of- _ahm_, of the way she was acting at lunch today, it's clear to me she's not being genuine. The fact that she has an official dossier from the Kazekage himself only shows how far they're willing to go."

"Even if that's the case, they're the ones being manipulated, not me," Naruto returns. Scratching his blond head, he explains, "if I go to Ji-chan and out Suna now, whatever changes after that may not be the same as Naru-nii's timeline. If I want some of the good things from the invasion to happen, then some of the bad parts have to happen too."

Scratching his chin, the elders slowly asks, "hmm, you mean they won't feel guilt or regret unless they wholeheartedly fail in their attempt first?"

"More like we're getting the chance to truly understand each other, but instead of using our words, we're using our fists," Naruto explains. "It's dangerous, for sure, but it's also more… enlightening."

"It's a gamble," Jiraiya reasonably remarks.

"Naru-nii said no civilians died," Naruto counters. "Which not only means we did a good job protecting the villagers but that Suna's only focused on fighting ninja, not destroying the village. Suna and Konoha become even better friends afterward, so if anything, that's what I'm fighting for."

"Mnn, if we out their plan of invading us without any concrete proof, they can simply deny any such intentions," Jiraiya reasons out loud like a thoughtful and proper shinobi. "There's the possibility they'd simply try again later and the mistrust between our nations would continue." Turning his attention to his godson, he proposes, "if we do it your way, it's like forcing your enemy to quit; which isn't the same as losing. There's no cowardice or failure in clearing the mind by quitting a fight they were manipulated into starting. And Temari-chan?"

"Whether she's working me or not isn't important, because I'm not going to let anything happen to Ji-chan, Konoha, or Suna."

Turning to the clones who are once again training, Jiraiya asks, "you know the only reason they'd target you is because of your performance in the preliminary matches, right?" Returning his attention to the ever-stronger young blond, he adds, "it means they know you're the Jinchūriki and while I doubt Temari-chan believes she can kill you, poison will slow you down… She could also stab you… maybe use explosive tags-"

"Yeah, fine, she could do all or any of that," Naruto shrugs those possibilities off. "But… …okay, this isn't going to make much sense, but, I have to believe in her and Gaara and all of Suna."

Observing his godson with a considerate and critical eye, Jiraiya concludes, "…Because you want to be more than allies?"

Nodding, he explains, "I get nations watching out for themselves and their interests. There's nothing wrong with that but that's not going to solve the problem. It's so easy to trick countries because we're all so divided. I want to unite the five nations _way_ before the great war and the only way to do that before then is by understanding each other with our fists. So, yeah, I don't like that Suna is planning on invading us or that they're working with Orochimaru but we're not really friends if we can't accept them making a mistake."

Smiling, Jiraiya chimes, "look at you. You're Minato's kid alright."

"Thanks," an embarrassed Naruto gushes. "I wish I got to know them, especially kaa-chan."

Patting his shoulder for comfort, the older man offers, "I may not know everything but I'll tell you what I can."

"Thanks," Naruto hums with a smirk.

"And," Jiraiya loudly calls. "I have the first of your many obligatory presents."

Lighting up, Naruto naturally asks, "and Karin's?"

Rolling his eyes, the toad hermit voices, "one at a time, one at a time, yeesh. I'll get her something too."

Skipping in place, the happy blond asks, "what'd ya get me?"

Jiraiya stands rigidly straight, stroking his chin like a long beard existed there and he asks himself, "Mnnn, what to do?" Groaning some more and extending the delay, the mischievous elder baits Naruto by mentioning, "I was planning on giving this to you _before_ the exam, but, if you want it now…"

Grabbing the old man's red haori, Naruto begs, "that's two whole weeks away! Just give it to me now!"

Playing at extended thoughtfulness, Jiraiya calmly claims, "I'm sure you can hold out for two whole weeks, but, if you _really_ want it now…" Naruto nods and hops repeatedly before the elder finishes, "… … …you have to tell me when you're meeting Temari-chan again."

Excitement instantly dead, Naruto yells, "not telling!"

Gripped his chest like a wounded heart, Jiraiya protests, "how could you be so cruel? We're family!"

"You're just a giant pervert!"

MABUI

Mabui straightens her high-collar, gray dress shirt and perfectly fitted pencil-skirt in the mirror before walking out of the bedroom she shares with Samui. Nothing was too tight against her athletically curvy figure, however, she had no doubt she would be turning heads. After all, it didn't take the team long to realize there are hardly and white-haired, caramel-skinned people in Konoha. Along with her green eyes and symmetrical face, she was an exotic figure that drew plenty of attention; _**not**_ a great quality when infiltrating an enemy country. Fortunately, Ōyashiro's documents have helped allay all suspicion thus far.

Mabui was ready to step out of the old door of their old shack to meet Naruto when her team's captain voices from behind her, "meeting outside of the library is the opportunity we've been waiting for. You must succeed."

Turning to the fit and beautiful blond, Mabui wonders why Samui waited until Atsui left to speak up… or even speak at all. She never speaks unless she has to and Mabui tries engaging the reserved woman as often as naturally possible; detailing her reports regarding Naruto, asking Samui for clarification, and peppering in emotive anecdotes. Though Mabui would rather not push her captain, it's still her desire to see Samui make progress. The Monster Report is the stuff of nightmares and before she took her oath to her village and Kage, she took an oath to serve the benefit of the public health first. Atsui may be beyond her ability to help, but she has faith she can get through to Samui.

In their one-bedroom hideout at the edge of one of Konoha's many farms, Samui is sitting on the small table in the middle of the room, writing a message that will no doubt be express-delivered to the Raikage. Since Ōyashiro's departure, Samui has been sending and receiving messages every other day; which is odd in itself. With the frequency of messages, so too was the possibility of discovery, however, that didn't seem to concern Samui, Dodai, or A-sama.

She always knew Bee-sama desired Kubikiribōchō and to placate his brotherly partner as well as keep him in the village, A-sama agreed to get it for him. It must mean a lot to the Raikage that she facilitates a relationship with Naruto, the owner of Kubikiribōchō… however, something about the mission felt different now. Mabui can't be sure what it is. There's nothing tangible to suggest perfidy but something in her intellect was telling her that the top brass want her to seduce Naruto more than what seemed reasonable… as if they were either testing her dedication or the prize was something more than a sword.

Irresolutely, an apprehensive Mabui answers her team leader, "I see."

"Do what you must," the beautiful blond orders and though Mabui is glad Samui is talking more, she isn't thrilled by dialog. She deflates at the significance of '_do what you must_.'

Mabui genuinely wants to help Samui, however, she finds it frustrating when the stoic woman casually orders her to use her body, if need be, to swindle a sixteen-year-old boy out of his property. Mabui won't deny she gets aroused when Naruto assertively reveals to her which professional authors are blatantly wrong and boldly demonstrates a far more effective and clever way of executing a technique. It thrills her from scalp to toes in all the right places when he showcases his astounding brilliance. Just picturing stuffy, sixty-year-old men, so sure in their knowledge, balking at the genius of a sixteen-year-old makes her warm and uninhibited.

Still, the metal bounty behind their deception is so frustrating, Mabui can't help but ask Samui, "for a sword?"

Turning from her thin strip of written paper, Samui calmly replies, "for the mission."

Staring at the oddly located, lengthy, and secluded waterfall, Mabui asks the blond beside her "are we jumping through the water?" She had asked for privacy to show him the special Fūinjutsu her parents left behind, however, she wasn't expecting this. She thought a room somewhere without windows or crawl spaces for eavesdropping would be sagacious. She could then do as ordered and seduce the genius whilst fighting herself to _**not**_ feel orgasmic at the prospect of having sex with one of the most brilliant minds she's ever met.

Naruto turns to her with his unique smile, popping the P sound as he responds, "yup! Just follow right behind me and you won't hit anything."

Though Mabui can sense with subtle sight and sound the entrance behind the rushing water and jumping herself isn't impossible, wearing a fitted gray pencil-skirt that hinders leaping seems to benefit the mission. Samui's voice of '_for the mission_,' forces Mabui to ask, "would you mind carrying me? I didn't wear the right outfit for this."

Suddenly realizing his lack of consideration, Naruto winces, "my bad, Mabui-chan. I should've- It's just when you said you wanted some privacy, I immediately thought of here."

Mentally tallying, 'getting wet,' to the benefit of the mission, Mabui asks, "no one knows about your hideout?"

"Only a few people, but no one should be around," Naruto answers her.

Moving just shy of touching his furnace-like body, Mabui wraps her arms around his strong neck. She avoids being overly sexual, seductive, or even forward by paying more attention to the waterfall than him as she casually asks, "what do you do here anyway?"

To her quasi-delight, he hesitates when she presses her pliant breasts against him. Clearing his throat and wrapping an arm around her back and under her thighs, he answers, "I, uh, train… mostly."

He lifted her like she weighed nothing and though she leans in, she remains aloof to the affectionate closeness of such an embrace. Despite a mission-first mentality, Mabui does wonder why his body is so warm, like wearing clothes straight out of the dryer; toasty. Leaping through the rushing water and hidden hole in the granite was effortless for the strong blond and Mabui held on tightly until he set her down. It was a little disheartening he didn't blush as much as she was expecting.

'_There's no way he didn't feel my breasts_,' her thoughts manifest. Despite being able to see through her wet blouse, his cheeks had a little blush to them and his baby-blue eyes didn't wander or glaze. Mabui even let her soaked hair down, clinging to her wet caramel skin, and yet his lacking reaction makes her wonder if she's his type. A hormonal boy would be great for the mission, but deep down, Mabui is a little more excited Naruto has the mental fortitude to remain in control.

As Naruto stepped away to grab a towel, she observed the room to be larger than the shack she and her team reside in. The walls are uneven and seemed to have been carved out by a rounded chisel. Coming from a farming village, she's surprised she couldn't identify the tool Naruto must've used to carve out this sizable room. Toweling herself off, she observes a simple cot against the wall with an orange and black quilt over it, a lantern on a table in the middle of the room, two chairs, and a fern near the entrance.

With sufficient light streaming from the cavern's watery entryway, she unseals and sets up her materials on the small table as Naruto casually explains how he spends his time here. Mabui repeats, "sewing?" She can understand training in taijutsu or ninjutsu, but learning the trade of a tailor was unexpected.

Both seated at the table, towels around their necks, with the ultra-large scroll in question between them, Mabui takes a deep breath before she sheepishly admits, "…I'm nervous." This old scroll before her means a lot to her future. She's gambling she'll make Jōnin on this jutsu so if it turns out to be nothing, she'll have wasted months of her time on a worthless dud. She _needs_ this to pan out.

"I can tell," Naruto replies with his smile. "You don't have to be, but, I'd rather prove you can trust me."

"I _want_ to trust you with this," Mabui returns, delicately placing her hand over the worn and old scroll. "I just don't know so much about Fūinjutsu, it's rare for me to feel this vulnerable."

"I get it," he states, hoping it's comforting. "It always comes down to honesty with me. I like saying what I want, when I want, because _**so**_ many people you meet will try to put you down and tell you not to say this or don't do that. Sometimes there's not even a good reason for it. So, every time I speak my mind, it's like I'm fighting against what others want me to be. I'm being me. Or at least that's how I see. If you want to show me your family's Fūinjutsu, great. I'm not going to betray that trust. And if you don't, that's fine too. We'll still be friends, so just be who you want to be."

"Who I want to be…" she casually repeats. Eying her future in the scroll in front of her, she adds, "you make it seem so easy."

"That's only cause I like jumpin' right in," he proclaims with a grin. "Most of the times things tend to turn out alright."

After a deep breath and several nods that shake loose a few strands of her grayish damp hair, the beautiful woman agrees, "okay." Alluringly tucking her hair behind her ear, she continues, "even though we haven't known each other all that long and I'm nervous, I feel like I'd rather trust you than not."

Mabui unrolls the ultra-large and dated scroll on the table. The height of the scroll takes up most of the tabletop and the length of it means she'll have to unroll it on one side of the table and roll it up on the other side as he reads section by section. Mabui thought all the bending over would give the genius blond plenty of chances to see her moist bosom, but to her secretly thrilling enjoyment, Naruto's focus remained strictly on the ancient Fūin characters. In spite of her rising anxiety, Mabui takes a moment to simply admire the fascination in Naruto's large eyes as he reads the complicated arrays of old characters. She can practically feel the knowledge being ripped from the page and swallowed by his brain. It's a predatory intellect that was making her heart race and her core heat.

Licking her plump lips, the silver-haired beauty was nearly drawn into an erotic daydream when the blond finally voices, "it's a transportation jutsu." Standing straighter and ignoring her turned on womanhood, she continues to help unroll the scroll as he sporadically adds, "range is unclear… or unspecified." From right beside him, Mabui leans in as he points to a numerical calculation she can't understand, thoroughly impressing her when he explains, "hmm, it uses this symbol set here to modify matter structures… but I can't see for what yet. Keep unrolling." She unrolls the large scroll until he moans, "oooh, that's interesting."

She moves to his side, pressing her soft flesh against him as she eagerly asks, "what?"

"You can transfer stuff almost anywhere on the planet," he answers with an impressed tone. Without even looking at her, he asks, "did this come with a stage or ring, or something to stand on?"

"Y-yes, actually," she staggers to answer. The fact that he's so casually dismantling the intricately complex jutsu makes her heart race faster as she doesn't hesitate to offer, "a three-leveled stone platform. You can tell that?"

"Yeah," he hums whilst reading. He then educates her. To her kinky delight, a sixteen-year-old prodigy is educating her—a dual doctorate sensei—and could feel herself grow aroused and wet as he orates, "the destination of the transfer depends on the platform, as well, though I can't see how yet. Keep unrolling. Reading over the key parameters of the Fūin formula here… and judging by the reduction in matter before effective transfer, I'd say it wouldn't be a good idea to transfer anything living. The compression of matter capacity and speed of transfer would rip any living thing apart."

Mabui is breathing heavily, half focusing on his brilliance and half focusing on the miniature tremors titillating her leaking sex; nearly moaning, "_mnn_, that's good… uhm, good to know." Mabui hasn't felt such arousal since her departed fiance classes. Effortlessly, her stimulated mind recalls how by the end of his lectures, more often than not, she'd have to dart the bathroom to relieve herself. She's only spent a few weeks with Naruto, but his knowledge is once-in-a-century and to be in witness of it in action is exhilarating to someone with her sexual fetish.

He reads in silence for another twenty minutes—giving her a respite to gather herself—before he voices, "oh, hey, the instruction on activating the jutsu. Huh, it's not much, actually. Once you've encoded the contract with your chakra… mnn, between the Ha characters here… it's just the Ram seal and the necessary amount chakra. Then you can teleport anything inanimate, anywhere. Easy enough."

With a thrilled smile, Mabui felt too good; not only in the moment but for her future as well. Being able to transfer anything to any part of the world is definitely a valuable jutsu; '_worthy of promotion_,' her mind sings.

Naruto's voice then expresses, "they even use the extra space here to write…"

The odd was he tilts his head and focuses on the last bit of the scroll has Mabui asking, "to write?" But Naruto doesn't respond for several moments; time enough for her to grow concerned. "Naruto?"

Turning a sad gaze on her is unexpected enough without him slowly explaining, "this Fūinjutsu was a present… from Uzumaki Ashina to his daughter Kushiinada. This jutsu originally belonged to the Uzumaki clan… my clan."

Forgetting about her arousal and promotion, she mentally yells, '_fuck_,' as her sharp mind senses the anxiety in his voice and eyes. Attempting to stabilize an already deteriorating situation, Mabui tries to point out, "but- wait, it doesn't say Uzumaki anywhere on here."

"It's a cipher," Naruto retorts. Pointing to the section in question, Naruto explains, "these aren't Fūin characters. Sometimes, practitioners hide messages using geometric symbols you sub for letters."

Taken aback by this unexpected turn of events, she can hardly say, "Naruto, how do you know-," before he gets up and moves away from her.

Pacing, he bluntly states, "I just do." Before she can ask for details, he hastens to ask, "where did you get this? I thought you said it was your family's jutsu."

"It is," she vehemently declares.

"But it _**isn't**_," he counters, becoming more animated. "Look, right there," he orders, point at the swirl inside of a circle symbol. "That's my family's crest; my clan's symbol. I don't know who this Ashina guy is but my mom's name is Kushina so there's gotta be a close relation."

This is all news to her, and without more information, Mabui leans toward honesty. To avoid subconsciously challenging him, she remains still and seated as she tells him, "I don't know what to say, Naruto. I didn't know about _**any**_ of this, I swear. After my parents died, they left me what little they owned and this just happened to be among their possessions."

Though he's trying to remain calm, she can tell this is bothering him as he implores, "and they never told you how they ended up with a jutsu that belongs to my clan?" Her, "no," was quickly curtailed with his, "no mention of the Uzumaki clan? Of Uzushiogakure?" Shaking her head multiple times, he returns to pacing as he tries to wrap his mind around this startling discovery. "You just took it? Like, like, didn't you wonder where it came from? Why your parents had it?"

Rather than allow him to continue to question her sincerity, Mabui uses her training in psychology to calmly speak, "Naruto, I hear what you're saying. I do, but, I'm missing some information. Please, take your time, speak your mind, and tell me, why this is bothering you?"

She got what she wanted when he yells, "my clan was targeted and destroyed! All those people I could've gotten to know-" Fortunately, he takes a breath before heatedly lamenting, "I'm the orphaned son of orphaned parents of a murdered people, and now this!" Mabui understands Naruto isn't an angry person by nature. She can see the signs of sadness and confusion when he woefully explains, "you said yourself you're not originally from Konoha. How do I know your parents weren't involved in destroying my clan?"

With her green eyes glued to his blue ones, a composed Mabui nods as she clearly communicates, "I understand, Naruto. You have every right to feel the way you do. I'm not at all saying you're wrong, but I swear to you, I didn't know-" however, in that instant, she recalls the Uzumaki name spoken before somewhere in Kumo.

Whether he spotted the shift in her almond eyes, Naruto breaks eye contact, blurting as he leaves, "I… I gotta go."

"Wait," she calls, jumping to her feet. Mabui manages, "you don't have to-" before he jumps out of the watery entrance. "…leave."

Walking through the door of their tiny base, a dry Mabui was dreading her report. Sure enough, Samui is waiting behind the table, and though Mabui can't tell what she's thinking, it feels as if Samui already knows; as if her emotionless ice-blue eyes somehow knows she risked the mission to crack a jutsu for a promotion, eventually blowing her relationship with the target. Atsui is leaning against the wall, chewing his nails and obviously dreading what Mabui has to say, as if she was going to recount every second of her sexual interlude with Naruto. The cabin feels more confining and Mabui groans by the number of blue-eyed blonds agitating her today.

"Report," Samui voices.

Without much choice, Mabui sits opposite Samui and takes a page out of her team leader's book. As minimally informative as possible, Mabui reports, "there was a set back-" an emotional Atsui heaves a loud sigh of relief quicker than Mabui can continue to say, "_**but**_, I promise, I can turn this around. I'll make things right."

Samui sighs before she takes out the latest missive from their Raikage, ordering her brother in the process, "Atsui, give us the room."

Affronted, Atsui turns to her sister and calls out, "what? Oh, come on, sis-"

"Please," she gently asks.

"…Fine," he huffs, clearly upset until the door closes behind him.

"…All the way out," she calls out. After several silent moments, Samui is satisfied with her brother's distance and states, "I know why you're hesitating to complete the mission."

The silver-haired beauty can't deny she's been reluctant to seduce a boy ten years her junior, however, Mabui is strenuously more curious about what Samui referring to and cautiously asks, "you do?"

The exotic beauty was stunned to hear the theory behind her hesitation has nothing to do with prostituting herself for a sword when Samui explains, "you're hesitating because of your relationship with Darui-sempai."

Sitting straighter, a wide-eyed Mabui rebuffs, "excuse me?"

With a detached sense of confidence, Samui explains, "you're distressed. Anxiety over betraying him is hindering you from doing all that's required to complete the mission."

Mabui tries to respond, "that…" when her throat clogs and closes up with palpable disbelief. As fast as she wanted to vehemently deny her captain, her mind goes blank, leaving her stunned and without words. Mabui wanted to know everything in that moment—who knew what, when, and why—then Samui slides over the table's surface a thin slip of parchment with Darui's sloppy handwriting on it.

As Mabui reads the coded parchment. Mabui reread the slip five times in the time it takes Samui to recite, "Darui-sempai has given you his blessing to do everything in your power to seduce Uzumaki Naruto. Please fulfill your duty without concern."

'_As if Darui was the __**only**__ distressing me about seducing an impressionable sixteen-year-old boy!_' Her mind yells at Samui, '_I don't want sex to be a transaction! I don't want to look at A-sama and my superiors like my pimps, forcing me to prostitute myself for a slab of metal that isn't even for me! …I don't want to hurt a young man—a genius who may allow hate in his heart because of my betrayal. Uzumaki Naruto's name will live on for centuries in his innovations and the history books… and I have to break his heart for a __**fucking**__ sword?_'

Mabui isn't sure where to begin voicing her misgivings and groans in annoyance before she attempts, "I'm sorry, I don't- I don't," before finally huffing, "why?"

She didn't feel right about any of this, but she quickly felt stuck when the strong and capable Samui gently voices, "as team leader, it's my duty to assure the mission's success. In addition to requesting a rendezvous team to secure our exit, I had expressed concern about your hesitation. It was then Darui-sempai made clear your arrangement with him-"

Stunned yet again, Mabui repeats, "my _arrangement_?"

"Sex," Samui casually answers with a straight face, provoking an embarrassed Mabui to repeat under her breath, "_**my**_ _arrangement_?"

"Sempai explained it's casual," Samui voices before telling the shocked Mabui, "it's why he's approved."

A slow strong pull of her intestines forces Mabui to lean forward in nauseating sickness, fixating on the keywords, "Darui… Approved… As if I needed his fucking-" Sick to her stomach, Mabui felt this was the worst day of any mission she's ever been on.

When it seemed like Mabui wasn't going to say more, Samui flatly orders, "please, continue your objective. It's not infidelity if he doesn't care."

Mabui's flaring emotions felt demanding, wresting control from her orderly mind to mentally yell, '_bitch!_' Mabui knows it isn't right to take out her frustrations on Samui. She knows Samui's ethos is unsound due to her traumatized past and is incapable of navigating numerous social interactions. She knows if Samui truly understood what was in her heart, the gorgeous blond would not act as though everything is fine now. Mabui knows all of this but she can't think around how annoyed, upset, and angry she currently feels.

'_And for a fucking sword!_' her mind repeatedly yells. For her nation, she has to hurt Naruto—hurting her self in the process—yet A-sama, Darui, and Samui live on peacefully as if the mission is of no consequence. '_No_,' Mabui's mind answers as this new emotional outlook fuels the spark to a solution. Returning clearer and focused green eyes on the busty blond, Mabui patiently communicates, "I have a plan, Samui-taichou." The expressionless look on Samui's model face makes Mabui smile as she adds, "but, it'll require your assistance."

KABUTO

"What are you doing, Kabuto-san," said the Anbu mask of a cat-like nose and mouth, and three red swipe marks on each side of the forehead. It's the dead of night and the silver-haired spy is leaning against the corner of a shop neighboring across the street from Ten Out of Ten.

Though Kabuto didn't take his eyes off the motionless apartment above the weapon's shop, he knew the person behind him was Root. With the boy's pale-white skin and short black hair, Kabuto didn't need anything else to know with certainty, "you're new."

"Danzo-sama offers you his well-wishes," the pale-skinned boy flatly expresses.

"How kind of him," Kabuto replies with his fake smile. "Please relay my gratitude in kind." The pale-skinned Root member disappears with a bit of an artistic flare. It was enough of a warning for Kabuto to understand Danzo has staked a claim on Haku, which means he'll have to inform Orochimaru. He can already feel conflicting feelings rousing within him.

Entering the Chūnin exam for years, Kabuto's recruited nearly a hundred ninja for Orochimaru, however, such a system is only possible due to the shaky truce between the immoral leaders. With their shared past of inhumane acts, the two titans command enough damaging information about one another, it assures them they can go about their business without interruption. To avoid mutually assured disadvantage, Danzo turns a blind eye to Orochimaru's experimentations and Orochimaru remains benign to Danzo's quest for power. It's the only reason Kabuto has operated in Konoha for so long without harassment from his former one-eyed commander.

Looking at the dark apartment window above the shop, Ten Out of Ten, Kabuto recalls his history with Root. With intimate knowledge of Root's surveillance network, he's certain Danzo knows enough about the open communication between Suna and Oto nin, which means he's only allowing it because he met with Orochimaru. Kabuto may not have been at the meeting, but he has no doubt one took place between them. The greatness of Konoha the old war-hawk prattles on about only ever means the greatness of _**his**_ Konoha, which makes targets like Sarutobi Hiruzen an enemy. At the meeting Kabuto is certain must've taken place, he has no doubt someone as crafty as Orochimaru dangled the intention of removing the current Hokage; an option that would be too alluring to resist. Whether Danzo guessed the invasion or not, Kabuto couldn't say, however, he was certain the man wouldn't mind so long as the aftermath gave him more power.

Retreating from his vantage point, it's clear to Kabuto he's treading a line that's uncomfortable for Danzo. Orochimaru wants him to recruit Haku for the same reason Danzo undoubtedly wants for himself; Haku's kekkei genkai. But a growing, disconcerting desire within Kabuto strongly wants to deny them both. Kabuto can't explain how he feels about the beautiful boy, however, he can't help but feel for Haku. He's different as if he somehow possesses answers Kabuto's been searching for since the orphanage.

'_It's in his smile_,' Kabuto thinks, wishing the kind Haku a good night. With this warning from Danzo, he won't be able to see Haku tonight, and this close to the invasion, he can't risk destabilizing the long-standing arrangement between the conniving leaders.

TEMARI

It was late into the night when Temari gently taps on Iruka's front door. Like they had agreed to earlier in the day, Naruto quietly exits his home to avoid waking his mentor. Though the luncheon was good progress, the invasion was only fourteen days away and she needed to take more drastic steps if she has any hope of creating a love strong enough to destabilize the blond when she betrays him. Under the pressure of her time-limit, Temari takes the initiative to ask for a secluded area with a lake or body of water. "Somewhere we can swim," she explains, adding, "there aren't many lakes in the desert."

After his smirk, he leads her to Training Ground 3. Though she was curious about the three logs protruding from the ground, she's happy to see the wide river not far past the stumps. With the grass crunching under their feet, the bobs and dips of the flowing surface water catch the moonlight, dancing along with the distorted reflection of gray clouds under the starry sky above.

"It's beautiful," Temari notes, enjoying the wet sound of gently flowing water.

"This is the Training Ground Team 7 met at," Naruto happily tells her. Snickering, he pointed to the stump in the middle and recalls for her amusement, "I got tied to that pole right there!"

Snorting, Temari turns to him and asks, "really? Why?"

Sheepishly, he admits, "I thought I could take Kakashi-sensei on my own, shesheshe."

"The Copy-Ninja? That was…"

"Pretty dumb," he laughs.

"I didn't want to say it," Temari offers. "But yeah." Looking out at the wide river, her plan makes her a little nervous. Her mind knows what has to happen, but her heart is uneasy about her first time. She isn't sure how she will feel before, during, and after her union with Naruto. Kissing him is already better than she ever expected it to feel, and now, she plans to let him inside her; let him thrust his pole in her most intimate of place. Temari's face is burning just thinking about it.

"Come on," Temari calls, rushing through her nerves as she takes off her clothes. For the occasion, she bought her very first bikini. She never bothered with such an outfit before as she never thought she'd be on a mission like this. She mentally laughs when she recalls telling herself, '_a true kunoichi didn't need such a tool_.'

With her sandals and red sash off, she's removing her long-sleeved purple dress when Naruto nervously chimes, "whoa, what uh, what are you doing there, Temari-chan?"

Quickly folding her dress, she asks, "what's it look like?"

With wide eyes, he observes, "looks like you're taking your clothes off," to her amusement.

"I don't want to get them wet," she responds. Though she rather be taken seriously for her ability and intellect, she's still proud of her foxy physique. Plenty of boys and men look, not that any would try anything with the daughter of the Kazekage. Arching her lower back to straighten her posture accentuates her round bottom and pert breasts in her two-piece triangle bikini. Enjoying the coolness of the air as she checks the position of her bottoms, she asks, "are you coming?"

With a shrug and a smile, Naruto quickly removes his jumper suit until he's in his boxers. She's letting her hair down when she's suddenly lifted off her feet, shrieking in delight when he hops into the cool river. She was surprised he would be so bold but felt that was good progress. She enjoys the water so much, it's moments like these when Temari forgets she's even on a mission. They play fight, race, and dive. By the end, Temari was on his back with her arms are wrapped around his neck, enjoying the toasty warmth of his body as he swam in the cool water.

Lethargically comfortable, Temari lazily asks, "can I ask you?" With his nod, she asks, "your godfather, is he _thee_ Jiraiya of the Sannin?" His casual nod and, "mnn," surprised Temari and prompted her to press her breasts further into his back so she can lean in more and ask, "really? Why didn't you tell me? He's a legend even in Suna."

"Uuuh, I don't know," Naruto finally answers. The motion of his breaststroke adds more rocking back and forth to her back hug as Naruto admits, "I only met him a couple weeks ago. I'm still getting to know him."

'_Ugh_,' Temari mentally groans. Though she knows Konoha's fate, it doesn't mean she likes hearing about a family member the orphan has only just met. "Well, it's nice that he's in your life now."

"Yeah, it's been pretty great," Naruto chimes. "I mean, he's a huge pervert, but it's still fun." He stops swimming to turn and face her, loosening her embrace so her forearms rest on his traps. Placing his hands on her hips, he asks, "can I ask you about Gaara?"

Wincing, she offers a regretful, "sorry he couldn't make it to lunch."

"It's fine," he says with a shrug. "I can tell he has a hard time trusting people but I know I can help."

"That's kind of you, really," she begins. "But, with Gaara, you sort of have to let him be. He's not in a place to accept others." Before he can twist the guilt-knife in any deeper with offers of helping her family, Temari asks, "can we not talk about Gaara right now?"

"I only want to help," he conveys.

"I know," Temari acknowledges. She may not be convinced Naruto loves her, but, she is sure the blond wants to help her homicidal baby brother. "And that's sweet of you," she conveys with a quick kiss. At his smile, she adds, "really, _really_, sweet of you," before hugging him closer and dragging him down to kiss him underwater. Though the sharp contrast between his warm lips and strong body, and the cold wetness enveloping them was a uniquely pleasant sensation to feel, Temari quickly discovered the challenge of keeping water out of windpipes. Pulling away and rising to the surface, Temari coughs before croaking, "underwater kissing… isn't _**nearly**_ as romantic as I thought it'd be!"

Coughing himself, Naruto managed to agree, sputtering, "water went down my windpipe!"

"Ugh, that felt like being water-boarded," Temari exaggerates and they both grunt a tired laugh. It isn't until several moments later when they've both recovered that she remarks, "at least I can scratch that off the list."

Quirking a brow, he asks, "list?"

Temari plays her angle, drawing out an, "…uh," before answering, "okay, this is going to be really embarrassing, but, uh, I made a list… of _things_ I want to do."

"Oh," he hums in amusement before asking, "kissing underwater was one of them?"

"Don't laugh," she huffs, playfully splashing him with some water. "It's something every girl wants to try out."

Hands up in defeat, he replies, "alright, alright. What else is on your list?"

With a seductive charm she rarely acts on, Temari teases, "wouldn't you like to know."

"Aw, come on," he gaily gripes. "I won't laugh and I won't tell anyone, promise. So…"

Pausing for a few moments, she relents, "I guess. It's not like I have much of a choice anyway." At his curious look, she flirtatiously confesses, "some- well, _a lot_ of the stuff on the list are _activities_ I'd like to do… with you."

"Really?"

Temari doesn't have to pretend to shyly answer, "yeah."

"Like what?"

At the rushing thoughts of hot wet sexes thrusting repeatedly against each other, Temari feels her face heat up with hot blushing. Spinning around in the water, she whines, "don't make me say."

He asks, "are you sure," but it doesn't have the confident, yet playful tone she was hoping for, prompting her to turn around. With serious blue eyes observing her, she can tell he's grown serious. She's certain when he asks, "what if you don't like me later? I don't want you to regret doing any of your firsts with me."

Taken aback by his consideration, she quickly assures him, "I won't."

With deep attention to a future she's certain he won't have, Naruto asks, "and if you do regret it?" It's as if he's asking if she'll regret what she and her village have to do to Konoha and it's disheartening because she's only following orders. Her hesitation allows him to add, "look, I get that you don't want to regret anything but we can't know what the future might bring. I'll treat you right no matter what, so even if we're just friends, I'd be happy with that."

"This is so strange," Temari carelessly voices before gathering herself. With a weak smile, she tells him, "it's just surprising that you're saying no. Most boys wouldn't."

"I wouldn't say I'm saying no," Naruto shyly admits. "I just don't want you to rush into anything if you think you might regret it later. It's important to me that whatever we do is from the heart, you know?"

"You're a surprising person, Naruto," Temari admits with a huff, adding, "and I think you're right. I _have_ been thinking of myself, haven't I? It's only right that I be more honest with you." Slowly embracing him again, they tread water as she explains, "I suppose I've been preoccupied with my predicament. If we don't… if the Omiai between us doesn't work, then I have no other option but to marry someone for the good of the village. I feel like I'm embracing this _steamy_ behavior with you because it may be the last time I have a choice."

"That's not true, Temari-chan," he insists. "You _always_ have a choice."

"No," she says, gently shaking her head. Combing his wet golden-blond hair with her fingers, she adds, "the options are choose the village and damn myself, or, choose myself and damn the village. And that's no choice, at all. I'll choose my village—my family—every single time. Which, of course, also means everything I do with the husband my father selects for me _won't_ truly be of my choosing; not like you anyway. That's the truth. So you're right. You and I are not in love, but I really really like you. You have this goodness… about you, that's- well, it's very _moving_."

Holding her tighter, Naruto expresses, "I think you're a good person too, Temari-chan."

"No," she rebukes.

"It's true," she insists, squeezing for emphasis. "I can see it- actually, I can _feel_ it."

Eyes widening, she scoffs as she asks, "what?"

"Yup," he grins. "When we kiss, it's like you're curious-"

Interrupting, she jests, "are you calling me inexperienced?"

"No," he laughs, attempting to temper her with, "just… innocent?"

"I can't believe you're calling me a virgin," she jovially denotes.

"You're totally twisting my words," he defends. "I just mean… I like kissing you."

Temari battles back with, "only _like_, huh?" Naruto's gladsome groan makes her laugh as she assures him, "I'm teasing. I enjoy our time together too, kissing or not." Leaning in, she kisses him for several warm seconds before pulling away enough to huff, "but definitely when we're kissing." Pressing her body flush against his, she deepens their intimate kiss. Because he knows she likes it, he allows her to dominate his lips and mouth as the strong fingers of his formidable hands drag down the toned flesh of her back, slowly tenderizing either side of her spine until they grip the taut muscles of her shapely love handles. The way he focuses his impressively confident ministrations on her lower back sparks a warm desire growing from the core of her loins.

Her cloudy mind reminds her, '_he's doing it again_,' as her sex becomes more aroused and demanding. Despite her duty, Temari couldn't have anticipated how talented Naruto would be. Some nights he would leave her feeling glittery, hot, bothered, and antsy for more. Bobbing in the water, pressed flush against their nearly naked bodies, this make-out session feels even hotter than the others. Without thought or consent from her brain, her hand automatically descends low under the water, rubbing down from his strong chest and abs to his erect thickness popping out his boxers. Gripping his hot meat-stick is the only thing to snap her out of her euphoric haze, pulling back in surprise and separating their swollen lips.

His gentle, "do you want to stop?" made her recall her mission and she shakes her head. But when he says, "you don't have to force yourself," it almost felt like he was daring her; urging her competitive spirit within to break through her fears.

Temari gives him a quick kiss before ordering him, "come on."

She pulls away and swims to the riverbank. Once on dry land, he asks, "where are we going?"

In preparation for the inevitable, Temari allocated a second suite on the top level of their hotel. One located well away from where her brothers or Baki could possibly hear her. So as she tosses him his clothes, she answers, "my room." The words felt so final leaving her mouth, Temari felt scared, excited, and a little sick. Her heart reminds her this isn't how she imagined losing her virginity, however, she made peace with her decision and won't stop it now.

"Wait," Naruto's voice cuts right through her momentum. "We can't."

Turning to the blond, he hasn't put his clothes on. Temari genuinely admits to him, "I don't understand," as she mentally adds, '_I'm throwing myself at you!_' Tentatively, she fears the answer to her question, "am I not… _good_ enough?"

"No, it's nothing like that," Naruto quickly assures her, rushing to stand in front of her. "I think you're beautiful and hot and I definitely would… with you. But, I have to tell you something, and I think it would wrong if I told you after we, uh, _do_ anything in your room."

"Okay," Temari slowly chimes. Though she's concerned, she doesn't let it show as she asks, "what is it?"

"There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it," he proclaims. "Oh, and I've been told any reaction you have is perfectly normal." Temari grows nervous by the amount of set up and clears her mind lingering arousal as she nods. "I have someone I've _grown_ to love. Someone important to me I'd like to be with."

Her sharp mind immediately asks, '_then why did you agree to Omiai if-_' but she uncovers the answer right away, asking him, rather than bluntly stating, "does she love you back?"

Smiling, he admits, "she's flat out told me not to fall in love with her because nothing could ever happen between us and she didn't want to break my heart." Though Temari appreciates his honesty, his unrequited love won't stop her. She's about to say as much when he continues, "but, she said that when we first met and I agreed to it because I didn't love her either; I didn't even know her. Anyway, I'm saying all this because even if you and I become a couple, at some point in the future, I'm going to ask her if she'd also be my girlfriend too."

"I'm sorry, what?" Temari has to laugh as she says, "are you saying… I don't think I heard you right because it sounds like you're saying you want to have multiple girlfriends." Her laughter doesn't last long against Naruto's serious countenance and finally, she asks, "you- you're serious?" With his quick nod, Temari momentarily forgets the mission for her knee-jerk hatred of all cheaters, players, and womanizers, and heatedly asks him, "you want me to be okay with you cheating on me!"

Though his stance puckers up by her sudden ire, he dauntlessly shakes his head as he responds, "no, no, definitely not. The very first thing I'd want you to be is comfortable, _**then**_, if you can find it in your heart to also be in a relationship with her, the _**three**_ of us would be in one relationship. It's called polyamory; it's basically one big family-"

Temari struggles to retain control of herself, like a weakened dam trying to restrain the rising pressure of a flooding reservoir. But after holding in what her little brother and father are forcing her to do, after losing her mother, after losing what could have been with Daimaru, after being rejected by a boy who then wants her to accept consensual affairs, Temari firmly voices, "no! That's not what that _basically_ is! You only care to sleep around with as many women as you want; with my approval, no less! I-"

"You're right," Naruto interjects with a weak and understanding smile, raising his hands in surrender. "How you feel is right and I respect it. Since you're not into that—which, again, is okay—we shouldn't go any further, right? It would be wrong." With that, he steps away from her and Temari's mind instantly remembers herself and the mission and properly curses, '_fuck_.' As he puts his clothes on, he adds, "even if we have different preferences in relationships, I still want us to be friends, so don't worry, we can still pretend for your tou-chan if you want."

Naruto zips up his jacket as he finishes, "I hope you don't regret kissing me. Night, Temari-chan." She wants to stop him but she's panicking and she's disciplined enough to know any decision in that state of mind is bound to be a bad one. The whiplash of such a turnaround has her reach out to him as he turns away from her and silent as he leaps away.

Temari's mind was in a confusing daze all the way to her bed, replaying every word or gesture that led to such an unexpected failure. The entirety of her night was a carousel of thoughts; from what her father will say, to what Gaara will do, to the effect this may have on the invasion, to even her views on relationships and polyamory. She felt her anger is completely justifiable but in terms of the mission, she regrets her emotional response because it didn't have to end that way. She was so caught up in her own beliefs that she completely forgot about the archaic Code of Hammurabi during The Warring States period; allowing for multiple spouses. She wasn't sure it was still legal but there was precedence she could've worked with. If there was ever a moment to make Naruto fall for her, flipping that moment around would've been it.

Temari did not sleep that night.

* * *

So, a lot of set up went into this chapter… set up that will bare fruit in the next update. We're getting really close to the invasion and I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun breaking that chapter(s) down.

This chapter had it's main focus(Naruto, Mabui, Temari) but I also wanted to catch up with some of the characters. Kurenai, Anko, Yūgao(not that she'll be featured heavily), Karin, Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Haku, Kabuto, and even a little insight into Danzo and Orochimaru. I always planned for Mabui's jutsu to originate from the Uzumaki Clan and I have a fun direction for Mabui to take with regard to Samui. I'll explain the Code of Hammurabi in more depth soon; that's a real code of law dating back to ancient Mesopotamia. And just in case you didn't get why Naruto would ruin his chance with Temari by bringing up Polyamory, I'll explain that in the next chapter.

I can't really think right now because I've been up most of the night trying to finish this😴💤💤, so I'll just say thank you guys, again, for your support and comments. They really do help me guys so keep em coming. Thank you again, my wonderful patrons(at GraeFoxx). If anyone would like to support my first novel is on amazon, it's called Belladonna by Grae Foxx. Full disclosure, I know I can do better than that but it would've been a pretty good Modern Day AU fanfic.

Happy Valentines Day and have a great one,

—Grae


	30. 30The Right Exceptions

Hey friends,

I gave myself two weeks to finish this chapter and I'm happy I kept my deadline! Yay! It takes place immediately after ch29.

This monster is a whopping 23K words. 23K! Take your time. No rush. But if you guys would like to time yourselves and tell me how long it took you to read that much, I'd love to hear the answers. I'm a slow reader myself, so a chapter of this size would take me 2 - 3 hours at least.

Thank you again Patrons for your amazing support!

WARNING: LEMONS! No joke people. The details are real. Also, mild profanity.

Enjoy!

* * *

NARUTO

Sprinting through the trail leading away from Training Ground 3, Naruto leaps onto the first available rooftop to leap from building to building his home. Normally he would've walked her home to make certain she was safe, but after revealing something about himself that's practically taboo, he opted to flee and leave a clone to cover her back. Though he does like the vision of a large loving family, he knows he didn't confess to her his preference in hopes she would agree. He used it against her but it was for her own good, huffing, "dodged that kunai."

'_**You lied to me**_,' Kurama growls from deep within his seal.

"Wha," Naruto sounds before mentally asking his furry partner, '_how'd I lie? I said I didn't want to use her_.'

'_**You agreed with Jiraiya's wisdom**_,' Kurama retorts with his husky voice. '_**You said you would!**_'

'_First, no, I didn't_,' Naruto responds, letting his body naturally sprint as his mind converses with the Nine-Tails. Looking through the high golden gate, Naruto shows the prowling beast his counting fingers. '_Second, I don't want Gaara to hate me for hurting his sister. Third, I don't want to ruin whatever friendship Temari-chan and I could have. Since I know what they're planning, it wouldn't be right to take advantage of her like that_.'

'_**I don't like you right now**_,' the destructive chakra beast flatly declares.

"Aww, come on, Kurama," Naruto replies.

Kurama stops prowling to testify to the blond, '_**first, our primary mate refused us, then the crafty blond, then the teammate, and now you reject a willing mate! You enjoy claiming we're partners, yet you make all the decisions!**_'

'_Partners don't ask friends to deliberately trick and hurt other people's feelings_,' Naruto hollers back as if it's obvious. '_You wouldn't like it if someone asked me to take advantage of you- Oh, actually, I seem to remember Ji-chan asking me if I could control you, and what did I say? It's not right to do that to a __**friend**__!_'

'_**…You said, a person**_,' Kurama begrudgingly corrects. '_**Which I am not**_.'

Slumping his shoulders, Naruto returns, '_I was __**respecting**__ the fact that you don't want them knowing too much about you or I would've said __**friend**_.' Walking closer to the golden gates, Naruto reminds the great beast, '_and Nai-chan only said she needed a break. If anything's wrong, I know she'll tell me_.'

'_**That was too long ago**_,' Kurama complains, taking a seat and resting his head on his paws inches from the gate.

Groaning, Naruto begins to say, '_it hasn't even been a week_-'

'_**Don't pretend you're not restless**_,' Kurama accuses the blond. Naruto avoids Kurama's eye as the chakra beast continues to say, '_**I can't imagine you'd make so much progress in your Sage training if you didn't have a plethora of pent up energy.**_'

'_Yeah, well, I didn't think I'd be so… wired_,' Naruto sheepishly admits before insisting, '_even still! That's no reason to take advantage of Temari-chan._'

'_**I can't trust anything you say**_,' he angrily retorts. '_**Rectify the situation. Seek the advice of a professional if you must.**_'

'_Fine, I'll…_' Naruto pauses for a moment, thinking about a professional sociologist who can help; an awesome person who didn't deserve his backlash. '_You know, I should probably see Mabui-chan again. It wasn't fair of me to just walk out on her like that. Plus, it really looked like she didn't know._'

'_**I prefer Jiraiya**_,' the great beast proposes.

Pointing a stern index finger at Kurama's large red eyes, he bellows, '_I'm not asking Ero-sennin about Nai-chan!_'

Leaping on all fours, Kurama bares fangs as he contends, '_**you see! There you go again, making all the decisions! And now we're absent any mates to sex with!**_'

Lulling his heavy head lower than slumped shoulders, Naruto groans, '_ugh, will you please stop talking like that…_'

MABUI

Mabui wasn't surprised to see the orange-clad blond looking through the aisle, likely searching for her. She'd been at their table for nearly an hour before getting up to look for him. Walking back from the entrance, she assumes she must've missed him, but he sees her now and walks directly to her. Mabui was surprised that he was alone. Possessing an item that belongs to a lost clan was a risk. Naruto could've gone to his Hokage and she would've met a squad of Anbu, rather than her handsome genius.

After they greet each other, it feels slightly tense and stuffy, prompting Mabui to suggest they go outside. After collecting her things, she takes him to a restaurant that immediately refuses Naruto service. Though Mabui wanted to argue, her alluring hair, skin tone, and appearance already draw more attention than a spy would like. Offering to treat her to ramen, Naruto creates a clone to bring their order from Ichiraku's while they make their way to his old apartment. Though he mentioned his cousin, Karin showing an interest in redeveloping the area, Mabui didn't press him for more details.

They're in his old room twenty minutes later. With scattered trash, empty needles, burned wood from a small fire, and tatted walls, the one-bedroom, one-bath has clearly housed squatters since Naruto's departure.

Happy about the privacy, Mabui places her hands behind her back—accentuating her voluptuous breasts—before leaning against the wall. She gazes at him with a small smile as she confesses, "I'm glad you came today."

Observing her watch him brings a small smile to his face before he humbly offers, "I'm sorry I blew up on you. That bugged me way more than I expected."

Shaking her head, no, sways her silver bangs as she assures him, "I understand. It's your family; your lineage. I wasn't expecting that, and please believe me when I say I had _**no**_ intention of upsetting you."

Taking a step closer to her, he affirms, "no, I know."

He's five paces away and silent for several moments. He seems deep in thought, in a way only lost family—lost possibilities—can ever do. Having lost her parents only months ago, Mabui softly asks, "would you like to talk about them? Your family?"

"Uh, I don't mind, but there's not much to say," Naruto reasons. "I only found out I had a clan a couple months back, so, I don't know much. Apparently, they were destroyed by an alliance of other villages, but I don't know who yet."

Recognizing the possibilities for revenge, Mabui cautiously asks, "do you plan on pursuing this?"

"When I have more time, sure," he shrugs, not quite inspiring a lot of malevolence. As if proving to her he's not a vindictive person, he simply adds, "I'm pretty busy at the moment."

"I see," Mabui evenly states. Her parents died of natural causes, yet she still felt angry. His entire clan was apparently targeted and destroyed, yet he has better things to do. His heart is inspiring, giving her the strength to voice, "well, then allow me to share what I know." He takes a step closer to listen as she begins. "The first thing you have to understand is I left my family when I was _very_ young."

"How old?"

"Nine," she winces to admit. Immediately she comments, "I know, I know, very risky but I knew I couldn't stay with my parents. They were farmers, not ninja." Looking at the smoke damaged ceiling, Mabui recounts for Naruto as much for herself, "they inherited a plot of land from my deceased grandparents, and if they wanted the farm to survive, they would need a son or marry me to a strong man so he can help with the workload. Even at a young age, I knew I couldn't be like them. I was too curious about the world with all its mysteries waiting for me. I always had questions; questions they couldn't answer. So, as horrible as this makes me, I left. I left them. I regretted it every day—especially when I was starving, lost, hurt, scared, or a million of things out of my capability—but not once did I turn and run back."

"I know what that's like; being on your own," Naruto sadly muses. "Only in my case, it was the orphanage that I left. I was nearly six when I started living on my own. How'd you survive?"

Her shoulders sway in line with her rotating head shake as she answers, "I stole a little, did odd jobs, but before it got _too_ bad, I tested into a boarding school. My parents were not educated. They could work the land well enough, but, philosophy, literature, fūinjutsu, ninjutsu, math, science, a number of studies I wanted to know about went right over their heads. As much as I loved them, that place was suffocating for someone as curious as me."

Nodding, he then asks, "so you lived in school?"

"They tested for academics and military aptitudes," Mabui details.

With a competitive smirk, he boldly asks, "how'd you do?"

Smiling, she brags, "in the top percentile for logistics, memory, and clinical & social dynamics, and in the top ten percent for chakra use and control." Impressed, Naruto whistles before Mabui curtsies with a smile and continues. "As interesting as being a kunoichi sounded—and they really pushed me toward it—I didn't have high chakra reserves. Ultimately, I decided the pen was mightier than the sword and joined the academic world instead of the shinobi one."

"You must've trained a little," Naruto questions. "You don't feel weak at all."

Mabui easily avoids that land mine by asking, "have you been _feeling_ me up without my knowledge, Naruto?"

"That's not what I mean," he bellows affronted yet with a small smile. "I'm just saying, I can sense you're at least a strong genin level."

"Well thank you," Mabui cutely bows. "Practicing Fūinjutsu helps but I also do a daily workout regiment that an old boyfriend taught me. It includes several chakra control exercises. And I was taught from a young age that you shouldn't neglect the body or chakra to train the brain. They're symbiotic and you need to train them rigorously to be the best."

Naruto's smile flattens as he thinks to cautiously ask, "did you ever see your parents again?"

Inhaling deeply, she crosses her arms as she answers, "I did." Feeling a pang of regret, longing, loss, her voice sours as she elaborates, "after I graduated, I went back a few times… sent them ryō every month. They were… _cordial_, for the most part, but, it wasn't hard to sense how betrayed they felt."

Sensing her distress, Naruto takes another step forward as he gently asks, "did they ever forgive you?"

Rather than trust her voice to answers, a misty-eyed Mabui simply shakes her head, 'no.' Mabui couldn't ignore the benefit to the mission hugging Naruto for support is, but deeper than that, she simply wanted a hug. His strong arms wrap around her body, making her feel safe and warm. Resting her head beside his, she softly voices, "the last family I had died resenting me… and that was the price I paid to be who I am today."

"…We all pay a price," Naruto voices into her light-gray hair.

After several moments of warm embrace Mabui takes a step back, leaning on the wall as she continues to inform the blond, "the only other thing I remember about my family is my father's brother; I never liked him. My uncle was a shinobi but I don't know where. He visited a couple of times a year until he died. If anything he's the likely culprit for how that jutsu ended up with my parents. I can only assume he found or stole the jutsu since he was never a big name."

Nodding in acceptance, Naruto then asks, "anything else?"

"If I knew more, believe me, I would tell you," Mabui assures him. Having already pondered this conversation, a hopeful Mabui asks, "what would you like to do with your family scroll? I won't lie to you and say I wouldn't like to keep it, but, I know it belongs to you."

"I'll have to talk to my cousin about this," Naruto responds. "I'll let you know what we decide."

Though Mabui didn't like his response, it's to be expected. She can only work to convince him in the future, which is why she's planned for this, calling out, "oh! There was another reason I was happy you came."

"Oh," Naruto starts, perking up as he asks, "what?"

Mabui pushes off the wall and slowly walks around the curious blond, adding more sway to her hips and keeping her hands clasped behind her back as she slyly asks, "do you remember how I said I'd try and come up with a helpful strategy for you to be a little more confident and polished with the polyamory lifestyle?"

"No way," Naruto gasps, turning in place to keeps his large eyes on her. "You came up with something?" Her beautifully symmetrical face nods with a proud smile on her pink lips. "That's great! I actually just told a girl about it and that did **not** go well, _**at all**_."

Though it's surprising he'd try, the result isn't. Quite fortunately for the blond, this mission, Samui, and especially Darui pissed her off. She wasn't normally a vindictive person, but this whole situation was a lose-lose scenario and she was going to share the wealth. "That's to be expected," Mabui answers him, lining up her plan. "This lifestyle isn't for everyone. It takes a special acceptance a lot of people can't approve of on an emotional level."

Nearly hopping in place, his closed hands are in front of him as he rapid-fire asks, "so what is it? Do you have time? Can you tell me now?"

"Yes, yes, and the strategy is very simple," she assures him. "It's called, practice."

His expression flattens before he quirks his brow and skeptically sounds, "huh?"

"Obviously, the big challenge with this lifestyle is how unpopular it is and the stigma behind it," Mabui orates like a sensei. "To many looking in, you would appear as little more than a playboy who only wants to sleep around with many women and is afraid of commitment. This means that you have to know—deep down—why this is the lifestyle for you, and that's not going to happen without some good ol' trial and error."

"Okay, that makes sense," Naruto agrees before requesting, "but what's the strategy specifically?"

Pulling on his loose orange sleeve, Mabui looks affronted by his attire as she asks, "do you own other clothes- nice clothes?" Quickly adding, "I mean something dressy."

Looking down at his beloved orange and blue jumpsuit, Naruto hesitates to answer, "I… I'm going to say no. Why?"

Considering what he likes to wear, she can't imagine his fashion sense has matured enough to dress appropriately for her plans and mentally decides to help him find an outfit as she answers, "because, tomorrow night, you and I are going out on the town."

INO

After telling Naruto he can enter, her blond stud walks into her room, instantly making her remember the last time he was there and how he forgave her; wrenching a little more happiness to her day. They greet each other casually as Ino stands from her desk and when she settles the wrinkles from her purple mini-skirt and crop top, she notices him sneak a quick look. Fortunately, she always dresses to captivate the eyes, so it's not as if she was trying to seduce him, but she appreciates his quick gaze to her naked midsection. She unfurls her ponytail to give him a better look before taking a seat on the floor ahead of the short table at the center of her room. Taking a seat opposite her, Naruto asks, "what's up?"

Without the third party member of her plan, Ino instead asks, "did you talk to Karin yet?"

"Yeah and thanks," Naruto replies with a broad smile. "She's pretty excited about the whole thing."

"You don't have to thank me," Ino assures him with a shrug that sways her platinum blond bang. "That's what friends are for. What'd you tell her?"

Leaning back on his arms, Naruto recounts, "I told her it sounded great and she can do whatever she wants."

Snickering a second, Ino asks, "just like that?"

He shrugs as he responds, "I trust her."

Grinning, she jests, "well aren't you just the most amazing clan head ever?"

Rhetorically, he asks, "was there ever a doubt?"

"Just don't leave her with all the work, you know," Ino verbalizes. "What she's taking on is a lot of work, reading, and meetings. Delegation is part of the job as Clan Head, but you also have to be with her every step of the way."

Palming the table with energy, he implores, "are you kidding? I made sure she knows to bring me in on _everything_ that comes up; I don't care how small. Even now, I got one clone in line at the Council's Housing and Building Safety Department, one waiting in the Area Planning Commission for Wood District, one in Power and Water, and since she said we need a contractor to talk repairs, estimates, and… what did she call it… appraise! We need a contractor to appraise it, I sent a clone to a builder I know in Wave. Hopefully, he can help."

"Wow, you're a one-man army," Ino deputizes, adding, "property developers beware." Enjoy his snicker, she then asks, "what's Karin-chan doing?"

Naruto immediately laughs, making her increasingly curious until he finally explains, "Karin's _**super**_ pissed right now!"

Absorbing his fun energy, she leans in as she jovially asks, "why?"

"I got a clone with her too," Naruto starts. "They first went to the Civilian Council building to ask about buying a foreclosed business. Someone there told them they had to go to the auction house that the Council outsources to. When they get there, someone tells em the auction house doesn't accept any bids on property without proof of funds. So, they had to run to the bank and open an account for our clan then transfer the ryō into. After running back to the auction house, their files said that the apartment we want to bid on is listed as an REO, which means—get this—that it's owned by the village! So they had to race back to where they first started! The last I checked in, Karin was banging her head against the wall while waiting in line."

Ino covers her mouth to hold in her snickering, then shakes her head remorsefully as she expresses, "I'm sorry, that's not funny."

Restrain his smile to a weak grin, Naruto admits, "it's a _little_ funny."

"Maybe," she timidly admits. Shaking her head and lovely silk hair, Ino hastily orders, "but get her something nice for all her hard work."

"I'll pick her up some okonomiyaki later," he answers with a nod.

"Since you're basically the Hokage of Helping, I'd like yours, if you please- that is, I hope you'll help. You don't have to if you don't want to-"

"I want to, Ino," he assures her with that honest face she loves to see. Just for them, he adds, "we've come a long way, so, lay it on me."

"It's about Sakura," Ino begins.

"Is she still staying with you?"

"Yeah."

"How's she doing?"

Disgruntled, Ino sags as she honestly answers, "ready to collapse any day now if she doesn't rest."

"Yeah, she's pushing herself harder than I've ever seen," Naruto glumly voices. "But she's getting _really_ good with her Iryō-ninjutsu. Ji-chan let her make a copy of one of an advanced text, so she's learning a lot."

"Good," Ino replies. "That's good. It's not like I want her to stop. I'm thrilled she's getting stronger, but, she can't keep going like this; not without some relief. Something's gotta give."

"What do you have in mind?"

"All that stress, building day after day," Ino voices. "I think she'll be fine if we help her vent a little. She needs a good, solid break to recharge or she's going to hurt herself." At Naruto's mellow chuckle, a curious Ino asks, "what?"

"Nothing," he assures her with a smile before explaining, "it's just, you two used to fight ALL the time in the Academy; like, every day, non-stop. And now, you're super worried about her."

"Always have been," Ino replies with a smirk before affirming, "I'm sure I can speak for the both of us when I say we've grown a _**lot**_ since then."

Nodding his head, Naruto then asks, "what's the plan?"

"You," she quickly answers with her casual confidence, making him sound, "huh?" The front door downstairs opens and Ino smiles as she answers his curious gaze, "hold that thought. She's finally back."

Looking at her suspiciously, Naruto deepens his voice to rumbling as he asks, "Ino?"

Lifting her palms submissively, Ino admits, "I want to help and I don't want to go behind her back to do it, honest. When it comes to the two of you, I want to be as open as possible, so I invited her too."

Walking in without knocking, Sakura listlessly communicates, "sorry, I'm late-" before realizing her teammate is also in the room. "Naruto?"

"Yo," Naruto calls out.

"Take a seat," Ino offers with a hand.

Lethargically, Sakura plops down in the space west of Ino and Naruto's north and south as she asks, "what's going on?"

"Not sure," Naruto replies lean back on both hands as he adds, "this is Ino's show."

A worn-out Sakura jokes, "should I be scared?"

"Ha ha," Ino flatly jests. Boldly, she tells her pink-haired friend, "I'll get straight to the point. Sakura, I'm worried about you and I want to help."

With tired eyes lazily landing on Ino, Sakura asks, "why? I'm fine-"

"You're not fine," Ino interrupts. "You're overworking yourself, but that's fine. I didn't ask you here to stop or even slow you down." Sakura seems happy to hear that before Ino confesses, "both of you know I did terrible, unforgivable things-"

"Stop worrying about that," a tired Sakura gripes. "I already told you lets just move forward."

"We've forgiven you," Naruto assures her.

But Ino can't forgive herself just yet, replying, "regardless, I won't forget. What I did was immoral and my remorse has entitled me with the responsibility of helping you both whenever I can. It may always be like this so get used to it."

"Soooo," Naruto slowly voices, looking from Sakura to Ino and back. "Basically, you're saying we're friends," he finishes.

Slumping, Ino tries to reply, "No, I'm saying-"

But she's interrupted when Sakura tells Naruto, "that's what it sounds like to me."

Turning to Sakura, Ino rebukes, "it's more than-"

Naruto casually interrupts to tell Sakura, "she took a long time to say something that's so obvious."

"That's Ino for you," Sakura replies. "Always over-thinking things." Amused by them, annoyed by them, and amused by how annoyed she is by them, Ino simply smiles in gratitude at the playful teammates until Sakura eventually asks, "so this was about helping me somehow?"

"This is about giving you that thing you wanted," Ino cheekily returns.

Drawing a blank, a confused Sakura asks, "what thing?"

"I'm sure you remember, what with your memory," Ino casually remarks, enjoying the anticipation before her bomb. "It was a few weeks back, the night I told Naruto everything."

"The night…" Suddenly Sakura's eyes popped wide in surprise. "Ino! No!"

"What, what is it," Naruto asks.

Ino starts to tell him, "Well, Sakura demanded I let her have se-" But Sakura rushes over the table to clap her hand over Ino's smiling mouth.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. Don't listen to her," Sakura desperately insists of Naruto. With rough hands over her lips, Ino simply eyes the pinkette with all the confidence of a queen. The self-proclaimed sisters have long since been able to communicate with eye contact alone, and looking at Ino's pupil-less blue eyes, Sakura just knows, asking, "you're going to tell him anyway, aren't you?"

With her ability to speak incapacitated, Ino nods once. Sakura groans and huffs loudly as she slumps back into her cushioned floor. The pinkette begins to blush and fixes her gaze downward, avoiding either blond.

"I'm so lost," Naruto bemoans.

"Sorry," Ino brightly calls with a pretty smile. "As I was saying, Sakura's working hard and I feel that qualifies her to play hard too; _really_ hard."

"Things are different now," Sakura weakly protests.

"The only thing that's changed is Naruto isn't my boyfriend," Ino hates to admit. "But even if he _was_, I'd still ask for you."

"But-"

"But nothing," Ino heatedly cuts her off. "You need to relax! Time for leisure is in the schedule you wrote for yourself. But if you can think of something better than that-" she asks, pointing a casual thumb at a bewildered Naruto, finishing, "I won't ask him for you."

"I… He…" Sakura blushes profusely and Ino understands why. Masturbation feels good and it's efficient; sex, in general, feels good and though she's never been with anyone else, she's sure she'll enjoy it. After all, she loves talking to the older women in the bathhouses and her more experienced cousins, and the topic generally always revolves around clothes, men, and sex. Asking them discrete questions about the average performance is how Ino knows sex with the blond stamina-freak is on another level.

"I'm still lost," Naruto's voice chimes in.

Proudly, bluntly, Ino assertively decrees, "I want you to have sex with Sakura."

Sakura's entire body glows red with capitol embarrassment as Naruto looks from Ino to Sakura, to Ino and Sakura again before he admits in a daze, "…I'm even more confused now."

Rolling her eyes, she huffs, "Kami, Naruto, what's the confusion?" Using her hands to create simple visual aids, she conveys, "you put the P in the V until she O's. It's nothing you haven't done before."

"That's not what I-" Naruto cuts himself off to then try by asking, "how are _you_ okay with this? It's not- Isn't this like… _a thing_ girls **don't** do?"

In support of her teammate, Sakura yells as well, "yeah, you! I thought you-" But when she catches Naruto's clear blue eyes, the blushing girl quickly turns away as if physically pained in her stomach to be observed.

Not bothered by their curiosity, Ino casually answers, "I'm okay with this because—not to sound too sentimental here—I love you both. Naruto means as much to me as Sakura does, and after _everything_ the three of us have been through, this sort of just _became_ okay." Turning to Sakura, she explains, "you're the sister I found—the sister I hurt—so, as long as it's you, then having Naruto go balls deep in you doesn't bother me."

Returning her regard to the conversation, a wide-eyed Sakura looks between Ino and a flabbergasted Naruto. It's clear to Ino that the pinkette is thinking emotionally when she asks her, "but, what about _you_ and Naruto?"

Turning her gaze on Naruto for a moment, Ino then answers Sakura, "I'm still in my self-imposed dog-house. I can't worry about that right now. I just want to help. You need some much-needed relief and I'm sure Naruto's been frustrated having to go without for so long." Looking at Naruto, she adds, "in the future, if it feels right, I'm going to ask you out regardless of who you're sleeping with."

"If he says yes," Sakura begins to ask. "You'd still be okay with me and him…" Sakura blushes furiously as she avoids eye contact with a lightly blushing Naruto.

Ino smiles as she honestly answers, "yes, Sakura."

"And if he says no," Sakura suggests.

"If you're afraid of rejection, then you've already lost," Ino flatly and casually announces. "So, here's the logistics. Sakura's training regiment gives her an hour a day for recreational activity; to decompress from the buildup of the day's fatigue. Naruto—for her recovery—I want you to smash in her guts real good for every second of that hour-" In sheer embarrassment, Sakura groans, "for the love of Kami," as Ino finishes, "till she's gushing out globs of your baby-gravy. You guys can decide when the best time for yourselves is. Any questions?"

"Can you kill me now," Sakura chimes.

"Sakura," Naruto softly voices, gently calling the pinkette's attention. "Is this what you really want? I thought you didn't… want a relationship with me."

Sakura couldn't look him in the eyes for long and turns away as she struggles to say, "I… I'm not the same girl I used to be. I'm not saying I love you romantically, but, you're my teammate and I like to think we've grown really close."

"I think so too," Naruto proclaims with a small smile. "I love being your teammate and I know you'll get even stronger. Hell, you even heal me now instead of just Sasuke."

Sakura quickly snorts before taking a deep breath and admitting to Naruto, "I _**did**_ ask Ino if we… if you and I could… have sex again… regardless if you were her boyfriend."

He lightly asks, "why?"

"Ugh, don't make me say it," Sakura groans in agonizing embarrassment.

"Because you rocked her world," Ino chimes

"Ino!" Getting up, Sakura calls out, "that's it, I'm leaving! I'm way too tired to survive _this_ degree of embarrassment-"

"Wait," Naruto quickly beckons, holding out his palms in hopes she'll stop. She's halfway to the door but she doesn't leave. Naruto turns to Ino and asks, "I'm assuming your asking because Sakura wouldn't?"

"Naturally," Ino hums with a short bow.

Naruto then asks, "would you care if either one of us said no?"

"Not at all," Ino honestly assures them. "This is just me trying to be helpful."

For ultra-precise clarity, Naruto finishes by asking, "helpful like this because Sakura and I have already had sex?"

"As in, I'd never set Sakura up with some rando," Ino assures him. "I'm only presenting this option because you two have already done the deed and still care about each other." Though he didn't need to, he nods to her and she can tell he's not doing so because of the sex, but the respect. Ino wasn't thinking in terms of moves or angles, but simply helping a friend, wild though the suggestion may be.

Turning to his pink-haired teammate, Naruto asks, "first, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I don't want you to be uncomfortable talking about this but I'm more worried that you're being pressured in some way."

Sakura is rosy pink, but she doesn't leave and Ino can see a tremendous struggle raging within her. Not unsurprisingly, the pinkette turns her tortured gaze on Ino and she knows precisely why. It's the same reason she thinks of Kurenai when she's conflicted; a sense of comfort and realization that leads to a decision. A decision Ino can tell Sakura made when her beautiful green eyes get a little braver before telling Naruto, "you don't have to worry about that. I'm not being forced into anything. I did think about having sex again, but, I quickly concluded that if I don't have the time in my schedule for a loving relationship, then it's just about sex. And the idea of starting something so important with someone just for that felt…"

"Cheap," Ino finishes.

"Yeah," Sakura projects. "If sex is as important as love then it should mean more. And without someone like that, I just decided to focus on my training."

Naruto nods before he asks, "am I… can you see me like that? I know it's not love, like _in_ love, but, would you really be okay with me?"

Sakura turned her beautifully hot face away as she answers the blond, "I… _did_ enjoy it. So, yes."

Naruto hesitates to ask but does. "And Sasuke?"

Ino hasn't felt the same about the raven-haired avenger since he threatened Sakura's life and the lives of her parents, and most crucially, when he nearly murdered Naruto. Her stock in Sasuke dropped dramatically after that, but Sakura visibly shook before sagging. "Well, I can't exactly save my virginity for him, now can I," she responds before adding with some torment, "and you know him. If it has nothing to do with '_killing a certain man_,' then not even his Sharingan can see me like that. I just… you're my teammate, Naruto, and my friend, and… we've already done it, so I know… I know you can _do_ the job."

"Repeatedly," Ino adds.

"Ino!"

To Ino's surprise, Naruto becomes pensive. It's unexpected that he would take so long to think about this. But when her thoughts recite the pros, '_sex, Sakura, no strings attached_-' she suddenly realizes why he, of all boys, would hesitate to agree. Kurenai-sensei already told her Naruto values bonds over meaningless or artificial relationships.

Sakura is getting antsy by the length of silence when Ino interjects, "Naruto, you helped me when we didn't have a friendship and I've grown to really value what we have. Sakura's your friend and teammate; if you help her with this, I don't think it'll harm your relationship. If anything, as long as you're both honest with each other, I think it'll bring you closer." Sakura's green eyes have always been a joy for Ino to see. Since they were little girls, Ino's always wanted Sakura to look at her like they do now, in subtle awe and admiration.

"Okay," Naruto agrees. "As long as everyone doesn't feel left out or taken advantage of, I'd be happy to help."

Sakura smiles for a split second before hiding it and declaring, "as you should be!" Ino smirks as the pinkette mirrors the same reaction she had when she asked Naruto for help. Ino holds in her amusement to a smile as Sakura tries to retain some dignity by declaring to the room, "Kami, I can't believe how backward this is. Where has the romance gone?"

Ino smiles even wider when Naruto takes Sakura's hand and pulls her to him so she's flat against him, torso to torso, pelvis to pelvis. A surprised Sakura can only yelp before he grips her toned hips and effortlessly lifts her off her feet so she's looking down into his fearless blue eyes before assuring her, "don't worry, Sakura. I may only be helping, but for that hour, you're my one and only hime-sama."

Ino hasn't felt such a sharp spike of arousal since the night she confessed her misdeeds to Naruto. She thought that stirring, craving, yearning feeling was gone, but watching Naruto take charge of Sakura's fit body sent a thrill through her. She was hot at the sight of Sakura blushing and both Kunoichi tightened their hot legs together.

KURAMA

Leaving Ino's home, Naruto leaped from building to building and Kurama was thrilled by the turn of events, laughing his large furry head high to the dark ceiling and the consciousness above. '_**HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!**_'

Annoyed, Naruto's voice reverberates throughout the chamber. '_You know, it's super distracting having your commentary in my ear while I'm trying to have a conversation_.'

Not bothered, Kurama returns with just as much annoyance, '_**do you know how infuriating it is to listen to you reject a perfectly willing mate? You should be grateful I didn't try to rip this cage open**_.'

'_You and I need to have a serious talk about boundaries_,' Naruto replies.

'_**Yeah, yeah, I'm taking a nap**_,' Kurama grumbles

TENTEN

After opening the back access door of the Ten Out of Ten weapons shop for the blond, Haku leads the personable Naruto to the apartment upstairs. Spotting Tenten seated at the table, Naruto calls out to her, "yo," before looking around the two-bedroom apartment. Tenten knows her simple furniture and decor isn't much but he seems impressed. Rather than reply to the man she'll be intimate with, she gives him a short nod before focusing on the hot tea in front of her.

Looking around, Naruto comments to Haku, "I can't believe you're living here now."

As Haku grabs the teapot from the center of the table and pours Naruto a cup, he replies, "if I'm going to help Tenten, this is for the best."

The entire time, Tenten is staring at her steaming beverage, she's wondering about the blond; all the rumors the other shops spread, his hard upbringing, beating a monster like Zabuza, and still finding it within his heart to rescue her and her father. It isn't difficult to admire someone like that, but it conflicts with a boy who approves of Haku. Tenten doesn't know what it is about beautiful boys who treat her so frivolously, but she's starting to dislike it.

Tenten was so deep in thought, she missed Naruto taking a seat in front of her and asking, "Tenten-chan? Are you okay?"

Sitting up straighter, she nods weakly while answering, "I… yeah."

Haku takes his seat at the table as he begins saying, "I know you're busy with your training, but I was hoping you could spare some time to help me train Tenten."

"No problem," he quickly replied. "Just let me know when you want to spar."

Tenten tries not to take offense when Haku replies, "that won't be necessary right now. I'd like you to help in another way."

"If I can, you know I will," Naruto assures them.

"As you already know," Haku begins. "Traveling with Zabuza-sama since boyhood, I came across many types of shinobi. Some fearsome, some frightfully strong, others inept, and in your case, surprising and steadfast ninjas. Due to these encounters, I've been able to extrapolate a baseline of what the proper mindset might be to reach a superior level of success. I'd like you to help Tenten reach that mental fortitude."

Hearing Haku explain it like that in front of Naruto somehow feels a little different than when he explained to her when they were alone; Tenten nearly believed it had nothing to do with pimping her out. Naruto's puzzled countenance ends when he asks the bun-haired brunette, "is it like building up your confidence? Because I've helped with training like that."

"Even I don't know what this is," Tenten answered, which isn't completely true, but Tenten wants to hear what more Haku will say in front of their _supposed_ master.

"I don't know if you've observed this yourselves," Haku continues. "But I've come to believe that much of the education a shinobi gains comes _well_ before they first pick up a kunai or mold chakra. It's hard truths. In many, if not all, of my encounters with strong shinobi, the painful education one receives from life's negative experiences, often leads them down the path of greatness, whether good or bad. My childhood was far from ideal, as was Zabuza-sama's, and Naruto-sama's, and many other exemplary shinobi."

Feeling blindsided, a confused Tenten demands to know, "that's what you're basing this on?" Even if she didn't know all the shinobi in the village, she knew of one eternally youthful shinobi who's exceptionally strong. With fierce brown eyes, Tenten declares, "my sensei didn't have a horrible past and he's one of the strongest shinobi in all of Konoha, rivaling Kakashi-sensei. There! Your '_observation_' is wrong!"

Haku didn't seem bothered. Instead, he was surprised and that bothered Tenten before he asks, "you're his student and yet you don't know his past?"

Confused, Tenten cautiously asks, "know what?"

"Your sensei may be flamingly optimistic, but his past is no exception to my theory," Haku calmly claims. "Sometime after the Third Shinobi World War, the Seven Swordsmen of the time, Fuguki Suikazan, Jinin Akebino, Kushimaru Kuriarare, Raiga Kurosuki, Jūzō Biwa, and two others, cornered a Konoha team in the forest; your sensei among them. A young Might Guy and his team were rescued by Might Duy—his father—who fought all seven swordsmen by himself using an unknown, yet substantially powerful technique. Out of seven, only Fuguki, Jūzō, and Raiga survived and not without heavy injures."

"Wow," Naruto sounds. "I didn't know Guy-sensei's tou-chan was so strong."

"While Guy-sensei and his team ran, his father fought to protect them and died," Haku educates Tenten.

Defensively, Tenten questions, "how could you possibly know that?"

"Before Zabuza-sama," Haku starts. "Kubikiribōchō belonged to Jūzō Biwa, who suffered lasting damage from his battle with Might Duy. Before Jūzō lost his sword and his life to Zabuza-sama, he confessed what had happened and the name of the lone man, with steaming red aura, who nearly wiped out the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. It's not hard to imagine what leaving your father to die while you flee for your life might feel like, Tenten; how that might push a person like the eternally spirited Might Guy."

Tenten takes several moments to absorb this revelation, absentmindedly asking for the sake of speaking, "have you told Guy-sensei?"

"I've been debating if I should," Haku muses. "I wouldn't want to cause him needless pain."

"I think you should," Naruto proposes. "If it was my tou-chan, I know I'd want to hear it."

The sheer measure of empathy Tenten feels for her sensei only adds weight to Haku's point and Tenten isn't sure how she feels about that. Not only because she can't measure up in that category but also because she can't think of another strong shinobi who hasn't experienced horribly traumatic experiences. Defensively, she asks Haku, "is that really the same as being forced to kill your parents or practically being enslaved by your own family, or being an orphan in a village that hates you, or the orphaned survivor of a massacred clan?"

"To each their terrors," Haku plainly replies. "I can't say without speaking to Guy-sensei, but I wouldn't be surprised if his father meant the world to him. Nor have I spoken with Hyūga Neji or Uchiha Sasuke about their pasts but I'm certain they've matured drastically due to their experiences. In your case, your father's an idiot, but he's still alive. I cannot say anything about your mother, but even if I knew her story, I don't believe it's a driving force for you."

"Maybe," Naruto hums in deep thought. "I can't say my past doesn't push me every day to prove everyone wrong but it's a tough thing to prove."

"I'm certain there are exceptions," Haku acknowledges. "Geniuses and truly talented shinobi may not need a traumatizing inciting incident to drive them. My theory is ongoing but I've yet to meet someone who disproves it."

"Well, it's hard to live in our world without tragedy," Naruto proposes with a shrug, making Tenten wonder how true that is and if she qualifies. Naruto continues, "I still don't understand how I can help Tenten-chan."

"Misfortunes are owed in large part to the inexperience and naivety of youth," Haku begins to answer the both of them. "Trained in challenging truths, laborious grit, and the hard work we put into the day, even Tenten-chan can learn the theory of success. To put it simply, I feel Tenten would benefit from stoic maturity. So, while I train her in her physical abilities in every way I know, I'd like you to help her experience that maturation."

Looking stunned and amused, Naruto asks with disbelief, "help with maturity? From me? That's a new one, but, okay. How do you guys want to do this?"

"Tenten," Haku asks.

Hesitantly, Tenten struggles to answer, "…doing… a-adult… stuff." She can already feel her body temperature rise to prickly hot around her armpits, neck, and forehead.

Squinting his sky-blue eyes suspiciously, Naruto repeats, "_adult stuff_," before asking, "like what?"

Swallowing audibly, a fidgety Tenten blushes as she hesitates to answer, "full… bodied… massages… would be nice."

With a tone that's thick with accusation, Naruto asks, "Haku?" Tenten feels a spot of hope when Naruto questions, "why's it sound like Tenten's not up for this?"

'_Maybe_…' Tenten's mind wishes, hoping to get out of this.

Without a hint of guilt or culpability, Haku offers, "I suggested murdering a few homeless people, but she refused-"

Surprised, Naruto calls, "murdering homeless! Haku!"

"It was just a suggestion," the captivating boy insists.

Turning to Tenten, Naruto begs, "I know you want to get strong, but please don't murder anyone."

Calmly, Haku remarks to the blond, "Naruto-sama, you already know I don't care for killing. I simply want to train Tenten-chan to the best of my ability."

"There are other ways," Naruto argues, to which, Haku agrees.

"I'm sure there are," Haku voices as calmly as ever. "But I can't guarantee Tenten the true strength _**she**_ herself desires using those passive methods."

Seemingly frustrated with Haku, Naruto turns to the bun-haired maiden and assures her, "Tenten-chan, don't do anything you don't want to."

To which Haku casually comments, "yes, because the path to greatness never encounters anything you don't want to do."

Rotating toward his friend, Naruto frustratingly calls, "Haku-"

But the blond is interrupted when Haku bows to Naruto, voicing just as respectfully as he always does, "I know what you intend to say, Naruto-sama, and I admire you more for it. What I'm attempting to explain is, you already fit the theory, so you can't know what it's like without that drive. Not everyone is ready to accept greatness without conquering the adversity necessary to build that confidence. If Tenten graduated the Academy in Kiri, it means the girl before you would've already killed peers she's studied with just to survive. I don't mean to say Konoha needs to be like Kiri. I only mean to say they expose their ninja to life and death early and often to mold only the best. As a genin, your fight with Zabuza-sama brought you to the line between life and death." Turning to Tenten, Haku confirms to her, "I can't give you that because you are still a Konoha kunoichi and there would be ramifications that would affect Naruto-sama. But I'm giving you the next best thing I can think of. So for the last time, choose."

Through a thick cloud of denial, Tenten can't completely disagree with Haku. If she truly wants to be strong, he makes too many possible points to completely disregard. But she never imagined giving up that part of her to gain the strength. To then watch Naruto—someone who's also suffered—come to her defense suddenly, and unexpectedly felt galling. When Naruto proclaims, "she can choose but it doesn't mean I'm going to help do something she obviously doesn't want to," it provoked her. Like she needed protecting… again.

The image of Zabuza holding his butcher's blade to her neck, accusing her of being sheep, immediately made her mortified that she'd make such a fuss for something she'll eventually do in her life anyway. Her thoughts debate, '_like Neji says, only fate determines who the best will be_.' However looking at Naruto, the Dead-Last of his class, she remains confused. To her, they're all incredibly strong; '_even Lee, who was born with a demoralizing handicap_.' Neji, Naruto, Rock Lee, Guy-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-sama, and so many other strong shinobi; all with traumatizing pasts. '_And those without?_' Her deductive mind registers Sakura, Ino, Chōji, and many of the ninjas in her class, and beyond. This reality was crushing to her dream of being praised by grateful villagers for her ability and of men, including Neji, falling over themselves for a date with her.

As honest as ever, Haku assures Naruto, "I've said my piece, Naruto-sama. And were you to help or not, the request was never mine to make."

Naruto turns to her, assuring her, "don't listen to Haku. In his way, he means well but there are other ways of getting strong. You just keep training, and I'm sure you'll get-"

Abruptly, Tenten stands up, pushing her chair back to loudly scratch the wood floor. The boys look on expectantly, however, she remains quiet, deep in thought. She wonders who she is, who she wants to be, and the price it'll take to get there. The destination is clear but the road isn't, and before Haku's challenge, she's never once said, '_she'd do anything_,' and truly meant it. She's fought Haku and lost, Naruto and lost, her teammates always beat her, and she wouldn't even dream of challenging Zabuza.

Looking at Naruto, she knows Zabuza would never call him sheep and that twists her face in anger. It's a scary and uncertain step, but it's a step she's forcing herself to make for the future she wants. Additionally, she trusts Naruto, vividly remembering how she reached for him when she was afraid Zabuza would kill her. If Haku's theory turns out to be sound, and he's offering her Naruto to help, she feels just a tiny bit braver.

Taking a deep breath, she tells the blue-eyed blond, "yes, I'm nervous as hell, and scared." Her throat is so dry Tenten has to pause and swallow. "I'm new to all this and thought I'd be married when… it's a lot to ask, but… I _**won't**_ be sheep! I'm willing to do what it takes to be strong. So, if you can help me with this… Naruto… I'll be grateful… like, later in life. Right now, I can't think past my anxiety."

"And if I say no," Naruto proposes.

"Don't," Tenten earnestly pleads, planting her palms on the table. "I know we're inexperienced and that's scary, but it has to be you, please."

Pausing for several moments, Naruto voices, "you have to promise me you'll tell me the moment you want to stop. I want you to be sure."  
"I will and I am," Tenten nervously answers.

"And you have to promise me you'll always be honest with me, even if it's not something I want to hear," Naruto sternly adds.

It's a little shocking and uplifting to her that he would take this so seriously. With a stern nod, she answers, "I promise."

With a clear eye toward the bun-haired beauty, Haku adds, "because we don't go back on our word."

KURAMA

'_**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**_,' Kurama laughs entirely too much for Naruto's patience. As Naruto heads home for the night, the great beast celebrates, '_**back to two!**_'

Rolling his eyes, Naruto retorts, '_it's not two! It's just massages!_'

MABUI

Mabui used the day to recon the appropriate venue to execute her plan. She needed a place with a spacious enough dance floor, as well as booths for a bit of privacy. Additionally, she wanted a nightclub no ninja frequent. The last thing Mabui needs is an interruption by a Konoha shinobi, especially one who recognizes Naruto.

So close to the final contest of the Chūnin exam, the streets are packed with travelers, villagers, tourists, and general nomads. With her tight light-gray dress, Mabui takes a rickshaw to the club she picked and arranged a booth in. It's a tight fit with the other pedestrians, rickshaws, and carts, but she eventually spots the golden-blond hair of the spiky-headed boy waiting for her across the street from the civilian nightclub. The line to enter is long and curves around the building.

Stopping in front of Naruto, the blond's eye saucer as he hollers, "wow! …Mabui-chan…" Astonished blue eyes soak in every inch of her from top to bottom as she steps off the transportation. With her silky light-gray hair down over her honey-toned skin, Mabui chose a light-gray, thin strap, bodycon dress that stops three inches from the apex of her legs to keep the allure of a two-tone contrasting visual. Mabui was blessed with winning proportions so as long as her tight mini dress showed plenty of her amber cleavage and thighs, her curves would be all the seduction she needed fro her plan.

"Insanely gorgeous doesn't even come close to how amazing you look," he praises, adding, "I mean _**really**_… talk about a knockout."

"Why thank you, Naruto," Mabui hums, gratefully appreciating the compliment. In the crowded road, she instantly draws a lot of attention but she ignores them to shyly tell Naruto, "you're looking exceptionally dashing yourself. _Very_ good fit."

Though it took her some time to convince him muted orange was better than bright orange, she's glad that she did. The spice-orange athletic dress-shirt that shows off his strong shoulders was a fine color to pair with his black slacks, shoes, and vest. Mabui hates herself for doing so, but looking at such an alluring genius, she can't help but compare Naruto to her deceased fiance. Tensai's intellect was all she needed to love and adore him physically, but not only was he twenty years her senior, as a pure academic, his body was unhealthy and on the heftier side. He'd tire before long and they couldn't try many positions. The current genius arousing her womanhood is as fit as an alpha male can be, filling out and thinning his attire in all the right places.

"Thanks, but I feel naked without my Hitai-ate," Naruto laments, rubbing his bare forehead. "Plus, I don't normally think about what I wear. Though, I did like that orange and black one we found in the first store."

"As I said," Mabui starts, recalling the tactical black and orange jacket and pants. "For our mission, an outfit like that wouldn't work in a scene like this. If you like it for casual wear, you should go back and buy it."

"I think I will," he replies. Turning to the popular nightclub in front of them, Naruto asks, "Mabui-chan?"

"Mnn?"

He candidly points out, "we bought clothes and then you said to meet you here but you haven't explained the strategy."

"There's not much to it," she admits with a shrug, causing her fleshy mounds to jiggle in her tight mini-dress. "You and I are going to pretend to be a couple-"

Rounding blue eyes snap to her as he sputters, "wait, _**what**_? You didn't mention that!"

With a grin and a shrug, Mabui lightly claims, "I didn't think that'd be a problem. Unless… you mean I'm not your type-"

"Don't even go there," Naruto calls, waving her comment away. "There isn't a guy on this planet who wouldn't be drooling at the sight of you. I just- Are you okay with me? Acting like a couple means we have to be intimate, like, physically."

"I know," she easily answers, lazily twisting her body in place. "I give you permission to treat me like your girlfriend, and if I ever feel uncomfortable, I'll let you know."

Humming before hesitating to ask, "so… holding hands?"

"Yes," Mabui flatly puts.

"What if I touch you, like, hugging and massaging and kissing?"

With a playful tone of voice, Mabui asks, "what if _I_ touch _you_?"

He shakes his startled expression away quickly before playfully returning, "what if I like it?"

With a light humming-laughter, Mabui happily responds, "do whatever feels natural. If I don't say anything, assume I'm fine with it. Just don't hesitate."

Taken aback by her permission to be intimate, Naruto has to question, "just like that?"

"Just like that," she answers, adding, "you're a fine man, Naruto. This may be an act but we're both single and I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying this."

"Wow," he moans. "Doing this for me… when you don't have to. I feel incredibly lucky. Thank you."

Though in the middle of a deceptive mission, Mabui is thankful she doesn't have to be dishonest when she tells him, "it's nice to know I can return the sentiment. Since the beginning, I've felt like the lucky one to have met you."

Naruto matches her smile before turning to the bustling nightclub in front of them and asking, "so, what do we do?"

"First, we're going to enjoy ourselves," she insists. "You're too young to drink and I won't have any so that just leaves dancing. Can you dance?"

"Mnn, I've seen other people do it," he replies without embarrassment.

"It's easy," she assures him. "All you have to do is feel the music and move with it."

"And if I don't," he wonders out loud.

"Just move from side-to-side to the beat," Mabui instructs. "We'll be dancing together so I'll help out. Just trust me, I'll make sure you enjoy it."

"Alright," he agrees with a smile. "What else?"

"As a sociologist," the silver-haired scholar begins to explain. "I'm trained to understand human behavior by recognizing social cues and interactions. So while we're having a good time, I'll be searching the room for someone I estimate may be open to your- or for the purpose of this plan, I guess _our_ lifestyle, and will hear _us_ out."

"Then I talk to them? Like, how? I've never picked up girls before."

Assuming he has next to no experience with women—especially in a club scene—Mabui understandably enlightens him. "You're not '_picking up_' girls, Naruto. You're simply talking. It's like making friends except the end goal is slightly different, so don't worry about it too much. Just be a friend and if you see a chance to flatter or compliment her, take it."

As if resolving a difficult mental problem, he nods as he determines, "well, this feels like training, so, why not?"

"Training _with_ help," she corrects. "I may be playing your girlfriend but I'll also coach you in real-time or steer the conversation when needed."

Ignoring the men staring at Mabui, Naruto turns to her and asks, "so we're really doing this?"

"We are," she says, taking his hand in hers. Enjoying the warmth and strength of his fingers, she reassures him, "and don't be discouraged if it doesn't work out. However they react is perfectly fine and we can always try again another night."

Intertwining their fingers, Naruto responds, "right."

If Mabui hadn't purchased a booth and bottle service the day before, she and Naruto would've had to wait in line with the others outside due to the influx of people packing the village and resulting businesses. The nightclub Mabui and Samui located was closer to the heart of civilian sectors and more upscale than she would like. Though more expensive than a casual club, it did a better job of ensuring concealment and anonymity. The club had three levels with bars, booths, and a dance floor on each. All the rooms were dimly lit with many sources of low light; a decorative light bulb at the center of the table, glow-lights at the edges of the booth, warm lighting on the walls with lasers, strobes, and spotlights illuminating the dance floor, bars, and small tables.

As they were led to their booth, Mabui ignored the attention she easily drew in to enjoy the spectacle with Naruto. He didn't seem to pay any mind to the lascivious attention she was garnering, so either the male attention didn't bother him because he was confident or ignorant. Holding his hand as they're led to the second floor, Mabui then realizes he's likely enjoying the night for what it is; educational training.

Still, Mabui enjoyed the attention from the men and women, whether positive, negative, envious, horny, or lovestruck. She's especially giddy when she thinks of how brilliant the man whose arm she's holding is compared to everyone in the room. Having had wet-dreams of being with Naruto, this club play is so near to one of her many fantasies, the impact of it being real was irresistible, titillating, and arousing to the white-haired beauty.

Finally to their table on the second floor, overseeing the dance floor, Mabui purposefully accentuated her shuffle into the booth, jiggling her cleavage to get to the center. Though she played it like she didn't notice, she can sense Naruto was stunned until she looked at him to join her. He wasn't the only one to enjoy her dainty body-shifts in a tight and alluring dress, but he was the only allowed to join her. The way Mabui was enjoying herself with the blond genius made her reflect on her past and how different her life would've been had her fiance survived his heart attack.

Quickly stifling long lost hopes, Mabui decides to simply enjoy the night, starting by dragging Naruto onto the dance floor. Two men tried to greet her on the way but with quick apologies, they soon find themselves in the bumping heart of the music. Mabui fastens his arms around her slim waist, effectively pulling them together before she wraps hers around his neck. The moderately fast-paced and upbeat music was so loud she needed to yell, "just relax," for him to hear her.

With her guidance and his control over his body, it wasn't long before they found a rhythm that worked for them. Mabui made certain to sway to the beat against his strong body effortlessly and repeatedly fondling each other with their hot and flexing bodies. To her surprise, his firm hands would massage her lower back and hips, and she was not against the delightfully feeling at all. Dancing soon turned from instructive to fun and from the ceiling, the nightclub occasionally expelled thick plums of white gas, intensifying the lasers to the ecstasy of everyone on the dance floor.

From track to track, the dancing couple remained sealed to one another. The moisture in the air added a sheen to their skin and hair as their athletic, gyrating bodies canoodle to the pumping excitement of the music. Through the thin material of their outfits, the hypnotic Mabui easily felt his passion stirring between his legs and didn't know what to make of it. She could tell he was only semi-hard, but the circumference rubbing against her cheeks felt wider than she anticipated. When her mental alarm told her to expect Samui, Mabui was shocked forty minutes had gone by.

Sure enough, the blond bombshell entering the second level of the club was a bright beckon of beauty in the dim room of the homely, effortlessly drawing in the sight of anyone with a visible eyeline. Mabui easily stood out, with her body tight dress that showcased ninety percent of her caramel thighs, luminescent white hair splaying over her bare shoulders, and her exposed cleavage. Samui toped even her. The Kumo women had chosen a long-sleeved midnight black mini dress with a plunging neckline that put her robust cleavage and inner-side breasts on full display. Her short, silky blond hair and sharp, blue eyes made her feel like a force only the truly cocksure could survive. Even witnessing the stunning woman walk was a dazzling sight in itself.

Using their pre-existing encounter, the plan was simple; get Naruto near Samui. To test the blond genius in her arms, Mabui turns him around, and like many in the club, points to Samui gracefully walking toward the bar. As Mabui asks Naruto what he thinks, she finds it funny how many men fight to buy the stoic beauty a drink.

Naruto laughs, calls her, "crazy-pretty," then continues dancing.

The expressionless Samui effortlessly ignores every male advancement until the allotted time the Kumo kunoichi planned passes. After Mabui asks to rest, they return to their booth and talk about possible candidates in the room. As per their plan, Naruto and Mabui talk to a small pool of girls; quick compliments, followed by introductions, and a quick inquiry. Mabui makes certain none of them pan out, and eventually, she asks Naruto for a glass of cranberry juice while she visits the washroom.

Waiting behind a column for her cue, Mabui wonders how Samui is going to shake off the group of playboys around her. Fortunately, it's as easy as stepping on someone's foot, pretending to lose her balance and bumping into Naruto. Mabui's grateful his reflexes doesn't allow her cranberry juice to spill. Despite the men accusing Naruto of being careless, he apologizes with a few bows before leaving. Samui then flat-out rejects all the playboys before following Naruto.

Naruto is by their booth when Samui taps his shoulder and admits over the loud music, "I know you."

After his initial surprise, Naruto's face questions hers before he orates, "actually, you look familiar."

It was all the dialog they needed before Mabui lands right beside Naruto. Leaving no question that they're a couple, she wraps her left arm around his right arm—pressing her breast into the clear muscle groups of his arm—and in a playful voice, says, "I leave you for one minute and you're already talking to another girl."

Sliding his right hand around her waist forces her left arm around his neck as the jovial Naruto asserts, "I was not- well, not like _that_."

Without the accompanied facial expression, Samui's, "I'm sorry," didn't feel as genuine as it should. The bombshell then curtly asks, "is he your boyfriend?"

Smiling, Mabui squeezes him as she answers, "he is."

"I wasn't trying to steal him," Samui frankly states.

Playing off of the girl's straight face, Mabui asks, "are you sure? You're so gorgeous, I'd be tempted to let you."

Naruto's head whips back a little as his surprised eyes turn on her, asking, "Ma-chan?"

Surprised herself, she asks him, "Ma-chan?"

Innocently, he asks, "what? It's cute, just like you."

Shaking her smiling head of silver mane, she bows to Samui and introduces them. "I'm Mabui and this is my boyfriend, Naruto."

The popular blond beauty bows before very plainly returning, "Samui."

Mabui then asks, "would you like to join us, Samui-san? We have plenty of space. Or are you already here with friends?"

"No, friends," Samui candidly answers, just as stiffly adding, "I would like to join you."

"Well then…" Mabui calls out with a happy grin. "Let's get on the dance floor; just a little longer." Wrapping her arms around Naruto's right arm presses her supple breasts into his shoulders as she asks, "one more time… please?"

Naruto turns to Samui who nods her approval before he answers, "sure."

"I'll join you shortly," Samui says before leaving for the restroom.

"Great," Mabui calls, leading Naruto hand in hand to the dance floor. It's all apart of the plan, even pressing herself closer against him to dance. Silver and gold hair mesh together as their heads relaxed against each other. Her plush lips brush against his ear as she communicates, "I know some of the other girls haven't panned out, but I think it's a good sign that Samui-san accepted sitting and dancing with us."

Mabui loves the way his hand caresses up her graceful neck, combing her silky white hair with his strong fingers and massaging her scalp before he voices in her ear, "how come?"

They're slowly swaying to the music as she explains, "that little joke I made about letting her steal you didn't make her uncomfortable, which doesn't say much by itself, but of all the ways to react to that joke, hers seems promising."

As envisioned, Samui joins them and starts awkwardly to prompt Mabui to help her. For Naruto's benefit, the girls dance together as Mabui says over the loud music, "just listen to the tempo of the music; that's your timing to move." Mabui's dancing was nothing advanced or choreographed, but fortunately, ninjas are masters of their body and timing, and Samui is no different. "Good, just do what I'm doing," Mabui voices while dancing with Samui. "Start with the feet, add the knee movements, then sway your hips… here, lean on Naruto. It'll be easier."

Every straight male with a clear view, near or from afar, is furious at the sight of the luckiest blond boy in the world dancing with the top two beauties in the popular nightclub. Samui is leaning against Naruto—her head pressing against the side of his—as she sways and rocks her voluptuous body on the man while Mabui tops the Samui-sandwich, holding Samui's hands throughout her close up dance.

Using her attention to detail, Mabui observes how aroused Naruto is. With Samui's back leaning low against his chest, it's impossible **not** to see down her exposed and freely swaying cleavage, and with Mabui dancing in front of Samui, Naruto's dilated vision is filled with two voluptuous and lust-provoking women very nearly dry-humping him. Feeling Samui's apple-bottom rubbing down to up against his crotch, Naruto's face quickly turns panicked and strained, as if he's trying very hard not to blow in his pants.

Taking pity on him, Mabui suggests they sit. After Naruto slides in their low-lit booth, Mabui sits right beside him before swinging her toned and glossy legs over his lap, leaning forward so she can rest her head against his shoulder. Samui takes his other side, though not as close. Having caught Naruto eying Samui, Mabui asks, "Naruto?" They're very close and when he turns to her, his clean, handsome face fills her vision when she playfully says, "I know she's beautiful but it's rude to stare."

"Sorry," Naruto abashedly replies. Turning to Samui, he explains, "it's just… I know you from somewhere and it's driving me crazy."

"We never officially met," Samui replies. "I was Ōyashiro-san's bodyguard."

"That's right," Naruto huffs in relief. "You were there when I fought Zabuza-jiji."

Crossing her fit legs, Samui nods before asking, "what happened to him?"

"Zabuza?" With a shrug, he answers, "not sure. Haven't seen him since. How about Ōyashiro? I felt bad I couldn't sell him the sword."

It was planned for Samui to appear sad or troubled when she responds, "he fired me as his bodyguard before leaving Konoha." Instead, she seems indifferent to being fired and left behind. Mabui's mind gripes, '_how am I supposed to work with that?_'

Fortunately, Naruto responds, "that sucks! What an asshole! Why would he do that?"

"I don't know," Samui plainly states. Mabui blinks in morse code, '_elaborate_.' Samui then adds, "he left me here… and I've been alone ever since."

Internally Mabui sighs at Samui's blunt discourse, however, Naruto seemed fine as he responds, "well you're not alone anymore."

The three engage in general small talk about Konoha's weather, jobs, and hobbies before Samui asks how they met. After Mabui explains their chance encounter in the library, she curls closer to Naruto as she confesses to Samui, "you see, I absolutely love intelligent men; to the point that it's a fetish for me."

Expressionless, Samui questions, "you do?"

Leaning up, Mabui places her soft, juicy lips against the hot skin of his neck, imagining the arteries sending oxygen-rich blood cells to his mammoth of a brain. He leans into her warm kiss before she repositions her full lips to suck on his skin a moment. When she pulls away, he's caressing her legs over his lap as she answers Mabui, "they excite me more than anything."

"You must be quite intelligent, Naruto," Samui manages to hum with surprise.

"I don't know about that," Naruto bashfully admits. "I'm a little better than most at Fūinjutsu but that's about it."

"No," Samui disagrees without animosity. "I was present when you defeated a renowned missing-nin from Kiri. You're strong as well."

Snug against Naruto, Mabui asks, "what about you? Any man in your life? Maybe back home?"

Though Mabui's mind prays that Samui is tactful in her phrasing, the blond beauty answers, "I've experienced sexual activity on nine separate occasions."

Mabui's mind yells, '_too blunt!_'

In an unexpected moment, however, Samui shares in a genuine way, "thus far, the experience isn't… how I've heard others describe."

Mabui's training instantly kicks in, narrowing her green eyes and closing in on the moment by asking, "what were you expecting?" It's a small deviation from the plan, but one Samui is going to have to accept, because as the blond captain likes to say, '_it's for the mission_.'

Samui hesitates in deep thought as she answers, "more… impact."

"Emotionally?" Rather than answer, Samui simply nods. Mabui then professes, "emotional connection can be a very difficult thing for some people. Is there anyone you love? It doesn't have to be romantic."

"My brother," Samui answers, warming Mabui's heart.

Naruto leans into Mabui, apparently touched as the silver-haired beauty continues to orate, "as humans, we place an intensely high value on love. It's easy to believe that love makes us fundamentally human, but for those that have a harder time feeling and expressing love, it can make us feel anxious or alien, like we're not normal. All because we believe we're not experiencing love the way we ''_ought_'' to."

Without asking, Samui speaks of her own accord, detailing, "I've been told in order to be a decent person, I should be in a sexual relationship and constantly thrilled to be with the other person."

Horrified to hear that—and secretly planning on learning that person's name—Mabui precisely guesses, "but you couldn't, could you?" Though cognizant of how far they've departed from the plan, Mabui trusts that Naruto will respond more to a genuine interaction then pre-planned talking points. He's always struck her as empathetic, and as this is Mabui's operation, she continues assuming of Samui's experiences, "you couldn't act like you didn't feel."

After Samui nods affirmatively, Naruto states, "I used to think that's how you were supposed to love too. Crave to see them every day. Always want to ask them out, always hugging and kissing and just want to be together; I never _did_ get past the asking out part though. Still, turns out there's more to loving someone than that romantic love."

"Very true," Mabui chimes before adding, "plenty of people focus far more on idealized love than they should, because without that, it can feel like they're not decent, sane, or normal, which is, of course, incorrect. That's only one of three basic aspects of love; each with their own virtues and seasons that can powerfully extend our sense of what love can mean. Eros, Philia, and Agape. Eros is the powerful attraction we feel at the beginning of a relationship. Popular romantic love says that your entire relationship should be sustained by Eros, but that's not practical. Like all things, that sexual intensity wains over time, and at that point, a relationship can either die or evolve into Philia. Philia is a warm, loyal, friendship type of love." Tilting her head up to Naruto, Mabui sneaks in, "that's what our polyamory is heavily based on."

"Polyamory," Samui curiously repeats.

Mabui waves it away as she continues, "Philia is a great foundation to base marriages on. It's a touching nuance to a union, like a partnership. Essentially, being in love without having to constantly validate the relationship. Sadly, many Eros-based relationships don't reach this point and vice versa. The final type is Agape and that's the kind of love one might have for the flaws and weaknesses in all of us. Basically, compassion and forgiveness for others even if they've wronged you."

Thoroughly impressed, Naruto squeezes her athletic calf muscles with pleasurable finesse as he compliments, "jeez, intelligence really is sexy."

Looking affectionately into his kindly sky-blue eyes, it feels completely natural to Mabui, the way they lean into each other and experience their very first kiss. He isn't overly aggressive or wet or uncoordinated and his warm lips knew how to suck, press, and tilt in perfect synergy with her; even his nose seemed to caress hers. Feeling the command and confidence behind his lips impresses Mabui more than she expected for someone so young. The honey-skinned beauty is actually disappointed when he pulls away, forcing her to remember where they are and what she's doing.

Mabui's warm and tingling when Samui admits, "you are both sexy. And polyamorists?"

Concerned, Naruto turns to Mabui to answer, however, this moment was his and she nods for him to take the lead. He chuckles nervously before admitting to the blond bombshell, "as you can see, I have a gorgeous girlfriend. She's wicked smart and really kind and I'd be happy every day if it's just us, but, if _**we**_ were lucky enough to find another person to we'd both love, we can be a bigger family. So even though I'd be happy with a two-person relationship, I think we'd be even happier with a three or four-person relationship in which we all love each other." Naruto turns to Mabui with questioning eyes and she responds with a smile and nod of her lovely head.

"So, as an example," Samui dispassionately voices, "if I were in a relationship with you, I would also be in a loving relationship with Mabui-san?"

"Yeah," Naruto answers. "And like Ma-chan said, it could be Eros, Philia, or Agape. I get that it's not for everyone-"

"You're right, it isn't," Samui interrupts, and Mabui can feel Naruto tense under her legs. "However, I'm not against it." With Naruto's surprise, the silence stretches long enough that Mabui morse code's, '_more_.' Taking a breath, Samui adds, "if love is indeed more than romantic gestures… If an emotional connection can be built on loyalty and friendship… it _appears_ that is something I can offer."

"That's good. Don't _**ever**_ believe you have to act a certain way to be in love," Mabui voices before asking the titular question. "Do you think a polyamorous relationship is something you'd be interested in?"

Mabui can feel Naruto's body heat heighten as Samui considers her response before answering, "with others, no. With you both… yes." Though it's mostly part of the plan, Samui feels genuine to Mabui. She can only assume it's because of the honesty the stoic beauty shared with them rather than any true agreement. Still, the three are silent so long, Samui asks, "did I say something wrong?"

"No," both Naruto and Mabui quickly answer. Mabui takes the lead to assert, "I was simply thinking that tea at my place would be a better setting to talk. I mean, it's not as if any of us are drinking or eating here."

"That's true," Naruto hastens to add. "Dancing's fun but I'd rather train or eat."

Without hesitation, Samui comments, "I like training as well." Turning to Mabui, Samui asks, "should I get my coat?"

With a nod, Mabui answers, "we'll settle the bill and meet you out front."

The minute Samui is out of earshot, a perplexed Naruto groans in genuine disbelief as he asks, "uuwwaahhhh! Ma-chan, did she really just agree to this?"

Playing along, Mabui slowly answers, "that's what it looks like."

Lost, he asks, "…so …what do we do?" Mabui moans an uncertain sound for a moment before Naruto blurts out, "I didn't think this would actually work!"

"Okay, okay," Mabui replies, settling him with her hands massaging his strong shoulders. "We could tell her the truth, but, I won't lie to you, I'm not a fan of that. If she seemed more… sound-of-mind, I'd tell her the truth. Unless she's always like that, it looks like it's taking her a lot of courage to be here."

"Either she has the best poker-face in the world or she's _really_ nervous," Naruto chimes.

"If we reject her now," Mabui continues her play. "She might not have the courage to be this open again."

"…Maybe," Naruto thoughtfully admits. "But I don't want her to hate us later for lying to her now."

Going in for her best argument, Mabui claims, "I know we said this would practice and she doesn't know that, but that's not much of a lie if she's essentially doing the same thing."

Befuddled, he starts to ask, "how do you know she's doing the same-" Cutting himself off, he seems to have come to the answer she was hoping for. "Oh, because she's not from Konoha."

"If she's not from here, she may not have any intention of staying," Mabui points out. "This could be just as much of a passing opportunity for her as it is for us. On top of that, she's positively stunning and seems genuinely interested, if not curious, about the polyamorous lifestyle."

"But you're not," Naruto points out.

"Well, I _did_ say I'd help," Mabui replies, humming a moment before adding, "and personally, I'm neither for or against it… as long as it's with the right people."

"Wait, really-"

"We can't stand here and debate this forever or she'll begin to worry," she points out. "Looking at her, my professional opinion is telling me she's not ready for this. So how about we keep going, and when she backs down, we just talk over tea or part ways."

Naruto hums a moment before answering, "sounds good." Mabui turns to leave when Naruto halts by taking her hand and calling, "and Ma-chan?" Her silky-light gray whips around her caramel shoulders as she turns to him and is surprised when his sly smile confesses, "this might be the cranberry juice talking but you're a hell of a kisser."

Mabui couldn't keep the broad smirk from her face and abruptly decides to kiss him. It's unnecessary but his lips are warm and somehow adept at making her feel a shooting thrill up her core. Kissing him makes her wonder if the amazing feeling is her fetish for geniuses supplying the additional fervor or they're more compatible than she previously realized. Feeling herself succumbing to excessive arousal, Mabui pulls away with a moist '_chu_' and prances happily away without looking back.

As per Samui's timetable, the three make it to the small studio room they quickly rented for Mabui within the margin of error. The building they found is in the civilian sector for the moderate to low income villagers. It's not the worst area to walk through, but nor is it wonderful. With its plain off-white walls, the cozy little room uses every available space. The right wall stations the small bathroom next to the small stove, sink, and refrigerator. The opposite wall is fixed with the only window in the room and the closet with combined shelves for books, materials, and scrolls. Mabui has her futon and plush comforter on the tatami floor against the farthest wall.

The cozy third-floor corner room with a half kitchen and bathroom wouldn't appear appealing to most visitors and that's the point. Mabui living in luxury would contradict with Naruto's upbringing and her training assures her that his consideration strongly gravitates toward the downtrodden due to his unpleasant past. In addition to the sympathy he'd likely feel for her, there's also no hiding in the single room. If anything happens, it'll be in full view of the other.

For privacy, Mabui, Samui, and a disgruntled Atsui spent the morning sound-proofing the room, so when Mabui freely speaks, "welcome to my humble home," she's not worried about neighbors listening in. The silver-haired beauty then asks Naruto to set the foldout table in the middle of the room while she puts their coats away.

"Every time I come here, it reminds me of where I used to live," Naruto remarks, reminding Mabui about how he used to live while simultaneously acting the boyfriend.

Looking around, an apathetic Samui surmises, "this room is optimal for someone unwed and without children."

Preparing the kettle, Mabui wonders if that's supposed to be a compliment as she weakly replies, "…thanks." Fortunately, Naruto seems to be entertained by Samui's indifferent character.

After the table is set in the middle, Naruto's unexpected manliness surprises Mabui by gliding up behind her, sliding his fingertips across her sensitive sides and stomach into a full-on hug from behind as he softly asks, "need any help?"

Truly starting to wonder about his level of experience, a thrilled Mabui returns the affection. Bending her knees, she playfully arches her butt into his crotch as she answers, "get the cups and sit down, you. We have company, so behave."

He grabs the three teacups atop the small refrigerator and sets them on the table as he asks Samui about her training. Mabui is content to let them discuss different training strategies until the green tea is ready. Taking her place beside Naruto, her tight bodycon dress would only allow her to lean against his chest—resting her silky-haired head against his nape—while her long caramel legs pressed together to the side. Mabui asks from the premeditated script, "so how long will you be in Konoha, Samui-san?"

With a blank expression, Samui answers, "I don't know. I'm attempting to save for my return trip home, but I've been forced to leave my current hotel."

"Why," Naruto asks as he plants his palms on the floor behind him to lean back so Mabui can rest easier against his chest.

"In my first hotel," she starts recounting. "Someone broke in while I was away and stole my belongings. In this latest one, the owner allowed me to stay three days, free of charge, before attempting to trade my continued stay for sexual favors."

Naruto is naturally upset and ready to ask about the fictional owner when Mabui pushes on to ask, "wait, so where are you staying tonight?"

"I still have some ryō left," Samui starts. "I can afford a short-stay hotel while I figure out my next steps."

"That's terrible," Mabui soulfully expresses. She doesn't even turn to Naruto before deciding, "I won't have it! You're staying here with me, Samui-san. Until you can get your affairs in order."

Tilting his head and extending his neck so he can see the side of her honey-toned face, Naruto asks, "Ma-chan?" She tilts her head to look up at him as he asks, "are you sure?"

"Of course," Mabui claims. "I have a knack for people and I can tell Samui-san is a good person."

"I mean, I think so too, but, you just met," Naruto hesitates to point out.

"He's correct," Samui flatly concurs, dully stating, "I'm also a trained assassin. However, having witnessed your fight against Zabuza, I would never think of incurring your wrath by killing your love."

"I… thanks," Naruto simply replies.

Bowing, Samui coolly asserts, "for your kindness, I promise no harm will come to you."

"Well, thank you, but I can take care of myself," Mabui hotly informs the strong blonds before merrily adding, "and don't take him too seriously Samui-san. Naruto's just sad we'll have to go to his place now."

Naruto chuckles and drops his sound argument. If they truly had been dating, Mabui would certainly appreciate Naruto watching out for her safety, but Mabui can't have him thinking too much about this. To distract him, Samui continues the script by telling them, "I don't mind."

Mabui and Naruto catch each other's eye for a moment before turning to Samui and asking in unison, "don't mind what?"

"If you have sex while I'm here," Samui passively answers and it still amazes Mabui that Samui can say something like that without expressing any emotion.

"Really?" Mabui asks.

"As you can tell, I'm not very emotive," Samui admits. "While that has disadvantages, it also means I'm a decisive person."

"So you'd truly be fine if, let's say, I was kissing Naruto in front of you," Mabui asks with full knowledge of the answer.

"You already have," Samui points out, answering, "but yes."

"Sorry, Samui-san," Mabui continues. "This is just new to us. As in you're the first girl we've met who's _ever_ expressed an interest in polyamory."

"I understand," she responds. They planned this crucial moment for Samui to take the lead. As Naruto isn't a player or experienced, Mabui expected he'd be hesitant to initiate anything with women who's attractiveness can be intimidating. Mabui made certain Samui knew that she would have to be the one to push them over the edge. So, as planned, Samui asks, "would you be opposed if I kissed you, Mabui-san?"

Mabui pretends to be surprised then flattered. While Samui is the initiator, Mabui has to be the one to show Naruto it's okay. She eyes Naruto for several moments, as if truly considering it, before smiling softly and nodding to Samui; much to his continued surprise. Purposely sitting on the other side of Naruto—leaning toward him so their dresses don't hike past their nether region—Mabui and Samui lean in, assuring he has the best view of the gorgeous women pressing their moist plump lips together.

'_Soft_,' Mabui thinks as she tentatively kisses the stoic woman. Though Samui's lips are sweetly gentle, the blond stunner is clearly the passive type, letting Mabui take the lead. When they were planning this portion of the plan, Mabui instructed her captain to try and follow her cues, so when she prompts Samui to open her mouth a bit, or tilt her symmetric head, or follow her in-and-out rhythm, Samui obeys.

To her unforeseen disbelief, Samui's submission heavily excited Mabui. To think of dominating someone this strong, smart, and beautiful, but also fragile was like a forbidden thrill she wasn't expecting of herself. She suddenly felt more demanding, taking the blond's yielding mouth and doing whatever she likes; sucking, nibbling, and licking. Mabui felt such a growing rapture in taking the submissive Samui's tender lips, that she didn't mind continuing.

Samui must've been keeping track of the time because Mabui is surprised when she pulls away, forcing Mabui to ponder the depth of her rising arousal as a thin trail of saliva stretches and breaks between them. Breathing heavy, both women gaze into each other's half-lidded eyes and Mabui won't deny she liked it. She's only kissed one other woman in her life and that was for the visual benefit of her older fiance. She felt nothing then, but she also wasn't as sexually charged as she feels now. Flickering her eyes down, she can tell Naruto is aroused as she is.

The gorgeous woman then turns to a blushing Naruto and asks, "may I kiss you?"

Three aroused and impassioned faces are inches away from each other as a blushing Naruto looks out of his peripheral for approval or consent. Either way, Mabui nods and Naruto kisses Samui. It's Mabui's turn to watch Naruto take command of Samui's supple lips. His hand clasps just under her jawline as he tilts their merged lips and pulls her in so their noses are side by side. In the process, Samui's godly chest is pressed against his, making the oblated bubble of side-boob look erotically appetizing. Mabui clamps her hot caramel thighs together, feeling her frustrated womanhood dampen and yearn for attention as she observes her genius completely take her captain's lips. He wasn't being forceful, Samui was simply that submissive, and Mabui was getting wet with anticipation.

The plan is for Samui to next place her hand on his erection but Mabui is growing impatient. Watching them, the amped woman licks her lips in heighten anticipation. She wasn't sure if she was expecting a short kiss or if Samui is simply dedicated, but it took much longer than she expected. Mabui is pondering jumping in the kiss herself when Samui finally proceeds to the next step of the plan. The moment her blond captain slides her hand up his thigh toward his tightly constrained erection, he breaks away just as Mabui asserts, "wait!"

Naruto acted as Samui predicted and continues the play, raising a palm apologetically as she tells the blonds, "sorry, I didn't mean to yell." Placing her hand protectively on Naruto's strong thigh, she adds, "it's just, where your hand was going made me feel territorial for a moment."

"I understand," Samui plainly states, and without the appropriate facial expression, Naruto and Mabui are forced to take her word for it.

"Maybe we should just get ready for bed, instead," a bothered Mabui suggests without any intention of sleeping. Naruto looks pained to hear it as Mabui tells Samui, "there are clothes in the bathroom if you'd like to shower and change into something more comfortable."

Peeling away her large breasts from his chest, the blond replies, "thank you," before leaving the pair.

They wait until they hear the shower running before a shocked and aroused Naruto whispers, "wow!"

"She's certainly… different," Mabui remarks.

Still whispering, Naruto asks, "what do we do?"

Placing her palm over his pounding heart, Mabui asks, "first, did I cross a line?"

"No," he quickly answers. "I'm fine- shocked, but fine. You?"

"I'm shocked her lips were so soft," Mabui nearly moans to say. Naruto's widened eyes has her add with a hint of embarrassment, "_ah_, but yes, I'm fine. Would you mind staying a bit longer? I don't think anything is going to happen but I'd feel safer with you here."

It was her hope he'd offer to stay, however, he says, "I don't mind, but if you're not comfortable then we should ask her-"

"No, no, I'm fine, really," Mabui insists, leaning in as she eyes his lips and blurts, "maybe I just want to kiss you again." He leaned in with animalistic instinct before retaining control in the last second and backing away again. In front of a hot woman with a raging hard-on; she'd be impressed with his restraint if she didn't need him to break it.

Looking at her curiously, he asks, "Ma-chan?"

"Kami, what am I say," Mabui giggles with head-shaking embarrassment. "I feel giddy. But that's-" Taking a breath she whispers, "I'm sorry. It's just… it's been _**soo**_ long since the last time I've… and I'm single… and you have such an amazing brain…"

Curious, Naruto softly asks, "is that a real thing? You said it was called-"

"Sapiosexual," Mabui sheepishly answers. "Someone who finds intelligence and the human mind to be the most sexually attractive feature for a potential sexual relationship." Naruto's long whistle of disbelief makes her shoulder shove him, groaning with embarrassment. "Moh, Naruto. This isn't something I can help."

"Hey, I'm fine with it," Naruto answers with a wry grin. Hugging her tightly, Naruto asks, "so how does that turn you on? Like what's specifically arousing about it?"

Growing mortified, Mabui calls out, "this _**is**_ embarrassing, you know." He shushes her for fear of Samui hearing, then Mabui answers, "things like… when you explain ideas you have with Fūinjutsu."

"Really," he whispers in her ear, making her feel his hot voice down to her toes as he elaborates. "Like if I explain how I can use Fūinjutsu to create accelerated healing seals that can heal a person from almost any physical injury by designing a system of arrays that can convert chakra into a fibrous connective protein. That holds the cells together while turning the injured area into stem cells that can differentiate and divide everything from skin and bone to muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. You mean like that?"

Her beautiful green eyes were large by the end of his intellectual pussy-stroke. His every whispered word tickled her into a bundle of frenzy until Mabui giggles excitedly as she snuggles up to him, answering breathlessly, "yes! Kami, yes. How do you know that?"

Snickering, Naruto honestly answers, "I have no idea. It's like when I think about a problem and then I think about Fūinjutsu, an answer just pops into my head."

Pressing her soft pliant body against his muscular frame, Mabui excitedly asks, "do you understand all of it; the details? Like, that fibrous connective protein you mention is collagen. A third of our bodies is made of it."

"Unless it has to do with the seal," Naruto stipulates before finishing, "not really. I just know it'll work."

Pressing the bridge of her cute nose under his jawline and the concave of her closed eye into his hot neck while inhaling his brilliant scent, Mabui pleads for more. "What else? What else do you just know?" She used to be this demanding with her fiance and become just as aroused. It turned her on so much she didn't care how short sex with him was. His brain made it feel fantastic.

Smiling, he continues to edify her throbbing sensibilities. "Besides other body augmentation seals, like to enhance vision, hearing, smell and other senses, there's energy manipulation seals. With Fūinjutsu, I know I can create a seal that fuses light atoms into one. Since the total mass of the new atom is less than that of the two that formed it, and as described by the equation E=mc², the 'missing' mass is given off as energy. There's enough energy to could power whole villages."

Rubbing her soft vibrating body against him, Mabui corrects him. "You! _**You**_ could power whole villages… _mmn_, with that big, thick brain of yours…" Lightly mewling into his pulsing neck, a wanton Mabui didn't need any more to jump him. Her hot body was buzzing from head to toe in sparkling euphoria.

She was already wet and yearning to be churned, but the toasty warm body of Naruto holds her tighter as he whispers, "one of the ideas I like to play with is Space/Time Seals; gravity manipulation, dimensional pockets, and something you saw me crack in a few minutes, teleportation seals like the Heavenly Transfer technique." Eyes fluttering open, Mabui holds her breath as he whispers in her sensitive ear, "from memory, I figured out the teleportation station you place an object on is a matter tweezer that traps atoms. The platform works with the contract and your chakra to create a statically charged chakra vacuum that compresses and transmits anything you want anywhere on this planet."

Mabui tilts her dilated orbs to look up into his confident blue eyes and acting on pure instinct alone, she locks her hungry mouth to his like a magnet, fusing their lips together. There's little point thinking about the plan now because Mabui can't think beyond the word, '_**SEX**_.' Her tongue was in his mouth and her hot-blooded womanhood was pulsing for thick friction. Without breaking their locked lips, Mabui slides and shifts onto his lap, forcing her bodycon dress to ride up her grinding hips and toned waist. On his lap, swallowing his mouth from above him, the enraptured beauty could only react innately to her fetish: She wanted his cock. She needed him inside her. She wanted to breed.

When they part for much-needed oxygen, Naruto huffs, "as long as you know we can stop whenever-"

After enough air, Mabui takes his lips again, wrapping her arms around his neck and incessantly caressing his silky blond scalp with her fingertips. Back and forth, their hungry tongues dive into each other's open maw sucking and massaging each other, however, it wasn't sloppy. Somehow, Naruto knew how to direct her need so their locked mouths and tongue danced sensually; without too much saliva or teeth. It was perfect.

Upon their next break for air, Naruto heaves in between asking, "and… we can talk after-"

"Yes, yes," Mabui interrupts, thinking of nothing more than chasing that hot throbbing feeling. "Now shut up and kiss me!"

He complied as quickly as the thrill building in her humping crotch was building. Burning with need, she's certain her love nectar has seeped through the tent of his pants, but she can't think past how hard he is. Moaning, she rode his restrained erection as she made out with him moving closer to a grand release when her carnal spell is finally broken with Samui's, "I apologize for the interruption."

Clean, citrus-scented, and in a gray and white hooded sweater that barely restrains her large breasts or covers her privates, Mabui didn't sense her captain until she was speaking right next to them. In looking at the picturesque blond, Mabui finally found a benefit to her expressionless face; she didn't have to see a sassy expression essentially accusing her of having _**too much**_ fun. Instead, she evenly explains, "I tried calling out."

"Sorry," a blushing Naruto sheepishly replies.

Getting up, Mabui's heavily-lidded eyes watch Naruto as she slowly shifts her dress to cover her thonged womanhood. The way he gazes hungrily at the honey leaking down her toned caramel thighs unquestionably clinches her determination to squeeze every ounce of genius juice from his throbbing pleasure-stick. She doesn't even have to pretend to want him for Kage and country and orders her blond captain, "keep him warm for me," as she rushes to the bathroom.

Gripping the sink tightly, Mabui tries to calm her lust while her mind yells, '_why the hell was I fighting this! Thank you, Kubikiribōchō!_' To Mabui, this is kismet. Samui ordered her to prostitute herself, Darui and A-sama endorsed it, and now Mabui wants to indulge more than they would be comfortable with.

The plan was for her to take a shower to give Naruto enough time with Samui, but Mabui was too hot to wait. She felt fevered; having gone too long without a genius inside her and she prays to Kami the boy will last longer than her fiance could.

Slipping out of her dress, thong, and bra, Mabui splashes cool water on her fevered face to soothe the rough pangs of desire stimulating all her pleasure zones. She then slides on nothing more than her gray silk lingerie nightgown; the easiest thing to hike up or rip off. She dots a bit of peach perfume on her neck and runs her fingers through her silver mane to add just the right amount of volume before exiting the small washroom to the scene of Samui making out with Naruto while straddling his lap.

'_She's not even grinding against his erection_,' Mabui's salacious mind points out. With an abrupt clarity, Mabui remembers the stoic beauty's difficulty with intimacy and decides to help Samui first while she still has the presence of mind to do so—'_because if he says one more astonishing revelation about Fūinjutsu, I'm going to fucking lose it!_' Walking behind the straddling blond woman, Mabui knows Samui wasn't wearing anything under the hooded sweater.

Recognizing the possibilities of triggers, Mabui softly voices, "Samui-san," before physically touching her back. Looking down on them, Samui lazily pulls away from Naruto as Mabui rubs her shoulder blades and traps. "Don't you think we should help Naruto out of his clothes?"

Samui stands up before helping Naruto to his feet. His whiskered cheeks were flaming and his eyes were black with unbridled desire, yet Mabui can tell he was going to speak more unnecessary words. Shaking her head—smoothly shifting the bangs of her silk mane over her face—she presses a finger to his lips as Samui takes her position behind him. Mabui kept constant eye contact with him as she lowers herself to her knees, teasing the waistband of his slacks with her delicate fingers. Subtly like that seems to escape Samui as she smoothly and efficiently unbuttons his black vest and spice-orange dress shirt before sliding them off his arms, breaking any allure Mabui may have been building. With a sigh, Mabui hopes Samui is, at least, pressing her large breasts against his back.

Without eye contact, Mabui resigns herself to taking off his black slacks—an effort in itself with his erection—and is completely shocked when his thick, nearly eight-inch cock is set free. '_Fuck me_,' her mind gasps. After all the times she's been pressing her round ass cheeks against him, she surmised he was above average, but seeing his monster member spring up in front of her face, her mouth flooded as much as her lower mouth did.

"Oh, he's quite big," Samui's voice from over his shoulder interrupts her stupor. '_Far bigger than Tensai's penis,_' Mabui's mind adds. '_Naruto may not have the most alluring looks, but he certainly won this lottery!_'

In front of her face, her senses are bombarded with the heat of his thick appendage. The sight of it throbbing and leaking pre-cum from his prominent crown, the tasty pheromones of his meat… Mabui mindlessly leans in, taking the base of his pulsing manhood with her hand before dragging her saliva-covered tongue up the underside to the very tip, tasting his leaking man-milk.

'_…the tangy taste of a genius_,' her fetish-fragile mind reminds her before she rushes in for more.

Her lips varnish his knob as her saliva-covered tongue licks his tip to his audible delight. His groans only seem to make her hungrier and she massages his base and balls with her hands as her vacuum-mouth feasts on more dick than she could've anticipated. Sinking her sliver head until he's against the back of her throat, she couldn't believe how many inches of bloated shaft was left. She guesses she can take four inches but she wants all of it. Pulling away, she barely gets a glimpse of Samui making out with Naruto up top before she fills her oral cavity with his cock once again. She's determined to take as much of his meat as she could, sucking and licking his shaft with unreserved glee. Soon, Mabui is bobbing her head on his hot cock with reckless abandon.

The slurping, humming, and moaning only excited her, and Mabui was happy to suck on his cock forever. When her jaw began to ache, she felt his hands run through her hair before gripping it tightly.

He moans, "Ma-chan," and the quick pull of her hair made her glutinous for more. She wanted her creamy prize and was sucking him in whilst massaging his large balls.

He yells, "I'm _mmn_, almost!"

Gripping her head tight, he gasps before ejaculating a thick stream of gelatinous seed into her starving throat. Load after load of his thick cum shot to the back of her throat, more than what she could handle and she pulls away as more ejaculate splatters her gorgeous face and hair.

'…_So much_,' Mabui's mind moaned in ecstasy. To her surprise, he was still fully erect and throbbing, only more excited to continue. '_Sorry Tensai, Darui, I'm going to enjoy this too much_,' Mabui's dazed and entranced mind diagnoses.

Samui takes off her hoodie as Mabui gathers the creamy treasure off of her face with a finger and swallows it. Between the buoyant bounce of the nude Samui's double D-sized breasts and a high Mabui lapping his cum from her fingers, Naruto's love muscle thickened even harder.

MABUI, SAMUI, AND NARUTO

Without hesitation, an incredibly aroused Naruto takes Samui's hand and leads her to lay down on the futon. It's been over a week since the last time he's had sex, and the promise of helping Sakura has only made him more eager to sate his hunger. With his unparalleled energy, two dazzling women, and Kurenai's education, Naruto knows he won't be sleeping tonight.

It isn't the first time Mabui has seen Samui naked, but her large round breasts, toned abs leading down her low hip flare, strong thighs and calves, and gorgeous face… Mabui didn't blame Naruto for diving in. In seconds, Mabui washes her face before returning to assist Naruto.

Surprised yet again, Naruto seems adept at being intimate. He moved without hesitation, slowly massaging her large breasts in rotation as his mouth sucked and nibbling the V-line of her lower abs and hip bones. Though she was absent facial expression, somehow he can still read Samui's enjoyment from her body's slight twitches. His strong hands knead and pull her breasts just shy of painful before returning to a more delicate touch.

Samui didn't know what to think when his mouth began descending to her sex mound. Her mind didn't know what to do. If he hadn't assured her he'd take care of her, she wouldn't know to do more than simply putting him inside her until he came. Though she's felt orgasms before, it seemed to be a troubling thing for her partner at the time to achieve and never did so again. The blond's tongue is closing in on her vagina and she may not have thought anything of it before. But with his practiced hands relieving so more stress from her breasts working in tandem with his oddly rough tongue, Samui couldn't ignore the growing warmth building in her womanhood.

Mabui takes charge of Samui's large, soft, weighty breasts. Whilst massaging her large chest, flattening and pulling her pert nipples, Mabui also makes out with Samui's open mouth. Between Samui's spread legs, Naruto slowly laps up her moist love-petals with the long flat of his tongue while massaging the twitching muscles of her inner thighs. Deliberately dragging the brillowy nodules of his flat tongue slowly up her moistening snatch tends to spark gentle bouts of electrical pleasure through women. When her breath quickens and her hot thighs around his head spasm, Naruto knows the expressionless Samui is no different. He plunges his long tongue into her dilated vulva, searching the leaking woman's pink pleasure lane for that area of peak stimulation.

For what feels like an hour, Samui suffers an onslaught of sexual attention she's never experienced before. Between the two of them, they gently nibble of her lobs while running fingers through her hair; massage, kiss, and suck on her delicate neck, fleshy dough-breast, hard pink nipples, inner thighs, legs, and her ass.

Samui would've been satisfied with this until she feels a sudden shock of pleasure rush through her, managing a small, "_ahn_," from her lips. As if her small moan was a loud battle cry, Mabui and Naruto redouble their efforts to bring the gorgeous blond to thrashing completeness. Mabui sucks and massages Samui's collar bone, large fleshy breast, and hard pink nipples while Naruto continues eating her sloppy cunt out. Without any instruction from her mind, Samui's body softens and becomes more sensitive to their attention.

Without the usual sounds and expressions to go off of, Naruto had to judge how ready for more Samui was when she involuntarily thrusts of her hips. Smiling, he laps up and sucks on her clit as he slides two fingers inside her wet blooming flower. Sucking on her love bud, Samui's pleasure quickly felt dangerously powerful, wresting sweet groans and moans from her drooling lips.

"_Ahhn_… _mmn_… _hah_," Samui sounds as she involuntarily shakes and thrusts her hips as he fingers her pussy in that spot that curls her toes and arches her lower back. She was making mewling sounds she never makes while Naruto and Mabui inch her closer to the edge. When he abruptly curls his fingers, brushing that lethal spot, Samui detonated.

"_AAHH!_ …_mmmm_… _mmmm_," Samui moans deeply from her gut.

Strong thighs clamp around Naruto head, keeping him in her wet place as her mind goes white. Her body involuntarily convulses in electric pleasure as the explosion of pleasure reverberates up and down her taut muscles and bundled nerves. The strongest wave of bliss she's ever felt drowns her mind and body for what feels like half an hour. Eventually, her boneless legs slump to the floor as her heaving body did.

It was the most erotic thing Mabui has ever seen. '_He made her cum_,' her mind repeats in disbelief. '_Hard_,' she adds and her body wants him. However, they weren't done.

Naruto might've given the heavily breathing Samui more time to recover if he wasn't so turned on. Jonesing to be inside of a woman again, he grips the crook between thigh and hip, rubs his rock hard cock down her juicy hot pussy, and slowly pushes into her spasming vagina.

Mabui plays with the woman's nipples as she whispers in her ear, "he's going to fuck you now, Sa-chan." She continues to knead the woman's large breasts while watching Naruto slowly build a rhythm. Though her mind questions how he would know to start slow, it disappears from her mind as easily as he buries his monster cock in her captain. Naruto pulls out before finally burying his full length and girth to the very depths of her hot canal.

"_Ahn_," a sweating Samui moans, feeling absurdly stuffed; as if he were pushing her intestines and stomach out of the way. And even then, her slippery love tunnel grips him in more.

"OOOOOOHHHHHH," Naruto elatedly hums, savoring the sporadic spasms of her love-glove squeezing his entire shaft tighter.

Without meaning to, a sweating Samui moans when he drags his hot meat-ram out of her and gasps sharply when he thrusts back in. When he starts pumping in and out of her, Naruto tries to be gentle at first but with Samui's gorgeous legs spread wide for him, the sexy Mabui sucking mouthful of Samui's fun bags, and her usually expressionless face now biting her lower lip in a bit of fear, it's far too much for him, and soon, he's slamming into her. Having already found the pleasure barbs of her g-spot, he constantly drags the displacing ridge of his cock-head there, forcing her to squeeze as he repeatedly plunges balls deep.

Mabui is fingering Samui's clit in addition to massaging and sucking both of Samui's mammoth breasts. Before long, Samui feels the coil in the pit of her stomach begin to tighten once again. As the hot room fills with humidity and the sounds of wet skin smacking, grunts, and moans, Naruto and Mabui continue their sexual assault, spurring Samui into a frenzy of bliss. The pleasure coil shaking to shatter feels even larger than the last one and if they didn't stop, she was going to burst any second.

"I'm… _ahn_," she tries to say, feeling right at the dizzying edge.

But Naruto can already feel her jerking body beginning that weightless second before the drop. Lifting her hips, he pumps into her harder, hitting her wet hole in just the right spot before her strong legs snap around his waist with her explosive orgasm.

"_AAAHHHH_," Samui moans, humming, "_mmmm… mmmm… mmmm_," repeatedly as her body quakes and jukes to a tremendous rhapsody of biting pleasure. In her to the hilt, her pulsing insides were deliciously frantic, rippling with serial bursts of extreme euphoria.

As the pleasure reverberated throughout the stunning woman's system, Mabui's surprised, Naruto slowly rocked their joined bodies as he massaged her ass, thighs, hips, and waist. Unless he was a prodigy of sex, she couldn't understand how he'd know to extend her orgasm, '_unless this wasn't his first time_,' she muses. Immediately, Mabui didn't care when his half-lidded eyes bore on her like hot spot-lights. He left no doubt in her mind; '_I'm next_,' she thinks, feeling her mouth water and her pussy quiver.

As he pulls out of Samui's quaking quim, he drags strings of stretchy juices, broken only by the powerful spring of his horniness when he fully exits her. Standing, he moves his pulsing, glistening cock to her face and without being prompted, she gladly cleans his genius shaft off. Taking his balls and base in her, her tongue laps up the essence of another woman, making the hot-blooded Mabui mewl with excitement.

She sucks him off until he's fully clean. Not a moment later, she was on her feet making out with Naruto. As his rough tongue plunged in her mouth, his hands tuck under her soft round rear before lifting her. Her legs wrap high around his back as he turns and flattens her against the wall. Pressing her firmly into the wall, one hand travels to her chest and nipple while the other lines himself with her flooding pink slit. He grips her neck and ass-cheek before thrusting deep into her.

Mabui's, "_AAAHHHNNNN!_ Big!" matches Naruto's, "_Uuhh!_ Tight!"

Unlike Samui, Mabui was a one-pump stuffing, snapping their chins up as they both groan loudly, happily. To be fused together by such lubricated heat, pressure, and pleasure, they already felt close to climaxing; Naruto because of the obvious sex and blowjob he's had thus far and Mabui because her fetish has completely corrupted her mind and body. His hot body pressing her into the wall, breathing on her flush skin, fully stretching her tight pussy, feeling his heart and cock pulse, everything about him was driving her crazy. And when her thoughts reasoned the monster cock throbbing inside her was a direct connection to his monster brain, the reality of that felt like her whole body was melting, like she couldn't hold on, like she couldn't breathe.

Her whole being becomes an erogenous zone for his intellect.

Kissing her open and drooling mouth, Naruto pulls out, making her moan in disappointment before he grips hands-full of her caramel ass and thrusts right back in. Mabui's whole body quivers with euphoric shocks. Her cunt sucks him in as a wailing, "_MMMMNNNNN!_" rushes out of her throat.

'_She's out of this world_,' Naruto's mind delightfully sings, treasuring the wet, hot feel of driving his meat pole deep in and out of her velvety soft love-glove.

The misty room is thick with the scent of sweat and flooding bodily fluid as Mabui's sweet voice continues to moan with every powerful thrust. Feeling everything, she mewls adorably in his ear as he fucks her into the sturdy wall, curling and spreading her toes as her knees lock around him. Only a minute in and she isn't sure she can take another. Her supersensitive body has never felt this soft, this yielding, this euphoric to a genius before. Holding him for dear life as he pounds her gushing pussy to the shape of his massive cock is all she can do for him.

"Ma-chan… I'm almost," Naruto groans, indulging in the wet friction against the gripping ribs of her tight crevice.

"In! _AHH, AHHN, MMNN_," she hollars. "In! _MMm_, Meee! _MMN!_"

His guided thrusts sharpen and speed up, suffocating Mabui with delirious with pleasure. She started on the edge to begin with, so when Naruto stuffs his full length to the balls and fires a heaping load of thick semen into her love core, Mabui's mind goes white as her body's ravaged with never-ending convulsions of peak pleasure. Her only shred of sense was measuring the increasing amount of semen being pumped into her gleeful womb.

With an arched spine, Naruto felt like he was emptying all of him inside her hot, wet essence. He was buzzing, cumming into a cock pocket milking him dry. When he finally gains some higher function, the breathless Naruto slowly realizes Mabui is experiencing multiple orgasms, frequently spasming against him. He also comes to realize he's still hard inside her quaking quim and wants more. Lethargically, he turns to Samui and is amused by her expressionless observation of them.

Samui moves aside to allow Naruto to place the grinning caramel beauty on the futon. Removing his cock, Samui follows Mabui's example. He can't even get up before she takes his hardness by the base and guides it into her mouth. Unfortunately, absent Mabui's impassioned skill, Samui wasn't the same and now isn't the time for instruction.

With Samui on all fours, ass in the air as she sucks him off, he lost reason once again and pulls her onto his lap, bringing her lips to his. Her soft body flush against him, they're making out as one hand is massaging and kneading her large sensitive breast while the other is treating her lower back much the same. His long hard cock is at the wet juncture between her shaky legs, pressing hard against her aroused and leaking slit. He knows she's ready when her hand cups his neck to pull him in for more. Breaking away after dominating her small oral cavity, Naruto turns Samui around and has her fall on all fours over Mabui.

"Kiss her," Naruto commands as he begins fingering them. Samui immediately complies, pressing her breasts into Mabui's. The silver-haired beauty moans into Samui's mouth as Naruto rubs her mound with the base of his palm as two fingers pump and curl inside her. Naruto couldn't believe how response Mabui felt. It heavily reminded him of Ino which also excited him. Anything he does just seems to get Mabui going and while his hands keep her in an elevated state of bliss, Naruto lines his cock with Samui's slit before ramming deep into her luscious pink folds.

"_Ahhn_," Samui sweetly mews, making Naruto want to ravage the cute blond.

"OOhhh, Kami, yes," Naruto groans in raw pleasure. Her tight, sloppy love chamber is just the perfect amount of tight friction. Pistoning his solid meat repeatedly inside Samui's tight twat from behind gives him the best view of the two women making out. As his bulbous crown displaces her free-flowing love juices, it's not often the world ceases to exist around him. It happened with Ino, Kurenai, Sakura, so he recognizes it here and now. Nothing mattered but their pleasure and in this small humid room with these beautiful women, he was going to drill for every well euphoria within them.

Exploring Samui's G-spot in tandem with Mabui's tongue suckling massage of her breasts and nipples soon makes Samui's muscles twitch in tandem cunt tighten. Gripping Samui's ass cheeks, the wet smacking intensifies as a sweating Naruto repeatedly buries himself to the hilt, rocking both of the horny women. When Samui begins to moan as her dripping pussy begins sucking him in, he rears his hand back before smacking her seductively athletic ass.

"_MMNN_," Samui wails from her open saliva-covered mouth. So sweet are her hoarse moans in the small room that he's taken by surprise when her cunt snaps around him like a vice as her arms give out. Mabui's holding the twitching beauty as she orgasms, sending him over the edge and groaning loudly as he cums buckets inside of her thirsty womb. Through the statically-charged bliss ripping through her, Samui's quaking stomach warms over several degrees as Naruto floods her womb with his gelatinous baby-batter.

A huffing Naruto finally feels himself soften before he uncorks her cum loaded chalice and falls back on his ass. Hot, heaving, and sweating, Naruto gives himself a moment to catch his breath when, before long, Mabui crawls over to him. Her half-lidded green eyes gaze at him hungrily before she leans down and takes his softened, cum-covered member in her mouth.

"_AAHHHHH_," Naruto moans at her impressive oral skill. He's still very sensitive, but she continues to suck him off for many moments before he finally regains his thick vigor. She finishes her blow job with an audible pop before standing and straddling his waist. Lining her throbbing love petals to impale herself on, Mabui slowly lowers herself on his beefy meat-tower.

"AAAAHHHHH… MMMnnn… Kami, yes," Mabui moans as she becomes one with her genius. He thoroughly enjoys the honey-skinned view and feeling of her stuffing her soaked pleasure-zone to the brim. Inch by inch, Mabui savors how his head stirs her ribbed walls up, closing her eyes as he spreads and rubs her sensitive love muscle to electric bliss. Fully sheathed, she instantly forgets herself the moment she senses a short road to another mind-bending, body-crumpling orgasm. Her bent legs on either side of his body, Mabui rides his veiny pole to frenetic bliss, erupting and reverberating multitudes of pleasure pockets throughout her arching and sweaty body.

The humid room is already stifling with the scent of sex, supplementing to their ecstasy. However, it's entirely unfair of Naruto to grip her hips, massage them as he edifies, "you're so beautiful- _mnn_, Ma-chan… I want to use life-force manipulation seals to link our sensations… so you can feel…_uhnn_, how amazing… _haah_, you make me feel-"

To hear his brain educating her while she's fucking him, Mabui's slopping love glove instinctively tries to aspirate the entirety of his thick pleasure-pole. Gripping her bouncing hips tighter, Naruto leverages from his back to pump into her harder as she leans her flexible body over, resting her feverish forehead and sweaty tresses on his muscular chest.

Aside from the wet smack noise bouncing around the sex room, a cross-eyed Mabui manages between frightened moans, "N-Naruto- _AAHN!_ …N-Naruto! If_ff_… _mmn, ahn_, if you keep- I'm goin' to- I'm_mMMN!_'

Taking her sweaty head in hit hot palms, he continues pumping as he leans forward enough to whisper in her ear, "it's called a mirror-touch synesthesia array… a-and I can link our sensations- _mnn_… so- so you can feel… _exactly_ how amazing cumming inside you is!"

Mabui's eyes roll to the back of her head. Losing control of her motor functions, her elated body quakes catastrophically when her succulent orgasm bursts. The pressure from her vice-like grip squeezes him to his own orgasm, pressure pissing his nut-spunk deep into her already stuffed womb. Wailing in jubilation, Mabui orgasmed in mind, body, and spirit for minutes, passing out on top of Naruto.

Rubbing her hot, micro-spasming back, Naruto enjoys her soft weight on him when he hears a soft voice ask, "why did she pass out?"

Combing Mabui's clumped-together hair to the side, Naruto tilts his neck to answer Samui, "I might've gone a little overboard with the stimulation."

"I didn't know that could happen," Samui comments, helping Naruto lay Mabui down on the cum-stained futon.

"It's rare," Naruto remarks, gently laying Mabui's head on the small pillow. "But it happens." Turning to the lightly blushing blond kneeling with both feet under her, Naruto asks, "how do you feel?"

Naked and alluring, her nipples harden as she wiggles in her seated position and simply answers, "good." Without Mabui, however, Samui can't be sure her reply is enough. For good measure, she adds, "impressively so."

Despite her expressionless countenance, Naruto couldn't deny the woman seated in perfect posture was incredibly arousing. Standing, she maintains eye contact with his meaty erection until he circles and sits behind her. Snaking his arms under hers, his hands grip and massage her impressive mammaries, lifting the supple flesh until the warmth contorts around his fingers. When she feels the carving crown of his erection probe her ass-crack, she lifts herself high enough for him to slide his pawing pleasure-pump up and down her leaking labia. As he continues to caress her love petals, lubricating his veiny member, Naruto whispers in her ear, "would you like to continue feeling good… Impressively so?"

Though expressionless, she answers with a cute little nod before Naruto has her lay on her chest beside an unconscious Mabui. He keeps her legs closed tightly together and places a pillow under her to elevated her strong, round butt. Naruto massages her hamstring muscles until she feels soft and tender, then moves his ministrations to her plump posterior. It isn't long before her lower back extends and contracts with adorable yearning.

'_So cute_,' he thinks as he spreads her cheeks and labia before plunging his love muscle deep in her honey-hole. Gripping her toned handles, Naruto begins churning her buttery love tunnel to their prolonged delight. The additional tightness of her closed thighs and angle of his targeted thrusts manages a few sweet moans before he feels her pink chasm spasm under him.

"MMNnn!", she yowls, as her butt and body shake under him.

'_Already?_' Naruto's euphoric mind lethargically wonders. Turning her over, Naruto is enthralled with her blushing face, half-lidded blue eyes, and the saliva streaming down her open maw. He brings her knees to her shoulders before reinserting himself and letting her toned legs rest on his shoulder. Naruto fucks her furiously for many long minutes, ripping out more involuntary moans from her expressionless face. Her eyes close tightly when he kneads her pillowy chest and sucks on her sensitive nipples until both blonds orgasm at the same time; exchanging hot bodily fluids under critical pressure.

The blond pair happily endure their long-lasting euphoric high when the semiconscious Mabui nestles over against Samui's hot sweaty body. She lazily opens her green eyes to the sight of Samui with her legs over Naruto's shoulders as they ride the tail-end of their seismic climax together.

Feeling high and desperate for more, Mabui maneuvers to her knees beside Naruto. Pressing her wanton body against his and Samui's thigh, she takes his face for the hungriest kiss she's ever felt. Feeling her soft mocha-skin breasts press against his fevered arm and Samui's leg as their tongues lap and play with each other made Naruto recovers in very little time, expanding inside of Samui's tight cream canal. Naruto's hips automatically begin pumping into the sensitive blond and in starting their third consecutive round with little rest between, Samui finally feels like she's losing her mind.

'_Too much_,' is all her mind yells as Naruto effortlessly locates the most sensitive ridges and fins of her pink slickness and wrests gallons of delight from within her like she's a drenched sponge in his squeezing hand. He simply hits her spasming spots over and over again, driving her closer and closer to blessed insanity with alarming efficiency. The moment she thought she had to admire his skillful efficiency, Samui feels the love spring of her intoxicated core tighten incredibly fast, threatening to snap. The moment came, as she did, when Mabui drops her hand down to the woman's engorged clitoris, whisking the sensitive bundle of nerves until the beautiful blond detonated.

Samui wails, snapping her neck back, Samui wails, "_AAAAUUUUUHHHHHH_."

Though Mabui cherishes Samui's long and rich moan, she knew Naruto hadn't climaxed and she was aching to have his brain-connected-cock inside her again. Naruto laid Mabui beside the glowing Samui and a moment later they were groaning in the soaping bliss of being rejoined again. Thrusting atop of her, Naruto is only inches away from her lovely, enraptured face. Breath to breath, he gazes deep in her moss-green eyes and regardless of the passion of his body-rocking thrusts, they maintain eye contact.

Just as he's experienced before, he needed to '_see_' her; break, crumble, trust, vulnerable. He thrusts harder to see that moment. Her brow furrows, her pink lips are wide open, and her eyes are gazing into his as they rise to that ultimate euphoric fall. His thrust increase in speed and power, her legs wrap around his waist and she can't stop moaning with his every blissful plunge. Connected as they are, when her soaking womanhood begins contracting and quaking around his rod, Naruto hurries his pace to reach his eruption at the same time.

"Let me, _haah_," he huffs, when he feels like she's moments away. "Let me _uhn_, see."

As if eager to follow his command, Mabui's womanhood clamps on him, swallowing him in as her taut body explodes with reverberating pleasure. Her mouth is open but her moan is silent as Naruto blows his load in the same moment, pumping his pressurized man-milk into her fertile womb. More importantly, they watch each other collapse and shake from pure joy. It's as amazing as every other time he's done this. The pure ecstasy, the delight, the trust, the connection was the most intoxicating feeling Naruto has ever felt. Enjoying the rush of his thick fluids filling her holy chamber, Naruto leans down and kisses her with all the gratitude his immense heart can produce.

'_Thank you, Ma-chan_,' his mind voices and he hopes she can hear it. If it wasn't for her, he would've missed on so much and he certainly wouldn't have hope for Kurenai, Ino, and possibly one other.

Naruto kisses Mabui with everything in him, and to his ever-lasting delight, she returns the sentiment. Flush against each other, they kiss with tongues and hearts for several minutes until they're interrupted. To their surprise, Samui wants to kiss as well and she makes out with Naruto, then Mabui, and then with Naruto and Mabui.

Naruto is eventually lying on his back while the beauties lick and suck every inch of his towering cock and loaded balls together. Holding their heads as they wantonly suck him off, Naruto notices Mabui enjoys ordering Samui around and though it's hard to tell, the blond beauty doesn't seem to mind being dominated. Though, Mabui did seem disappointed when Samui managed to deep-throat his entire length. The mocha-model's cute pout as Samui learns to suck him down to his base… Naruto cums right away, filling Samui's stomach with his thick man-sauce before they share his load and clean each other's faces of his cum.

Throughout the night, Naruto takes turns filling each of them with his baby-gravy in as many positions as he can, until finally, he can go no more. He fills their flesh caverns eighteen times in total—eleven loads in Samui and seven in Mabui; a record for him—until their sexes overflow with spunk.

Morning soon came, and though he'd rather stay in bed, resting between the sexy body's of two insanely gorgeous women, watching Samui drag herself out of bed to train, excited him to do the same. They both kissed the slumbering Mabui before leaving for the day.

TEMARI

As Temari approaches Iruka's home, she's taken aback and pleased to see Naruto walking out of the front door. He looks tired, as if he hadn't slept much, but his smile widens as it ever does at the sight of her.

"Temari-chan!" Naruto calls out before asking, "what are you doing here?"

He stands before her, no different than he ever is, as if nothing happened, but she knows that's not true. She thought long and hard for a full day since the night he revealed to her his preference and she can't fail; not her father, her brother, her village, and in doing so, herself.

"I've thought about it," she starts. His curious brow urges her to answer, "…polyamory?" He's taken aback as Temari continues. "You said it was like one big family, and not only did I ignore that, I ignored you. If I hadn't… reacted as I did, I would've remembered that you're trying to build your clan; much like the shinobi of old did in the Warring States Period."

"Temari-chan," Naruto interjects. "You're allowed to feel the way you feel. I wasn't trying to change your mind."

"Well, you ought to," Temari asserts. "There's nothing wrong with wanting a large, loving family environment. I know that's it's not common but you should fight for the things you believe in." Naruto is startled by her suddenness to argue for his preference and that's exactly what she wants; a bit of control.

Recalling himself, Naruto protests, "I do! Maybe not on _everything_ I believe in, but, definitely on the important things."

Challenging him, she asks, "really? So, who's this woman you want to introduce into our relationship? Better yet, does she know you support polyamory? Does she even know how you feel about her?"

Temari waits several seconds for him to stutter, "I- uh… it's not so… There's a lot going on right now-"

"I understand," Temari interrupts, intentionally relieving the pressure. She doesn't want to antagonize him; just unsettle him before she avails him of the hassle. "The life of a shinobi is very straight forward. Daily exposure to life and death easily outweighs silly little romantic dramas. It's why we're so sure about who we love and stick to it because we all know our day is due." Happy that Naruto is simply listening to her, Temari smiles as she reveals her move to salvage the mission.

"I thought long and hard about what you said," Temari begins. "And I've come to two conclusions. The first is I'd like to hear you out and learn more. And the second, is, if it's the right person, I think I'd be open to a polyamorous relationship."

"Temari-chan, you don't have-"

"I've sent word to Otou-sama and your Hokage to amend the Omiai to include multiple spouses," Temari orates over him. With the limited time she had, she can't be certain of the numbers she looked up, however, Temari won't let him escape again. "If you didn't know, hundreds of years of polyamory has actually left a mark on our genomes. Over time, such a pattern will spawn more genetic differences on the X chromosome than Y chromosomes. It's easy to recognize because women have two copies of the X, while men only one. And that signature-mark tells us that a small number of males—likely the strongest or powerful—were mating with _many_ females. In other words, diversity arises because some men _don't_ get to pass on their genes, while most women do."

"Okay," Naruto voices. "I can't say I knew all of that but, I'm not into polyamory to sleep around-"

"I know," Temari agrees, regardless of her disbelief. "I'm only saying as much because I've calculated a minimum number necessary to boost the growth of your clan in a short period of time and added that number to the amendment of the Omiai."

"…really?" After her nod, he asks out of sheer curiosity, "what's the number?"

Temari answers, "nine."

* * *

This chapter was very hard to structure and edit. I knew more or less the characters involved and what needed to go down, but arranging it in an organic way took some extra effort on my part. Speaking of, I apologies for any mistakes you find. It's a fairly large chapter and I'm only one man with public school education.

In regards to Haku, I want to say that even though he's incredibly loyal and will take the death blow for his master, that does not mean he's a puppet. He does what he thinks is in the best interest of his master, and they may not always be what the master likes. I've also noticed that damn near all the strong shinobi in Naruto have some sort of tragedy in their past, which makes sense considering the world, but those that don't, like Sakura, Ino, Tenten, Choji, to some extent Shikamaru, Kiba, and a few others, tend to not elevate to that higher level of skill/power. I know everyone can't be super strong and that's fine, but it's still fairly accurate and lends credence to Haku's argument.

Mabui's reactions may have been over the top but I'd always think what it must feel like to be soo stimulated in mind and body. On top of that, Naruto is really good now.

The tenses were kicking my ass in this chapter. It's always been a challenge for me but with the sheer volume of editing involved, it was even harder to keep track of it. Some days I felt present tense, other days I felt past tense and it's tough for me. But I'm getting better I think.

The next chapter will lead into the finals of the Chūnin exam. I haven't decided if I should just get to that before returning to From Ruin or just jump into FR now. In either case, the next chapter will, for sure, focus on Sakura, Ino, Mabui, Samui, and Tenten. I feel like Kurenai will be in it and Hinata but I'm not sure yet. Maybe Mei. I don't know! There's a lot of writing to do for sure.

Thank you very much to my Patrons! I don't know why I'm constantly amazed by your support, but I am. So Thank you! If you'd like to support, My is /Graefoxx. And for those who'd like to support me by purchasing a copy of my first Novel, it's available on Amazon: Belladonna by Grae Foxx. It was an Modern Day Set fanfic I was going to post, but then I decided to wash the names and make it original.

As always, I'd love to hear from you guys! Let me know how long it takes you to read this much(i'm really proud I managed this in two weeks).

Have a great one,

-Grae


	31. 31Memories of Tomorrow

Hey friends. I hope you're all staying safe and calm.

Just a reminder of the tournament: Kankurō VS Shino, Temari VS Shikamaru, Neji VS Hinata, Kiba VS Sasuke, Gaara VS Naruto.

Thank you to my amazing Patrons! Your support only fuels my inexhaustible drive to create! Just a heads up. I decided to finish the Chūnin/invasion arc before jumping back to From Ruin. But I'm also very very eager to write another original novel. I got struck with this absolutely phenomenal idea that I just have to publish. So, I'll keep you informed with my next updates or feel free to hit me up on my or Reddit under GraeFoxx_

WARNING: Lemon light(That is to say that the lemons won't be very detailed), Course Language

26K Long. A new record for me.

I offer a moment of respite from the craziness of the world. Please enjoy :)

* * *

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

Konoha's towering gates were open for the color and luxurious palanquins of nobles, lords, dignitaries, and industry moguls to pass through to the delighted cheers of a gathered village. It was a bright sunny day over Konoha and all, from villagers to ninja, cheered for every high-class coterie traveling directly to the main arena. In the distance, standing atop the tallest of the three viewing towers of the coliseum where the final exam will be taking place, Konoha's Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen gazes upon the multitude of people, domestic, foreign, common, or elite, as they slowly fill the three large viewing towers.

The amphitheater isn't the largest in the world, however, it can hold nearly five thousand people. Of the three eminent viewing towers overlooking the lightly forested battlefield, the tallest seating in the center tower is for the Kages viewing. The next level down for all three towers are luxury viewpoints for the nobles and capitalists and the remaining seats are for the villagers, veteran shinobi, and most shinobi from every discipline able to attend. Should those in the farthest seats be unable to see, there are a few small screens with decent picture quality from which they can view the action.

The fateful day of the Chūnin final exam feels unforgiving to Hiruzen. He's been too busy reading mountains of reports to oversee the security of this final event; from court proceedings to nominations for vacant positions and foreign policy incident reports. He's also writing reports for each of his departments, setting priorities for the councils, regulating missions and compensation, and ratifying agreements with his Daimyō. With so much to read and do in a single day, Hiruzen was grateful to Jiraiya for spearheading the security measures for the final exam. With Chūnin and Jōnin stationed like a net at many crucial points around the many entry points and levels of the arena, Hiruzen was impressed by his pupil's forethought.

Hiruzen is standing in front of his seat, scanning the throng of people for the arrival of the Kazekage. It wasn't until a small bug landed on the shoulder of one of the Anbu bodyguards, that he finally took his seat, softly voicing, "finally." Ten minutes later, the Kazekage, flanked by his bodyguards, walks toward his seat. Turning to his younger peer, Hiruzen smiles as he calls upon the taller man, "well, well, Kazakage-dono. I'm glad you could make it. We're moments away." In full view of the audience, an announcer walks to the center of the grass and dirt field as Hiruzen comments, "you must be tired from the journey."

"Not at all," a hard voice replies from under the Kazekage's white mask. "It's better it's held here this time. Were it in Kumo, I fear the trip may be too much for you, Hokage-sama. Maybe it's time to select a Godaime Hokage?"

"Haha, I still have time left, I feel. But I've witnessed much hope for our future," Hiruzen replied. He then stands and addresses the excited masses. After welcoming everyone to Hidden Leaf's Chūnin Exam, he officially begins the main tournament and presents Shiranui Genma to introduce the ten participants who made it through the preliminary round. The crowd booms in confetti, streamers, and excitement.

From the noble's floor in the right tower, a tall, athletically slender woman with long auburn-haired is being treated like a precious and rare jewel by the upper echelon of social class, each flabby or frail man eager to have her by their side like a status trophy. When a seductive woman appears the type to strap a man down and whip him into submission, infiltrating the upper-class of society is rather mundane. Their security are certainly suspicious, however, the gullible minds of the rich always wave them away.

Though the pompous and frail men ignore the Hokage's speech, Mei does not. She's close enough to the Kages to wonder if she should or shouldn't allow the invasion to play out. Spying on the Suna and Leaf leaders, Mei feels the tingle of intrigue in the pit of her toned stomach. After her conversation with Naruto two nights ago, she can't help but wonder what the blond has up his bright orange sleeve.

MEI

Mei was glad she didn't have to wait long before Naruto left the Cloud-nin's tiny studio. Suppressing her chakra, she follows him the entire way to the Hokage monument. They were the only two atop of the high monument, overlooking the bright village under the starry night sky, and if she weren't bringing dire news—and Naruto was a little taller than her—this enchanting view would be the setting of a romantic fantasy she'd love to turn into reality. Mei makes herself known when she casually leans on the railing next to him, turning his head and striking him with her alluring presence. It's a look she's seen often and still enjoyed after so many years.

Mei was a late bloomer; gangly with knobby knees, a small face, and large teeth. It took her many years and a lot of training to grow into the beauty she is today. Model tall with a large bust, athletically slender with captivating hips that add a curvaceous sway to her apple-bottom. She wore a blue, long-sleeved crop-top with mesh insert. It was a bodice dress, the hem of which reaches above her knees and is double-slit up to her hips so her legs were unrestrained even if her mesh-legging thighs were enticingly visible. Contrasting the blue of her outfit was her white, high-heel, knee-length sandals with shin-guards and white belt.

Her most noticeable feature, however, was her long auburn hair that went past her round butt and accented with a top-knot. Long gone were the days her richly dignified hair was roughly and unevenly cut nearly to the scalp. She had two bangs that frame her model face and another that falls to the side, covering her whole right eye and leaving the left eye visible. With fair, unblemished skin, seductive green eyes, the woman grew to be seductively stunning. At twenty, she couldn't turn a head, now at twenty-six, she knows men have murdered to win a beauty like her.

Alone atop Konoha's famed monument, she enjoyed why he'd be surprised by her close proximity to him. And if Mei is honest, her looks never hurt when she's negotiating for something she needs.

"I bet a lot on you," the woman casually said from beside him.

Looking around to be certain she's talking to him, he sounded, "uhh, who are you?"

With her sultry voice, she answered, "my name is Mei."

"Oh," he answered. "You shouldn't gamble, Mei."

"I know," Mei girlishly bemoaned, before defending herself. "But the odds are fifty to one on you beating Gaara. Winning the tournament is a hundred to one, and making Chūnin is an astounding five hundred to one."

Chuckling weakly, Naruto grumbled, "haha… that doesn't surprise me. So you actually bet on me?"

"How could I not," she answered, thinking, '_especially with how much I know about your abilities_.' As they watch the bright city under the night sky, Mei orates, "the whole world is in the mind, you know. Any decision you make can be the death of you."

Wondering if this is a pep-talk so she doesn't lose her bet, he asked, "uh, you mean in the arena?"

"I mean in shogi," she winningly answered. "…as in life. That Hitai-ate on your forehead, for example. It's the symbol of your life as a shinobi and demands total concentration or the very worst is allowed to happen. Have you been forced to the brink of certain death?"

"Uh, yeah," he casually answered, all the while eying her skeptically. In his mind, except for Mabui and Samui, beautiful women don't just enter his life for no reason and he asked as much. "Is there a reason why you're here?"

Broadening her charming moist-red lips into a smile, Mei returned, "do I need a reason to?"

"It's just, I've never seen you before," he replied.

"That's because I'm not from Konoha," she easily explained before continuing with her death-related inquiry. "Did you change after being brought so close to death, or were you the same as before?"

Dissatisfied with how lost he is, he asked to know, "where are you from?"

"Kirigakure," Mei readily answered.

His eyes widen as his brows heighten in mild shock. Naruto quickly asked, "really? What are you doing out here?"

With pouty red lips, Mei laments responding, "I'd hoped to meet the man of my dreams but I fear I may have been stood up." It didn't tell him much and she asked, "so, were you?"

"About the death thing?" With her nod, he answered, "I… well, yeah, I stayed the same, more or less."

Lightly taken aback, she leans forward slightly over the waist-high rails and twists to look at him as she asked, "truly?"

Naruto tried not to stare at the way her full breasts sway with her forward movement while he answered, "y-yeah. But I wasn't fighting just to fight. I had something to prove."

Still leaning forward with part of auburn hair falling over her bare shoulder and seemingly oblivious to the allure her gently swaying breasts is affecting him, she continued asking, "and did you? Prove it?"

Pink in the cheeks, he replied, "I think so. It worked out well."

Leaning back with perfect posture again, she admitted, "I met death early in life, as many of us in Kiri have," and she felt Naruto pay more attention to her. "Constant violence, competition, and deceit have an unparalleled way of shaping a boy or girl graduating the Academy, but in doing so, that person's heart, mind, and soul are on the same page; the most direct route to power. It's on their quest for dominion that they adopt the worst and most callous actions, because in Kiri, only the strong survive, and worst yet, only the strongest lead."

She can tell he's not sure what to make of her as he deflects by asking, "uh, were you supposed to meet this guy here? I can help with directions if you need."

Turning around, Mei leans on the railing, straightening her posture so her chest juts out more as she asked with playful concern, "ara, I'm not being a bother, am I?"

"No, no," Naruto tries to reassure her. "No bother. I like meeting new people. I met a couple from Kiri too. One's my best friend."

"A best friend from Kiri… that's uplifting to hear," Mei admits with a sweet smile. She suddenly felt different then. Unless he's a spectacular liar, she can tell he's being honest. It makes her want to be a little more open as she orates, "you know, strength and power may move a man in the physical world but I believe Karma is the law of the spiritual world. When you inevitably cross into the eternal lands, I don't believe you can absolve your sins in this life by claiming, '_I was ordered to do that_,' or, '_they threatened to kill me if I didn't_,' or, '_being virtuous was inconvenient_.' Your actions, and thus, your soul is in your keeping and yours alone. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do," Naruto thoughtfully answered. "I mean, I never put it as well as that but, yeah, that makes sense."

"What a pleasant feeling," Mei sounded with content. "To know there are others who can understand that, even if we're not from the same country."

"I don't think we're as alone as we think we are," Naruto tells her with a mental smile for Naru-nii and Kurama. "There are a lot of friends out there from places you'd never expected to make them. I'm sure a nee-chan as pretty as you will meet loads who'll understand you."

"_Mmn_, how sweet of you to say," Mei remarks with a sultry tone and seductive eyes that bluntly stunned Naruto into recalling how captivating this woman is. "Sadly, I fear the position of leadership is a lonely road." Looking at her ring finger, she bemoaned, "even though I long for the ring… for my country, I must choose the hat."

Thinking it odd to bring up wardrobe challenges, Naruto simply suggests, "I know I just met you, but as long as you're not hurting anybody, I don't see anything wrong with wearing a ring _with_ a hat."

Rather than pointing out she meant the Kage's hat, Mei simply laughs silently to herself; incidentally jiggling her chest and shoulders for Naruto's visual benefit. Even if she cleared the confusion, she has little doubt his response would change. "Having already met Kiri-nin, I'm certain you can see how villainous they can seem, especially with a nickname like the Bloody Mist."

"Haku's weird, sure, but he's not bad, like at all," Naruto tells her. "And Zabuza… well, he's not _**all**_ bad," he tries without completely believing it.

Standing upright again and turning to the Hidden Leaf village, Mei proclaims, "that you would admit as much confirms what I've longed believed. Kiri _**can**_ be saved. It's why I chose, unlike many of my countrymen, to fight senseless violence, corruption, and betrayal; to be an agent of life and order rather than death and destruction. So, I suppose I'm fighting to prove something as well, Uzumaki-dono; to end the dark days of my village."

His suspicion grows enough to be alarming and asks, "…are you really in Konoha to meet someone or this a trick?"

"No, no," Mei asserts with a slight shake of her head, swaying her beautiful auburn bangs. "No trick. It wouldn't do to spoil what could be between us by starting our first meeting with deceit. However, I am guilty of omission." With a sensual grin that makes him wish he hadn't left Mabui and Samui, Mei admitted, "the person I'm here to meet… is you."

With flat lines for eyes, Naruto plainly states, "I'm going to need you to start making sense here or I'm jumping down to Hokage Tower and telling them you're from Kiri."

Secure in herself, she answered with a confident smile, "as you wish, Uzumaki-dono. I originally came here to purchase Kubikiribōchō, then I spoke with Zabuza and Haku, and now I'm standing here overlooking your enchanting home because you're someone that I simply _had_ to meet."

"Why?"

"In a word: diplomacy," she answered. "As citizens of Kiri, I'd like Haku and Zabuza to help me quell the large-scale and on-going violence in our village, but, as they are both in your employ—which I must admit is very impressive for one so young—I cannot do that without your help."

Taken aback by the information, Naruto asked with disbelief, "you want to take Haku back to Kiri?"

She duly noted, "I realize how much you mean to each other, and I understand I'm asking a lot of you but I don't mean to take without giving."

"…What do you mean?"

"I truly mean to negotiate an arrangement we can both agree to," Mei honestly stated. Peering down the cliff's edge to the spiky stone hair of the Yondaime and the Hokage Tower below that, Mei turned to Naruto and admitted, "and as a show of good faith, I'm certain we have ample time to meet with your Hokage."

In all her years as a leader of battle-hardened shinobi, it would be impossible for Mei to be in the high position she is without the skill to debate with many stern, wrathful, or outdated figures of power, which meant maneuvering Naruto was no challenge at all. She wasn't surprised when he curiously asked, "what for?"

"So you can warn him of an imminent attack," Mei offered with her smile.

Drawing his brows together, he returned, "what are you talking about?"

'_Perhaps I'm leading too much_,' she thought before explaining, "I came across information that heavily suggests Konoha is about to be attacked by Otogakure and your ally, Sunagakure. I realize that may be difficult to believe, but if we can speak with your Hokage, I can show him the location of the Sound garrison hidden just beyond your village's kekkaijutsu." Mei understands the positive image that'll give Naruto and explained, "you'll look like a hero to your peers and leaders and all I ask in return is that we have a discussion about the various ways you'd allow Haku and Zabuza to assist me in Kiri."

Naruto seems skeptical about her intel but Mei knew that so long as he believed even a small degree of her claims, she can't imagine he'd refuse. It's not as if she's asking for much, to begin with, but Mei became confused when he responded, "no, that's okay. I don't mind talking later but all that extra stuff's unnecessary."

Mei couldn't know her show of good faith would get in the way of Naruto's plan, and though he's not reacting as she'd expected, feeling less strength in her position doesn't mean she's one to panic. She assured him, "I'm not lying, Uzumaki-dono. I wouldn't do so when the ultimate goal is for mutual trust."

"You can call me Naruto," the blond offered with a broad smile. "And I know you're not. That's not what this is about, but I can't explain it to you. So… sorry."

Taking less than a second to think, she countered, "do you mean to say Konoha is already aware? …And they're allowing it?" Naruto's silence seems enough for her to say, "I see. I hadn't expected Hokage-dono to risk the lives of his villagers like this-"

"That's _**not**_ what's happening," Naruto assured her with stern eyes. "Look, I really can't explain it, and more than that, I don't know you. You have my word we can talk about Haku and your village later but we can't right now. You should leave the village for tomorrow, or stay with the villagers. You'll be safe with them."

If he hadn't said that, Mei might suspect he's in the process of betraying his village, especially when she considered how many nights he's been spending with those kunoichi from Kumo. Though she doesn't like the fact Naruto would sell out his home, such an outcome would be to her benefit. Still, it's all highly unlikely. Everything she can see about him says he's not the type to betray others, or Zabuza would never have given Haku up to Naruto.

"How about I remain with Haku instead," she proposed. "I assure you I can take care of myself and it would be in my best interest if he remained safe as well."

Returning his attention to the seductive Mei, Naruto warily answers her proposition. "…I guess that's fine," before warning her, "just so you know, this would be a real show of faith. If you try anything-"

"I won't," she insisted, happily turning to overlook the village. "You have my word, because, among equals, our word is our only bond," she tells him before leaving him to his peace.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

With a small microphone by his mouth, Genma welcomes the viewing masses before establishing the very limited rules; the match continues until submission, the moderator calls it, or death. "I'll now bring out our Genin candidates by order of match. First, from Sunagakure: Kankurō." With his hands in his pockets and a long toothpick in his mouth, the Jōnin doesn't look to his right from which the Kazakage's second-born son enters.

To the cheer of the crowd, Kankurō enters the arena in his black baggy puppeteer's costume, hood with cat-like ears, and his wrapped puppet on his back. Walking into the open dirt and grass field, Kankurō observes the battlefield with every step, memorizing the terrain for any possible advantage until he reaches the spot Genma indicates he stand on. Looking up at the Kage's balcony, Kankurō wonders why his father didn't meet them earlier in the morning as they planned on; even Baki couldn't explain the delay. As Kankurō wonders why his father is wearing a white veil cloth over most of his face, Genma's voice is broadcasted throughout the festive arena.

"His opponent," Genma casual speaks. "From Konohagakure: Aburame Shino."

Leaving the wide access tunnel all the other opposition wait in, wearing his dark sunglasses, light gray jacket with a high, upturned collar, Shino walks out onto the spacious field. He ignores the ovation to recite his sensei and clan's battle strategy in his mind, though he does spare some thought to where Naruto might be. After his display during the preliminaries and his sensei's explanation of having two chakras, he's been on all the rookies' minds. Standing a few paces away from Kankurō, Genma continues with the participants of the following match-up.

"With our second contest," Genma orates. "From Sunagakure: Temari," and along with whistling cat-calls, the crowd cheers for the beautiful Sand princess.

However, Temari ignores the adulation. Having never felt so torn, Temari has come to dread this day. Turning around, the sandy-blond kunoichi feels great concern for her little brother and the absent Naruto. Observing how on edge a disturbed Gaara is, it's her hope Naruto ran away, because no matter how cowardly that would make him, at least he'll still be alive. With a strong intake of air, she says a small prayer for a fortunate outcome—no matter how that might look—before exiting the tall cement access hallway toward the center of the makeshift landscape. With her every step, her mind recalls with vibrant detail the past two weeks of her mission surrounding, '_Naruto_.'

TEMARI

After Temari assured him that nine spouses or concubines would allow him and future Uzumakis to marry and produce more heirs and clan members without the fear of genetic deformities, Naruto still seemed confused by her proposition. Whether it's due to her unexpectedly quick turn-around on polyamory or the possibility he sensed her disapproval of what she simply labels as consensual infidelity, she couldn't say, however, her research is sound and she offered it to show him as well her amendment to their Omiai.

Naruto instead responded with, "fine, but I want to meet Gaara."

To get him back on board, she acquiesced, "fine." Turning around she called, "follow me."

Surprised, he asked, "wait, really? Now?"

Turning to him, she asked, "you have somewhere to be?"

"Actually, yeah," Naruto honestly admitted. Her mind immediately makes plans for later in the day when he responds, "but I can start it with clones and catch up later. Let's go."

After making a clone, Temari takes him straight to their suite at one of Konoha's fanciest hotels, all the while he explains how a three or four-member polycule was more his train of thought. Naruto is amazed by the opulence of the rooms as Temari explained nine members is simply the lowest number necessary to avoid deformities or weaknesses should he want his clan's blood to remain as pure as possible. As she led him to Gaara's room, he replied how little something like that mattered to him. Without preamble, she knocks sharply on the heavy door.

A slow hissing, like running sand, could be heard behind the door and instantly Temari reacted with agitated alertness. The door opened slowly and with the darkness of the room behind him contrasting with his pale skin, blood-red hair, and light-green eyes rimmed by dark sleepless lines, he appeared as if out of a nightmare. With his short-sleeved black body-suit and white sash across his chest, Gaara was silent as he stared at them.

With tremendous effort, Temari clears her throat and introduced the boys. "Gaara, this is Uzumaki Naruto, my fiancé-"

Surprised, Naruto shook his head as he repeated, "f-f-f-fiancé?"

Temari hastened to get this over with and finished, "Naruto, my little brother Gaara."

"Yo," he merrily called out, surprising Temari to hold her breath. When Naruto extended his fist for a bump, she was sure Gaara would take that as a sign of aggression and engage them, but he simply stared at the fist as Naruto finished, "how's it going?"

Turning his icy green eyes on Naruto, Gaara only asked, "do you feel it?"

Tilting his blond head, Naruto curiously asked, "feel what?"

Nearly snarling, he answered, "love."

"Oh," Naruto hummed before answering, "yeah, I do."

Internally, Temari was shocked to hear that. Externally she was still holding her breath. Her technically-accurate-fiancé just claimed to love her in front of her brother and somehow it suddenly felt more substantial. The hallway seems hotter to her and she pondered whether that made her happy or sad to hear.

"The best way to destroy a person is to fill them with love, then take it away," Gaara professed. With wide, hungry eyes, her homicidal little brother declared, "next we meet, I'm going to relish mixing your still warm blood with the endless sand; proving my existence to the world."

Before Naruto could say anymore, Gaara slammed the door behind on them. Her blond target tried to yell through the door but Temari convinced him to save it for another day. She then took him to her suite on the opposite side of the top level. The one question Temari wanted to ask Naruto in the privacy of her suite was at what point did he fall in love with her when it suddenly dawned on her.

She claps her hand over her forehead for her lapse in logic when she voiced, "of course… you meant your love for this other woman, didn't you?"

Momentarily distracted by the gold and navy blue layout, tall curtained windows, and opulent furnishing of the beautiful room, Naruto hummed, "huh?" Then realized, "oh, yeah. I have a lot of important people in my life, but yeah, I love her."

Feeling rejected, the daughter of the Kazekage hotly contested, "and somehow, you actually believe you could love me too? Equally?"

"It's not like it's a competition," Naruto assured her. "If you met her… well, it's like being introduced to another person you could love just as much as you could love me. The three of us would just love each other and we could build something together, but, it's super important to be honest with each other. If that's something you think you can do, great, but if not, we can still be best of friends-"

"Then let's be honest," Temari interrupted, eager to stop feeling rejected as a woman or a failure as a kunoichi. With stern determination, Temari brings it down to reality, callously citing, "before sister-wives, marriages, engagements, or even girlfriends; before any of that _**very**_ challenging concept, I'm- …I'm scared you're going to die. How's that for honesty? I'm _truly_ terrified that my little brother is going to kill you."

Almost with a bored face, Naruto assured her, "he's not going to kill me."

"You don't know that," she heatedly argues, asking with aggravation, "how many people have you killed?"

"Uh, maybe two or three, but I wasn't trying to kill them-"

It wasn't a stretch of the imagination for Temari to guess, "you were trying to incapacitate them, right? I can easily imagine those two or three shinobi you killed likely died from their injuries and not because you maliciously ripped them apart to bathe in their blood?"

"…Well, yeah," a horrified Naruto eventually agreed.

"Gaara has killed _scores_ of men and he doesn't do it to incapacitate." She tries desperately to make him realize, "he butchers them _for __**fun**_. As much as we like to predict what might happen, no one knows the future! You or I could die any day, but between the two of us, _you're_ the one that has to face my brother, which means the chances that's it's you is exponentially higher." In that moment, it's strangely sinking in. What was ordered of her was suddenly feeling like an outcome she doesn't want. "…we're two weeks away from the exam and I'm only now realizing he could very well kill you-"

"Hey," he called, standing closer to her, filling her vision with his whiskered face. "He's _**not**_ going to kill me," he reiterated, but the look on her face read she didn't believe him. "Let's be honest, then. I like you Temari, you're wicked smart and beautiful and fun and I like your family too. Even the one that wears makeup-"

"You know his name," Temari accused with a dry grin.

Chuckling, Naruto smiled as he nodded before continuing, "I know you think I'm crazy for trying to reach out to Gaara but I know we're alike. Hell, I could've been just like him… which also means he could be like me… if he had someone like I did. I just have to show him that and he won't be that crazy murderer you're afraid of. He could be someone great. Someone amazing. Maybe your Kazekage one day."

That, more than anything else shook her to her core. For her village, that's lived in such fear of him for so long, to somehow get over that to accept him as a person and Kazekage… The clarity and faith in Naruto's eyes were unwavering and Temari can't help but gasp before slowly asking, "…you really think that, don't you?"

With his cocky smile, he asserted, "damn right I do," and Temari kissed him then and there.

The energy in her kiss was made of bountiful gratitude and a bit of hope, as if she wanted to believe him. He kissed her back with just as much energy, and for some reason, he felt honest, comforting, and trusting, which then slowed them down. Their locked lips suddenly became gentle, patient, softer as their faces relaxed against one another. She felt her heart pounding in her ears, and placing her hand on his chest, she could feel his heart thundering as well. The feel of his hot chest was more doubt that one day his beating heart would stop and her brother would be the cause. In that singular moment, without her village in mind, Temari felt like she didn't want Naruto to die. Her roused body wanted him alive and she snatched his white collar, pulling him in for a much deeper kiss.

Cupping her jawline while snagging her waist, Naruto's matured passion pulled her in like gravity she couldn't withstand, connecting them at the waist as her soft breasts pressed against his hard chest. She matched his passion, if not his experience, and they made out for several minutes. He led her head tilts and shifts and she happily followed as their hot saliva-covered tongues caress each other, muffled by locked lips.

The way he kissed her felt as if he wanted something honest and real with her but that only made her heart ache more. To detract from her mission of deception, Temari unzips his jacket, snaked her hands under his shirt and caressed his hot skin while pulling him desperately to her bedroom. His own hands were massaging the back of her elegant neck and the arch of her lower back and the blonds were only escalating as they neared her large soft bed, but Naruto also felt the danger.

Temari was ready to give herself to him and feel anything but the gnawing ache in her heart but she couldn't know that Naruto wouldn't allow her to sacrifice that ultimate line on a lie. It wouldn't be right, so as much as Temari was ready to commit to his sexual gratification in any position he desired, Naruto pulled away.

Breathing heavily, she was shocked and didn't understand why he stopped. She remembered thinking, '_is he rejecting me again_?'

Catching his breath, Naruto huffed, "after." Her curious eyes made him elaborate, "I'd be happy to go all the way with you _**after**_ the finals." Before Temari can repeat her same point of contention, he told her, "and if Gaara kills me, then at least you can experience your first time with someone lucky enough to be loved by you."

That struck Temari as more mature than he lets on. It's highly unlikely that other boys or men would pass up such an opportunity with her and yet, this loud and enthusiastic blond is showing restraint and integrity well beyond his years; as if he had no rush to lose his virginity. It's astounding to her that this boy she mistook for a complete buffoon seems to genuinely care for her brother and her virtue. From an emotional place within her, Temari was burning to respond, "…you're lucky enough… If you really mean that-"

"Of course I mean it," he responded, adding with a cocky smirk, "look who you're talking to."

A blushing Temari wanted to believe he's lying; as a shinobi couldn't be _this_ good. But her teal-colored eyes are telling her he's not, making her genuinely express, "I don't want to regret… _not_ being with you any more than I already-"

"Temari," Naruto huffs, softly caressing her rosy cheek and elegant neck. "Just because I won't go all the way right now, doesn't mean we can't do other stuff." Naruto bent his knees enough so his hands could take a firm grip of her round rear-end and rhythmically paw the strong cheeks together, thoroughly stunting her thought process. She blushes furiously at his boldness as he massages her strong malleable posterior, telling her, "after the exams, we can explore more, but for now, we can do everything else… if you want, I mean."

His hands move to remove her red sash, followed by her long-sleeved purple tactical blouse. Though he told her to say when she'd like to stop, she never did. Soon enough, she was in her black, lace underwear and suddenly wished she thought to put on something sexier; luckily, his enamored eyes and dopey grin seemed to say he doesn't mind. Temari blushed furiously. Maintaining eye contact, he easily lifts her by her butt and lets her fall back on the fluffy queen-sized bed.

Temari couldn't know that Naruto was doing what he and Kurenai always had a problem practicing: foreplay. The teacher and student had done many activities that preceded sex, but once they were ready mentally as much as physically, Kurenai and Naruto always indulged in deep interior stuffing. With Temari, there's a limited border by which she and Naruto could play in but he was confident he could make her feel good. Of everything Kurenai taught him, Naruto gave Temari the very best experience from combination play and he loved exploring her body.

He found she responded well to the common erogenous zones, her lips, neck—especially around the base of her skull—her B-cup breasts, her strong round glutes, her thighs, behind her knees, her calves, and her slippery sex. He learned she loves light nail-scratching of her sensitive scalp so much it makes her left leg kick; a good finisher, he noted. He learned how excitable she became when he played with her asshole; a good stimulant, he tallied.

Armed with a good finisher and stimulant, Naruto played Temari's sensitive zones like a fiddle, arousing her most stimulating sexual responses with practiced hands and stoking a passionate fire in her she never knew existed. Temari didn't know. She didn't know how much she would respond to his nimble fingers, strong hands, and rough tongue. She didn't even know she had so many areas that could cull so much stimulation. Her heart rate sped up when he began massaging her feet or head because she knows he's going to make his way to her wet center. Her breast swelled when he expertly massaged and played with her nipples. Her toes curled when he massaged her inner thigh or above her crotch where her hips hinge toward her sex.

And when he first ate her out, rubbing the rich nerve endings of her pubic mound whilst licking and sucking on her labia, clitoris, and beyond with his strong course tongue, she didn't know he could make her reach her peak frequently. When his plunging fingers found her g-spot as his tongue slide up and down her sensitive love bud, Temari ripped the sheets her clenched grip from her explosive orgasm. Nearly every day after, he would bring her to ecstasy seven or eight times in one session and Temari felt her body belonged to his skill. He especially enjoyed when she tried to fight the steady building of pleasure. The challenge always made him want to make her beg for it by denying her orgasms just before eruption.

For two weeks, they'd hung-out and converse around all the heavy foreplay. He'd thoroughly satisfy her with his hands, mouth, played with her ass, used a toy vibrator and his Fūinjutsu Ero-tags. He's seen her completely nude, made her cum dozens of times, even took a nap together, yet they've never had sex.

In the beginning, she imagined he would break at some point, but he never did, and when she attempted to push him into it, he would always pull away. He'd remind her that the best time for them to go all the way was when it was their choice and not because she's scared he'll die. With the few days they had left, Temari just couldn't argue against that.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

Though Temari was supposed to stand next to Shino in the wide-open area, she stands beside her little brother. For someone as confident and as intelligent as her, she was having difficulty determining if she succeeded or failed in her mission. It nearly felt as if she didn't deserve the boisterous adoration of the crowd. Still, the day of reckoning is here and she made decisions she will have to find a way to live with. Looking up at her father's oddly covered face, she thought, '_today's the end_.'

Genma didn't care enough about where Temari stood to make a stink about it, and instead introduces, "her opponent, from Konohagakure: Nara Shikamaru."

Wearing his short-sleeved gray jacket over his wire-mesh shirt and brown pants, the bored Nara genius leaves the darker hallway for the wide-open and sunny field ahead. He pays more attention to the clouds moving at a snail's pace above than the annoying loud shouting from the stands or his opponent as he takes his spot beside Shino.

Sitting between Chōji and Sakura, Ino watches her teammate take the dirt stage. Though she's worried about the lazy pineapple-head, she can't help but think he'll be alright. Of all the contestants in this tournament, the only one that causes her any fear is Sabaku no Gaara. From behind them, Chōji, Ino, and Sakura can also hear villagers jabbering about things they don't understand.

They hear, "I'm looking forward to seeing Uchiha Sasuke win the finals. I put fifty thousand on him."

"What? No way," a second villager calls out. "Not over Hyūga Neji. You should've just given your ryō to me."

"Hey, hey," a third villager announces. "Did you two forget Sabaku no Gaara is the Kazekage's son. He's definitely been receiving Kage level training all his life! Don't be surprised if he kills it today!"

Ino's heart hardens and her lungs feel like they're drowning in poisonous gas. For comfort, she takes Sakura's hand and fondly recalls her night with Naruto to settle her rising trepidation.

INO

Three days before the Chūnin exam, rather than spend the recreational hour in Sakura's room in the Yamanaka home, or her room in her parent's house, or the cave at the waterfall, or Naruto's room at Iruka's, Naruto was messaged to meet Sakura in Ino's room. And Sakura wasn't alone. Ino was there as well, at her desk.

Without turning around, Ino casually called out, "hey."

Confused, Naruto looked at Sakura curiously as she puts away her scrolls and materials, and returned, "hey?"

Standing, Sakura stretches her arms outward, announcing to the room, "I'm going to get us some drinks." As Sakura left the room, Ino packed away her study materials as well.

Lost, Naruto asked, "what's going on?"

"Judging by the way she specifically demanded I be here," Ino began to answer. "I'm guessing she's trying to set us up."

With a quirked brow, he asked, "really?"

Nodding in amused disbelief, Ino answered, "for a smart girl, she can be pretty simple sometimes," and Naruto snickered.

Ino wasn't sure how she felt about Sakura's plan. She loves Naruto and wants to be with him, but the stigma of what she did makes her feel criminal, guilty, and unworthy. If she gave him her everything and he eventually realized that she wasn't worth as much as she boasted, she's certain it would break her. She loves being confident and gaining the admiration behind it, but with someone as good as Naruto, she can still worry. In her mind, it all came down to, '_I made horrible mistakes, he's a good guy, so how could it ever work?_'

As things stand, he was her first, she met a mentor in Kurenai because of him, and he still wants to be friends. Though that should be enough for Ino, Sakura is springing this horribly thought out opportunity and in her heart of hearts, she wants so desperately to take it. Feeling her mind give her probabilities as she playfully asked, "do you want to do something fun?"

Her cocksure eyes makes him observe her with a mix of wary amusement. He walked to her bed and sits before cautiously inquiring, "like what?"

Grinning that he didn't outright dismiss her, she pointed out, "she still thinks I'm a virgin."

"…Okay," Naruto sounded before asking, "are you going to tell her?"

"One day," Ino answered with a shrug. She scanned her door before visually mapping a trajectory to the seated Naruto. As part of her plan, she gripped his shoulders and moved the confused boy closer to the halfway point of her bed as she explained, "right now that doesn't really matter. What does is this plan of hers that I'd absolutely love to turn on its head if you're game." His suspicious look is all the question she needed before answering, "I bet you anything she'll lose it if I watch you guys."

Something like that might've raised his blond eyebrows before, but after Mabui and Samui, Naruto simply hums aloud, feigning deep thought before playfully guessing, "it sounds more like you just want to watch."

Without even denying it, Ino quickly replied, "of course I want to watch, but hand-to-heart, I assure you that has _almost_ nothing to do with it…"

Not at all convinced, Naruto sounded, "uh-huh."

"Knowing her, I'm sure she'd get off on it," Ino continued. "She's kinkier than she lets on,"

Steamy memories of eight or so sessions with his teammate, Naruto nodded vehemently as he agreed, "Oh, I know! Talk about a shocker. It's like there's another girl in there sometimes."

Grinning, Ino buoyantly asked, "so, you in?"

Naruto can't help but feed off of Ino's mischievous personality. Looking at her, it's as if she has no doubt she'll have her way. So much so he'd almost be scared if she set her eyes on becoming Hokage. Smiling, Naruto said, "I'd be willing to play with the idea, _**but**_, if she's not-"

Knowing her sister, Ino confidently interrupted, "she will."

When Sakura returned, she set the tray down as Ino sat next to Naruto and poured two cups of green tea while explaining, "I hate to leave you both but I forgot I had to do something with kaa-san." Ino and Naruto's blue eyes connect for a split second as Sakura continued. "I know I made you come all the way here so maybe you and Ino can chat. We've all been so busy training, it's almost impossible to see each other. You guys should definitely use this opportunity to catch up."

Playfully acting concerned, Ino asked, "what about your recreational time? I wouldn't want to get in the way."

"It's fine, it's fine," Sakura replied waving her concern away. "This close to the finals, it's for the best if Naruto rests his body."

"Really," Naruto asked.

"Of course," she answered. "Planned rest, a.k.a. the Art of Tapering. Due to your training, your body and chakra are used to a certain level of activity and fatigue, so, before any physically demanding event, you can optimize your performance by resting for a day or two. As you taper and rest before the event, the mind, body, and chakra become restless and you feel more energy than you know what to do with."

"Hmm, good to know," Naruto remarked with a smile. His mind reasoned it would give him extra time to plant stacks of seals around the village.

"Still, that's two days away and Naruto tends to have way more energy to begin with," Ino pointed out. Turning to Sakura, she added with a thoughtful hum, "I wouldn't feel right about taking your time."

"It's no problem, Ino," Sakura stated. "Just keep him company for me and I'll be happy with that."

With a cute pose, Ino returned, "you'd do that for me?"

"Well, I'm not really doing much, but of course," the pink-haired girl remarked, warmly adding, "we're sisters after all."

"Aww, I think it's great you two are so close," Naruto couldn't help but say, knowing full well Ino's smiling on the inside. "I've missed talking to you, Ino… but I feel bad for backing out of Sakura's time."

"Guys really, it's okay."

"No," Ino retorts. "It's not."

"Maybe we could just hang-out; the three of us," Naruto suggested, and Ino hums internally with delight.

"Yeah," Ino boasted. "That'd be much better. Come on Sakura. I see you around but it's usually in passing and you're always busy training and studying, you barely eat with us."

"We should definitely take a small break," Naruto included.

"Well, um… okay," Sakura eventually decided.

"Perfect," Ino called. Hopping to her feet, Ino takes Sakura's hand and rushes back to the bed. She'd already timed and aimed so that the pair of beauties crashed perfectly into Naruto, making Sakura yelp, "Ino!" Ino landed on Naruto's left, pulling her pink-haired friend to land flat on his right as his hands smoothly snake around both of their backs. Catching them, they settle on the bed.

"Moh, Ino," Sakura bemoaned, pressed snugly against Naruto. "What are you-"

Sakura is interrupted when Ino began kissing Naruto, widening her green eyes. It stunned her to be inches away from their heated make out. With effort, Ino pulled away to turn to a blushing Sakura and innocently asked, "are you okay?" Ino's hand slides down to his crotch and began rubbing him over his clothes as they wait for Sakura's reply.

The calm way they're acting and with half of her body is laying on Naruto, Sakura had to ask, "wha…what are you two doing?"

Tilting her head curiously, Ino sweetly asked, "what do you mean? I'm getting my boyfriend ready for my sister." Sakura suddenly felt very hot.

Rubbing her ass with his hand, Naruto asked, "weren't you the one who wanted to have sex with me even if Ino was my girlfriend?"

"…So big," Ino hummed before nibbling on Naruto's whiskered cheek.

"How could I not be with two gorgeous kunoichis in my arms," Naruto replied.

Ino watched him knead and massage Sakura's round ass cheeks over her white short-shorts, making the girl spread her legs a little more every so often. With her eyes closed, Sakura was silent while Ino stroked Naruto, looking from the blonds to his popped out groin and deep in thought. With minimal strength, Naruto easily slides Sakura over him, straddling his hard-on while he continued to massage her bubble-butt.

"I can tell you want it… you're soaking for it," he added when his fingers felt her dampness soak her white shorts as he slowly thrusts up, drawing out the weighted soft-on-hard contact.

Sliding into a position behind Sakura, both girls are straddling his aroused groin and strong thighs as Ino singed, "she likes it rough, right?" Ino knows—likely as Naruto learned—Sakura's body quite well. The beautiful blond unbuttons Sakura's shorts before sliding her hand down her panties and their pink-haired plaything leans forward, resting her hand on Naruto's chest with eyes clenched closed. "I bet she's going to cum all over my bed," Ino assured Naruto, fingering her horny sister as Naruto massaged her pert breasts while lightly bumping his restrained hardness against Sakura's soaked pussy. Ino whispered in her ear, "this is where I sleep Sakura. Is a pretty little cum-slut like you going to gush all over my bed?"

Ino surprised Sakura by kissing her. As Naruto watched them making-out, he knew this wasn't going to be like Mabui and Samui. Ino would need to confess to Sakura that's she's not a virgin, and likely the circumstances around it. So when Naruto commanded Sakura to unzip him, he knew his pink-haired teammate was going to be the only one partaking, but Ino would contribute heavily.

From behind, Ino played with Sakura's breast and nipple as she stroked Sakura's mound. She slid in two fingers breaking Sakura's concentration as she attempted to remove Naruto's pants. Ino remembered exactly where Sakura felt the juiciest pleasure and curls her fingers around her sensitive folds and grooves. Between the two blonds, Sakura is mindlessly aroused and wet, exciting Ino so much she shoves Sakura to her side, her back on the bed before she slides the pinkette's white shorts down enough to comfortably returning to her gushing center.

Feeling her walls twitch, Ino moans beside her ear, "are you going to cum already, Sakura?"

Naruto removed Sakura's shorts and panties before bringing her hot legs vertically against his chest. He's massaging her inner thighs as Ino inches her closer to her first orgasm.

"WaiT- _Ahnn_… _Mmnn_… I-Ino…. _Ahn_, Na-Naruto," Sakura moaned. When Ino sucked on her nipple and rubbed her clit, Sakura broke, moaning, "_AH!_… _mmmmnnnn_… _HAA!_"

"There's my girl," Ino whispered proudly. "She's ready for you," she told Naruto before kissing the moaning Sakura once again. Rock-hard, Naruto eagerly slides his head in before gripping her hips then thrusts just as hard as Sakura likes it, reaching her dripping cervix in the first thrust.

"_AAHHHH!_" Sakura moans before rupturing in bouts of spasms from the vibrating ecstasy. "Wa- Wait! I'm- _Ahh_… st-still- _Ahhn! Mmmnnn_… sensi-sitive!"

"My boyfriend hasn't even gotten started, sis," Ino whispered. "Show me that beautiful O-face, Sakura. Let me see how much you love it."

Naruto humped her spread vanilla legs, pounding her tight pink richness with everything he has. Ino then straddles Sakura's stomach, giving Naruto an arousing view of her kissing and kneading his teammate's sensitive breasts to Sakura's second orgasm. Her soaked love muscle clenched him tightly as she quakes and spasms erotically under Ino. Her juices dribble onto the bed and floor as she settled enough for Naruto to begin again. With Ino on top of her, rocking with his thrusts, Sakura is wrecked with two more massive orgasms before Naruto finally empties his balls deep inside her.

They flip her around and for the remainder of the hour, Ino helped Sakura topple over her pleasure peak nearly twice as much as normal. Sakura was so aroused by receiving double the amount of attention from people who knew her body, she reached her fevered O early and often. Naruto didn't even need to go hard, and by the end, Sakura is naked, faced down, and twitching on the bed as she revels in the pleasant aftermath of reaching her bliss so many times.

As it was all about Sakura, Ino never had to take her top and shorts off, but still followed Naruto into the bathroom when he said he needed to clean up. Watching Sakura nap on her bed before closing the bathroom door, Ino asked him, "that didn't go like she planned, did it?"

Chuckling, he answered, "I don't think she minds." He splashes his face with water before turning to her. She was happy to note he looked her over. She couldn't exactly blame him. After all of that intense and arousing assisting, Ino was left incredibly horny. She recalled her womanhood being pushed by his thrust and pushing back herself as he fucked Sakura. Her heart was pumping blood to her sensitive body and she was feeling dizzy with want.

Observing her curiously, Naruto cautiously asked, "Ino, are you alright?"

"Honestly," Ino heaved, swallowing before shaking her head. "…I'm not. But I don't want to ruin anything by asking…" They're alone now and she wants him.

Moving closer to her did not make her feel better as he asked, "are you… excited?" Squeezing her eyes shut was the only way she can resist her urges, but her body nodded. He moved just inches from her as he explained, "I really do feel like we've come a long way…" That was consent enough for her and she's ready to take off her honey-soaked clothes until he said, "but, there's something I have to tell you and I don't think you're going to like it."

Gaining a bit of apprehensive clarity, Ino realized what he meant. What she thought about their chances was accurate after all. '_Of course, he'd be too good for a manipulator like me_,' her mind screamed as she tried to put on a brave face. "I- no, I understand," she struggled to say. "I wouldn't date me after what I did either-"

"Ino, stop it," Naruto vehemently proclaimed. "That's not it at all! I have such strong feelings for you… and I can't call it like it is because the way I think about love changed. What's important to me is our trust in each other, our friendship, and our honesty and it's because you mean so much to me that I have to be honest… I have to tell you… I… I'm p-polyamorous, which, I know how selfish that sounds-"

"Wait," Ino called, shaking her head as if to try and make sense of it. Half of her arousal forgotten, Ino's mind begs for more information. '_He can't mean what I think he means_,' her mind tried to reason as she asked, "you're… you want to be in multiple relationships?"

"No," Naruto quickly replied. "I want to be in one. It just happens to have more than two people in it."

Thrown for an unstable loop, a dizzy Ino gasped as she asked in sheer disbelief, "more than two… how's that even work?"

"Honestly, I have no idea," Naruto emphatically stated with wide eyes. She wanted to demand, '_how could you __**not**__ know about such an outrageous thing_,' when he pointed out with his chin toward her occupied bed, "it's like whatever happened in that room." He shrugged as he said, "it just is. Believe me, I'd be happy with a normal two-person relationship, but, if, for example, you and I were a couple and you wanted more with Sakura-"

"We can have more of that without the three of being in one relationship," Ino tried to protest.

"And how honest would that be," Naruto returned. He scrunched his brow to ask, "if we were a couple, how fair would that be to Sakura's love life? How fair would it be to hold her back like that or hell, put that on- …on anyone she dates."

"You mean Sasuke," she guessed out loud.

"She still has feelings for him," Naruto told her. "And it feels wrong to hide things that make us happy. If you want something, you say it out loud, and if you can't, then… maybe it's not good."

"Sasuke's no good," Ino returned.

"Ino…"

"No," she hotly called. "He tried to kill you! He's too… Until he has a major breakthrough in his life, he's a danger in my eyes and Sakura would be infinitely better without him."

"I'm working on it," Naruto said with a small grin. "For now, if you and I were in a relationship, I'd be more than happy to share our love—our everyday life together—with Sakura and receive her love as well. But it's not something to be ashamed of where were keep it a secret." He takes a step back and scratches the back of her neck as he confesses, "because that's what this means to me… more love from people we love."

Aside from being angry and horny, Ino didn't know how she felt about his shocking revelation. Though she doesn't know much about the lifestyle, with her family, she's heard of the social study. Polyamorous relationships come across as something unpractical, unrealistic, taboo, and selfish. She can easily think about the number of men who have cheated on a girl simply because the opportunity arose. It's not something to condone… '_but can this be considered any of that? It's not like Naruto is the average guy?_'

She looks at his nervous and apprehensive face, red with perspiration from sex with Sakura and she listened to what he said. '_He doesn't know how he's polyamorous_,' she thought. He only knows he's happy to be her boyfriend as well as have sex with Sakura… '_as any man would_,' she thought. '_But it's not like I'm against him having sex with her either_.' Ino felt deep in her heart she was fine with Naruto and Sakura having sex, even if she were Naruto's girlfriend. '_Wouldn't that mean I'm also polyamorous_,' Ino's mind questioned. She knows she's not trying to cheat on Naruto by also being with Sakura. In Ino's mind, her relationship with both of them feels acceptable because, to put it simply, it's Naruto and Sakura. Naruto seems to be taking the brave step of just admitting it aloud. '_Braver than me_,' she thought.

"I'll just leave you-"

Before Naruto could leave or finish his sentence, Ino grabbed his sleeve and asked, "if I were fine with that… what would your honest feelings toward me be?"

"I can say I love you, Ino," Naruto effortlessly admitted, and Ino's knees weakened. His eyes were so compassionate, if she wasn't leaning against the door, she's certain she would've buckled. '_He loves me_,' her mind sings as her chest swell. Ino would cry if she didn't think it would make her look overly emotional. Naruto then explained, "but because I love you, I can't ask you to be something you're not."

And she understood then. Naruto's intention can't be measured by other men. She knows who he is, she loves who he is, and even though she also loves Sakura, she explained to him, "I need some time, but, however I land on _all_ of that… I'll think about it after."

Curious, he asked, "after-"

Ino kissed him deeply, and like a sponge soaking in water, her womanhood absorbed him; his scent, his feel, his heat, his strength, his love. Her legs tightened as she pulled him to press her flat against the door. Ino felt cushy soft and gushing with ecstasy. Its been so long, like falling off the wagon, she was rapidly falling for her drug of choice.

When they finally pull away after seven breathless minutes of making out, he asked, "are you sure? I don't want to-"

"Just shut up and fuck me," she demanded in a trance before grabbing his face and taking his lips again.

When his strong unyielding hand ripped open the flimsy material of her shorts and panties, Naruto was out of his pants with his shapely knob pressed against her soaking entrance a second later. She had that second to feel everything; pressed against the door, the dead silence of the world around them, soaking around his thick crown, overly sensitive with vivid memories of _**always**_ succumbing to the pleasure of his thick member.

His cock slams her wet depth with one thrust, shooting her head up as she moaned, "_MMMMNNNNnnn_… Kami, it's been too long!" Her entire hormonal body is like a twitching vice around his throbbing rod and she can feel him twitch up to her mouth.

Pressing his head to the side of hers as he groans, "_oouuuuuuhhhh_, this is the sweet pussy I've missed." Naruto then kissed her—kissed her like he loves her—and Ino's mind white-washes as bliss drowns her. "I've missed you Ino. So much…"

Ino felt like a run-on of many miniature orgasms as he continued fucking her into the door, but somehow, her gushing body also builds to a massive orgasm. Naruto gripped her fleshy ass as he slammed into her hot wet depth repeatedly, taking her higher and higher to that massive drop. His teeth nibbled at her neck before kissing her and sucking on her tongue, slamming balls deep into her until he finally unloaded an enormous quantity of thick semen in her womb. Ino saw white before her massive orgasm shattered her soft and sweaty body, drowning her in trembling ecstasy for never-ending minutes.

With Sakura likely to wake up any moment, they couldn't go for more than one session, but it was the sweetest reunion for them.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

Ino still isn't comfortable with everything being a polyamorist means; to her friends, her family, and village, but she can't deny she loves both Naruto and Sakura. She also can't deny she would love to share a home—a bed—between them. She admires how much guts it took him to admit as much to her, despite how that would make him look and what he could lose because of it. Ultimately, Ino is of the opinion that she needs more research and more conversations with him before she makes any decisions. Sakura tightened her grip on Ino's hand, interrupting Ino's train of thought. The stressed blond absorbs Sakura's warm comfort, bringing a smile to her face and a desire to see her as happy as she can be.

Returning her smile, Sakura recalls her time with the other blond staple in her life.

SAKURA

The very next day after Naruto agreed to help with her stress and fatigue relief, he was nervous and concerned when they met again. Alone in her silent room, they both were, with reason. Sex with a friend and teammate while Sakura has confusing feelings about their other teammate had great potential to go very badly and neither one of them wanted that. When Naruto simply offered a full-body deep-tissue massage, she accepted, thinking they can ease into anything else if it felt right. However, Sakura had forgotten how effective his hands were and her body readily remembered the feeling he brought out in her the night they had sex and was dripping of arousal after thirty-minutes.

It still amazed Sakura that of all the men in the village she could have a consensual sexual relationship with, Uzumaki Naruto is the one deep dicking her to her repeated and prolonged satisfaction. Her mind questioned it often and it took some mental gymnastics to be teammates out of the bedroom, but sex bunnies as soon as the door was closed. But she couldn't deny how much she gripped him tightly when he pumped into her, that she wanted more, or that she loved the feeling of his thick load pooling heavy and hot in her womb.

Not only was it exciting how hard he could give it to her, how talented he seemed to be at stoking the sexual fire within her, but to know Ino loves Naruto, and he might feel the same, added a surreal thrill to it all. Sakura was fucking the man Ino loves, her sister's love, and she couldn't help demanding more. The pinkette wanted to do everything with him because she wanted it nearly as much as she wasn't supposed to. It was like there was another part of her that loved to be this wanton.

She was also his first love and Sakura felt some of those lingering feelings are still there. Sometimes he enjoyed squeezing and kneading her rump and massaging her B-cup breasts far more than needed. He enjoyed going down on her, servicing her pink slit with his rough tongue and lapping up the overflow of her sweet essence. Sakura was one of those girls that creates an inordinate amount of lubrication. Add to that her tight, hot, cushy cock-socket and Naruto is always able to stuff her with more brimming meat than she can take. No matter how tight her wet folds clung to his veiny meat-pole, she was so slick he could pound away as hard and as fast as she wanted without concern of tearing or pulling.

From their first time together, Sakura had an inclination that she loved it rough and their time together only validated that hypothesis. She was very vocal when they grease glands, often yelling, "harder!" or, "break me!" "Come on, Naruto, pound the shit out of me!"

As Sakura didn't know his sexual history, she couldn't know she was more enthusiastic in bed than any of the girls he's been with. Ino and Mabui were overly sensitive to him and crumbled without much effort. Samui was very submissive, and as Mabui explained to him, her sexual needs didn't extend past her dom's will. Kurenai was a mixture of all of them; she had her moments when she'd like it soft or submissive but other times when they were so aroused, she wanted it hard and dominating.

Naruto not only learned that Sakura wanted her whole body to rock as he pounded her into the mattress but she has a unique preference for arousal. In the beginning, it was difficult for Naruto to understand why she wanted it so rough, so dominating. Guided by his training with Kurenai, he naturally asked Sakura for open communication. "Is this a fetish or a fantasy? Can you tell me more about what you want me to do?"

Sakura was as much surprised by his candid thoughtfulness as she was embarrassed. She didn't even want to share, but yet again, to her surprise, he can be more mature than he lets on, reassuring her repeatedly that she had his respect, his discretion, and his empathy. For thirty minutes he explained that there was nothing wrong with her or her sexual preferences because he knows who she is and the hour was nearly up before a blushing Sakura agreed to open up to him.

Extremely shyly, Sakura hesitated to admit, "it's not like I _**want**_ to be treated badly or humiliated… but… I don't know! I just get so turned-on b-by… fighting you t-to dominate me or being treated like your property, or- or… being c-called a… w-whore- WHICH I'M NOT!"

_ Without Sakura's knowledge, Naruto had little information about the workings of this sexual preference, other than learning sex-talk with Kurenai. Unable to talk with Kurenai, he asked Mabui during their Fūinjutsu study time why a strong-minded girl like Samui might be submissive or ask to be demeaned._

_ Setting down her fine-tipped brush, the gorgeous psychologist took several moments to gather her thoughts before answering, "being submissive to a man can be a major turn-on, not to say they have to be docile or submissive outside the bedroom. Think about it like this: outside of the bedroom, a strong-willed woman has to be self-disciplined, responsible, and or perfect to succeed in a male-dominated world. She has goals and works hard every single minute of the day to be taken seriously. Inside the bedroom, that same strong-willed woman can feel sexually powerful when they opt to __**lose**__ their image, their responsibilities, their '__**power**__.' They feel a certain thrill to lose everything that makes them who they are to be something so debased. So it has less to do with degrading them and more to do with shedding the stressful veneer of their day-to-day."_

_ "So, to people who don't know that…" Naruto takes a moment to think about what it appears to be, eventually adding, "submissive sex looks like an excuse for a woman like Samui to be treated like crap because she sees herself like crap, like she's insecure or something?"_

_ "Exactly, and that couldn't be further from the truth," Mabui explained to him. "Samui is quite strong, but at its roots, the desire to be forcibly '__**taken**__' or, '__**dominated**__' is actually about having the highest form of a trigger over a man. Being held down or thrown in bed can make a girl feel like her partner can't control his desire for her; that is to say, she's so sexy and desirable that he can't help but ravage her."_

Without Sakura having to explain more about what she liked or why she liked it, by the very next session Naruto just seemed to get it. He somehow seemed to know she wanted to feel like she had that much control over a man that his lust would overtake him and he'd dominate her.

After they came to a clear understanding that it's all consensual in addition to a safe word, he ravaged her and it didn't take much for her to respond. He'd whisper in her ear how she drives him insane as he pounded her into the wall; he'd call her _his_ whore near the peak of her climax and it was so wrong, so contradictory, that it would set her off with mind-numbing orgasms; he'd cum on her face and hair or—to their mutual surprise—slap her in the face with his throbbing manhood. It was surreal abject detraction for them both, but for ten recreational hours spanning across two weeks, Sakura found it easier and easier to be dominated her blond-haired teammate to a disheveled and shuddering mess.

By the end, she felt heavenly snuggled up against him, with her clumped pink hair matted to her sweaty skin, lightly bouncing her perfect breasts with heavy breathing, arching her spine with thick cum leaking out of the apex of her flushed legs as she micro-spasms from the aftermath of a destructive orgasm. Despite this new 'identity' about her self, at the end of every hour together, Naruto would softly and gently kiss her goodnight, as if to signal the end of their masochistic sex and that made her feel more under control. It was like he was balancing her unorthodox preference with her orthodox way of being, and she appreciated him for it.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

"For the third match," Genma calls. "From Konohagakure: Hyūga Neji," and there's an explosive boom of cheers and excitement from the stands in nearly equal measure from women as much as men. Though Neji had hoped to learn more about Naruto—as he expects the final fight to be between them—the loud blond still hadn't joined them in the hallway. Wearing his customary beige-colored shirt, dark brown shorts, and wrapped bandages around his right arm, chest, and right leg, the Hyūga prodigy leaves the wide entry hallway.

From beside Haku, Tenten watches her fair-skinned, long-haired teammate take the field and can feel her attitude toward him was odd now as opposed to two weeks ago. Thinking about the past two weeks, she understands, more or less, what Haku has been pushing her toward and it's not something the Academy is particularly good training for.

TENTEN

Naruto's clone met Tenten at her apartment like they've been doing for nearly two weeks. Massaging Tenten twice a day started as innocently as can be and never required more than a clone to manage but it escalated sharply in the thirteen days since they started.

In their first session on Tenten's bed, she wore leggings and a sports bra and despite the awkwardness of a boy in her room touching her, it went well. She enjoyed it when he massaged her arms and was especially sensitive when he massaged her hands. She felt better after the innocent massage—neither hating or regretting it—and they laughed when they realized how simple of a thing the physical activity can be.

Four days and eight sessions later and Tenten is in her underwear, and with more oiled skin contact, came more sensuality. She tried not to moan, but when she truly couldn't stop it from escaping her throat, Naruto made sure she didn't feel mocked or embarrassed. "It's okay Tenten. You can be as vocal as you like. I'm not going to judge or anything."

And he didn't, no matter how much she moaned, though, it soon started feeling erotic. Hot, oiled, strong hands caressing, stroking, and kneading her body's sensitive muscles; Tenten was moaning or mewling more consistently without even realizing it. Naruto seemed to know what made her feel good, focusing on her hands, neck, scalp, trapezius, B-cup breasts, hip muscles and inner taper, lower back, her annular butt, back and inner thighs, calves, and feet. Like Kurenai taught him, he kept the flow of energy moving within her, and she couldn't help lending airy moans to her constant tingling of teasing pleasure.

Another four days, sixteen total sessions later, Tenten was naked under a small towel. Though she was pink in the face, Naruto didn't bring up her options again. Having mentioned them so many times, she knows she can stop whenever she likes. She simply prefers not to.

'_And why would I_,' she thought. '_It feels good and it's not like we're having sex._'

Though, Tenten frets about how often she's been touching herself lately. In the privacy of her shower, she'd often fiddle with her love bud and a finger until she came. In their physical intimacy, Tenten isn't sure how much of it was Naruto, how much of it was this whole situation of being his tool, or how much of it was just her growing curiosity as a young woman that made her want to explore more.

Tenten couldn't know about his experience and how nearly all of the massages Kurenai taught Naruto often led to sex, so he's heard women who enjoy his ministrations ask, "can you… focus… more _there_?"

His strong hot hands rubbed her oiled thighs just under her bubble butt, focusing on the direction and squeezing of her reactive muscle fibers. Naruto's familiarity with Tenten's energy flow came down to the heat of her skin and the relaxation of her muscles. It's how he knew she was growing aroused by his thorough rubdown. She wanted more and his clone obliged.

Another four days, twenty-four total sessions since they started, there was no longer a towel and Naruto focused heavily on her nimble hands and fingers, pert breasts, round ass, and pink slit. She couldn't believe it when she asked him to focus more on her pooling slit. His fingers and his attention to her reactions surprised her as much as the pleasure he seemed to flare out of her hot and soaking sex.

Feeling his thick fingers pumping inside of her, coated with her buttery juices as he curled around her sex-roaring spots, Naruto got her to the very edge before he'd rub her hooded clitoris and knocked her over the edge. Her body ripped and roared in euphoric waves crashing her every nerve-endings to gushing happiness. And when he made her cum once, it was absurdly easy to make her fogged mind climax again. In their final session before his planned tapering, he even sucked on her nipples as he brought her to toe-curling, body-shocking orgasm. The foreign feeling of having her nipples sucked and lightly bitten by a boy she wasn't in love with was so taboo she couldn't help her growing sensitivity and came multiple times.

They've never had sex—it was never about the sex—it was about maturity. Walking with her team, or coming across other kunoichi her age in the halls of Hokage Tower, she felt different; older. The first boy to ever touch her—the first boy she'll likely have sex with—was someone she doesn't love and the world wasn't coming to an end. It was grounding when no one even seemed to notice a difference in her, as if that rose-colored view she had of the world lost its magic and all that's left is something harder, darker, real.

In light of such a separation, it meant she wasn't as she was and made her want to take things a little more seriously… though she almost regretted it. Once Haku realized that Guy's training method was more than adequate to condition her body, he effectively changed to teaching Tenten beneficial techniques in addition to spontaneously attacking her throughout her day with an ice clone. Haku even set traps and used silent killing techniques to catch Tenten unawares. When Tenten wasn't with her team or busy with a customer, she was on high alert, and thus far, she's "died" thirty-seven times in two weeks.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

Tenten holds in her breath as she imagines Hinata fighting Neji. Tenten will admit she hasn't gained much in the way of strength in two weeks but she's gained more perspective, enough to know her teammate may not have the control to hold back against a main house member. Though she'd never really visualized Hinata as anything more than a main house member, Tenten felt differently about the Hyūga heiress now and it didn't take much either.

After helping Neji all morning with his defense, he leaves for the stadium rather than help her collect the dozens of weapons she deployed from her scrolls. Though she understood he needed to be in the arena, it wasn't for another hour and a half. He could've stayed and helped a little; locate some of the harder to spot weapons or pick up a few in the clearing. Instead, with a single-minded focus, he leaves. A few weeks ago, the bun-haired beauty would be upset with him for not helping. Now, she's more upset with herself for not securing his help beforehand.

It was while Tenten gathered her weapons that she heard, "do you need some help?"

The soft question from the Hyūga heiress startled her, and turning on her heel, Tenten is approached by Hinata, Kiba, and Shino. Though Kiba claimed there wasn't enough time to pick up all the weapons and Shino claimed it would look poorly on their sensei and clans if they were late, Hinata shook her head and told them, "it won't take much time if we all help."

With unexpected appreciation, Tenten replied, "you don't have to."

However, Hinata explained, "you're Neji-niisan's teammate." Moving to pick up a few daggers and shurikens, she added, "of course I want to help."

It was odd that someone would be so touching after everything Tenten has been through. Aside from Naruto, no one knows how close to death she came or the quasi-beneficial servitude she now lives. Watching Hinata and her teammates help collect her gear, Tenten can't help but feel those events gave her a better appreciation.

From beside her, watching Neji settle next to the other genin, Haku gravely voices, "stay ready, Tenten," bringing her back to the present.

Tenten eyed him a moment before asking, "what do you mean?"

"Exactly that," Haku answers. Recalling last night's conversation with Naruto, he adds, "remain ready for anything."

HAKU

The night before the Chūnin Exam, in Ten Out of Ten by the check-out desk, Haku is balancing the day's numbers before subtracting the day's profit when Naruto's clone walks from the back of the store. He was pink in the cheeks and Haku recalled hearing moaning.

Smiling, he asked, "how's Tenten?"

"She doesn't hate us yet," Naruto groans as if it's only an inevitability. "So I want to say okay?"

"If she develops any hatred toward someone," Haku began to reply. "It'll be me, Naruto-sama… with reason, might I add."

"Well, I don't want her to hate either of us," Naruto returned, tilting over to look at the numbers.

"She knows she can stop anytime," Haku voiced, continuing his calculations. "She needed something to get her going and now that she has that mental progress, this really has become her show."

Turning to Haku, Naruto said, "before I go, I wanted to ask you about Kabuto."

Without hesitation, Haku swiftly puts down his pen and asked, "what would you like to know?"

"I haven't seen him around, and I doubt I would," Naruto commented. "Do you know anything about him or maybe something he wants? I don't want to pry but this could be important."

Quirking a brow, Haku asked, "how so?"

"…I was told Kabuto's a spy for Orochimaru," Naruto replied, stunning Haku even if he doesn't look it. He added, "and his boss likes to kidnap all sorts of talented shinobi, so I thought he might try to take you too."

"I see," Haku voiced, taking the moment to recall his last interaction with the silver-haired glasses boy. "Kabuto-san snuck into my room three nights ago and warned me to be on high alert during the finals." Haku wasn't sure how much of this would be beneficial to Naruto, but he nearly hesitated to add, "he also said… he'd be there for me."

"He's not the only one," Naruto retorted, making Haku smile. He still has a hard time grasping how he can be loved by others; it always fills him with peaceful joy. "In that case," Naruto continued, warning him as seriously as he's ever seen the blond. "I _really_ want you to be on guard during the exams. We can't be sure what to expect."

Haku inquired, "what would you like me to do?"

With his usual smile, he answered, "stay safe, protect the innocent."

"As you wish," Haku stated.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

After Neji takes his place beside Shikamaru, Genma's casual voice booms directly to the exhilarated fans through the many speakers in the coliseum. "His opponent, from Konohagakure: Hyūga Hinata."

Despite the cheers from the present villagers, Hiashi's eyes hardened at the observation of his first-born walking to the center of the arena. Regardless of his feelings for his daughters, he must place the clan's well-being above them. It's why he disinherited Hinata, it's why he pushes Hanabi to be the best, it's why he made his stipulation with Kurenai-sensei and gave her this deadline for any changes. It's why he ultimately decided to assist Hinata in her tutelage. Not necessarily because he believed in her, but because it would serve the Hyūga clan in the eyes of the village if his daughter performed admirably even in certain defeat. Turning his attention on his youngest, the dutiful Hanabi, by his side, he's certain he made the right decision, regardless of his feelings.

Watching from her post by the railing, Kurenai also remembers the arrangement she made with the Hyūga clan Head. Though she's nervous for all of her students, Hinata in particular, she's proud of her team's progress. She's invited her team to her home many times to assist their strategies, so Kurenai knows Hinata has worked hard to learn her clan's proprietary techniques.

In addition to the confidence training, Kurenai had never seen Hinata so poised. There's still some reservation, but it feels more like quiet peace rather than timidness. Training with Naruto has turned this nearly detrimentally shy girl into a more composed and open kunoichi. Hinata had drive now and that was due to his influence on her… which almost makes her body recall his effect on her. Even now, she can't help but wonder if she made the right decision in opening up to him… in ending it with him.

KURENAI

After Naruto palmed the Fūin security with a chakra-covered hand, Kurenai called for him from the kitchen. He gazed fondly up the stairs leading to her bedroom before walking through her warm living room to her warmly lit kitchen, all the while missing the steady comfort she became for him. Moisture prickled his eyes when he saw her turn around, as if the world slowed down to the sight of her. Naruto smiled often, but he never felt dumbfounded to look upon someone he deeply cared about and connected with.

Kurenai's return smile was not as wide or happy and she could tell that caused Naruto great concern. His smile faltered under her tepid consternation. They hadn't spoken much in the past three weeks and if it wasn't for all the preparation going into the security for this exam, she'd likely be feeling more loneliness and heartache after the first week of no contact.

"Hey," Naruto softly started.

"Hi," Kurenai responded, trying to move quickly through this. Like ripping off a band-aid, she continued, "sorry, but, I don't have a lot of time." He finally noticed her tactical gear is spread out on the kitchen island and there are several chairs spread out in the room. The kettle is also on the stove with teacups near each chair. "The security team is meeting here to rehearse and further prepare for tomorrow," she explained.

Nodding as he takes a seat across from her in front of the kitchen island, he assured her, "I didn't think I'd hear from you at all so it's cool. I'm glad you did though."

"Sorry," she apologized again. "I know I've been distant for the past… wow, three weeks. Time flies when you're busy."

Her dry laugh lacked any humor but Naruto nods anyway as he responded, "yeah, I get it. I've been preparing too; damn near had a factory of clones making Fūinjutsu tags. So, what's up?"

She hesitated to start and had to shake her head which sashays her shiny black hair before explaining, "I know it's been a while and I probably should've done this sooner…" Feeling an emotional boulder lodged in her throat, Kurenai pauses to cough.

She clears her throat a few times before a concerned Naruto asked, "Nai-chan?"

Feeling an intimate pull at the nickname, her eyes already moisten as she sadly advised, "I think it's for the best if you stop calling me that." Her nose felt hot as she dourly admitted, "there's a reason why I needed a break from us, and I'll be honest with you… I grew confused about _us_ and what we could mean for one another. And trust me, I know I'm the one always talking about no feelings and remaining purely platonic in our intimacy, but… it hasn't… I haven't…"

With her deep sigh, Naruto bravely guessed, "do you… have feelings for me?"

Her widened eyes and drawn in brows answered everything for him, and at Naruto's great big smile, Kurenai immediately urges him to, "listen! Just listen, please." Nodding, he pressed his lips together to try and hide his smile but it went away on its own when she confessed, "before you and I met—before our arrangement—I was in love with a man. Who he is isn't important, but, at that time, I very much felt I was going to marry him, raise a child with him, die of old age with him."

With a strained face, Naruto's heart clenched so hard he couldn't breathe as he tried to convey, "Oh… I didn't… Well, I'm… sure you'll- you'll both be very happy toge-"

"Wait," she called, putting her palm up. "Just, let me finish." After his nod and a deep breath, she continued. "The views by which he and I lived our lives got in the way of that dream. Then you barged into my life—very much to my great delight—and I've been in this holding pattern ever since." She sighed, grumbling to herself, "Kami, this is difficult."

"Nai-chan, no matter what you say, you mean so much to me, I'm always going to be here for you." Thinking about everything in store for the exam, Naruto assuredly promised, "I don't _ever_ want to lose you."

"You won't," she returned with her voice as much as her eyes. "What I feel for you every day is far more…" but her tentative words halt there. She's certain the hesitation is clear on her face, and how troubled she is by this. After a sigh, she continued saying, "after you and I made our arrangement, I didn't have to think about him, or our ruined dreams, or my faults—plus, you were an exceptional student I enjoyed teaching—and that was enough… until I started feeling more… lo- love for you…" Naruto's eyes widen in clear surprise and shock. Flushed, a brave and embarrassed Kurenai forced herself to continue. "_**But**_ as much as I put our breakup on him, part of the reason that man and I didn't work out was because _I_ wasn't ready; not truly. The truth is, a small part of me always felt hesitant committing completely to him, _and you_, when the moment came… but I never knew why until recently."

His flabbergasted expression would've made her laugh if she weren't about to break his heart. With wide eyes and a look of disbelief, Naruto could only think to ask, "what happened?"

Mournfully, Kurenai answered, "a dear friend of mine lost the person she loves."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he instantly replied.

She nodded her thanks before continuing, "it shocked me to my core and not because I was surprised, but because I always knew that's what awaits us. When I was young, my father died." Kurenai's throat constricted again and she took her time to add, "he was the world to me and I loved him more than anything, even my own mother. Of course, I knew people died, but before his death, I never _truly_ believed my father would be one of them. My mind accepted, like the sun, that he was simply too strong or important to die."

Kurenai scoffs humorously as she plays in the memories of her youth, recounting lightheartedly, but also sadly, "he wanted me to make him proud—told me all the time—and I felt the strongest drive to do that for him like nothing else mattered. I remember wanting him to watch me become a strong and proud kunoichi… dreamed of him walking me down the aisle on my wedding day, and one day, holding his first grandchild in his arms… he would've been so _**so**_ happy." As quickly as her brightness came, she just as easily became dour as she flatly stated, "but he died. He left me. And I couldn't make him proud, or have him walk me down the aisle, or give him his first grandchild… no dreams, no nothing. My sun died."

The tears in her eyes were all but pouring down her face when he stood to hug her, voicing, "…Nai-chan-"

She puts her palm up to stop him. "I'm saying all of this because I want you to understand why I can't be with you, or anyone for that matter. Whether it's you or any man, until I come to terms with this, my heart will always feel this fear." Wiping her beautiful crimson eyes clear of tears, she added, "I'll still help you whenever I'm able, but I can't give you more than that. It simply wouldn't be fair to either of us."

Dozens of silent seconds pass in the still room, the kettle nearly to boiling when Naruto finally managed, "I don't know what to say. That's a lot I didn't know about you."

"Don't rush. Like anything else, take it in a bit at a time," she casually instructed.

Smiling, Naruto jests, "ever the sensei," bringing out a lovely grin she eventually smothering it by pressing her lips to a dejected line. "I'll take my time with this," he told her, however his smile returned when he admitted, "but to be honest, I'm just pretty stoked I can be someone _that_ important to you."

With a dry huff, she told him, "Naruto, stop. You're the most amazing man I've ever… fallen for." Kurenai can't believe she's admitting all this only to break up with him. It feels polarizing and backward, yet, a part of her feels relief knowing she won't be decimated in the future, as she was when her father died. However, another part of her hates herself for hurting someone she's in love with. Her heart aches, her head and neck are prickling hot, and it's hard to breathe.

With a smile that shouldn't be on his face, Naruto walked around the kitchen island as he asked, "fallen for? Like, you've fallen in love with me?"

"Naruto," Kurenai groans in amusement as she matched stepping away with his every patient approach. Having gone without him for so long, it's like going through withdrawals for Kurenai and she swears he can feel the strong gravity of her desire for him. Whether fortunate or not, she sensed Asuma land in the backyard while some of the team landed in the front of her home. Asuma looked through the window and knocked. Kurenai raised a palm to indicate she'll be with him in a second.

"Times up," she told Naruto as Asuma moved away to smoke one last cigarette. She walked to the kitchen door to let Naruto out as she griped, "and by the way, your Godfather is running us ragged with all his unnecessary security protocols."

Naruto assured her, "it's not unnecessary," to which she turned to him curiously as he added, "stay ready."

Growing suspicious, she asked, "Naruto? What do you know?"

But for their plan tomorrow, he simply answered with a smile, "I know I won't let you down." Fortunately, Asuma's attention is turned as he smokes and Naruto had no hang-ups about confessing to this astonishing beauty, "and I know I won't let anything bad happen to you because I love you too, Nai-chan." Though her immediate concern is smoking with his back to them, her stomach flutters and her heart beats fast. Completely vulnerable to one another, they gaze tenderly and honestly at the feelings they share.

He then said with a great big smile, "sorry I never said it before, but you did sort of say I wasn't allowed to."

Unable to say much more with Asuma in the backyard nearby just outside her kitchen, Kurenai sniffed as she wished him, "good luck tomorrow."

He simply winked before exiting her home.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

From Kurenai's place by the railing of arena seating section A, she can see Asuma leave his post out of the corner of her eye and approach her. They were partnered for this section so he's soon next to her to ask, "Kurenai-"

However, she won't have this discussion now and interrupts him with, "now's not the time, Asuma. Please return to your post and remain vigilant." She didn't know how he put it together but she's certain Naurto's blissful smile couldn't have helped.

"We _will_ talk about this," he firmly promises before returning to his post. His face was stern and hyper-focused on her. With his hunched neck and squared shoulders, she knows he's in clear distress, but she can't satisfy his curiosity now. Kurenai then focuses all her attention on her student, who's practically a daughter to her, walks to the center of the field with confidence.

Standing beside her cousin Neji, Hinata was focused. After all, she conquered her most difficult challenge yet just that morning. She couldn't do so in practice with Kurenai-sensei, but she somehow managed with the real Naruto.

HINATA

Hinata was supposed to meet her team at Training Ground 3 before walking to the arena together, however, she came early. Her mind felt like it was going to explode with anxiety and her fears only stem from one place; disappointing those who believe in her. From her father to her sister, to Neji and her teammates… to Kurenai-sensei and Naruto-kun; she didn't want to disappoint them the most. She trained so hard not to, but Neji is a genius who works hard every day. Against that type of opponent, wouldn't she ultimately embarrass herself?

It's when she spotted him. The embodiment of her love and admiration, her warm and constant sun, was sitting cross-legged on the top of the middle stump. He was as still and strong as the nature around him, yet deep in thought. He hadn't even noticed her approach and that concerned her. Unlike Neji, Gaara has a blood-lust; she's seen first-hand how his sand destroys a human body. '_And Naruto has to face that_,' Hinata thought. '_Would he be okay?_'

Her worry for his well-being urged her to softly voice, "Naruto-kun?"

Snapping out of it before looking down toward the sweet voice below, Naruto smiled as he greets, "hey, Hinata." Hopping down from the tall stump, Naruto is quick to encourage her with, "good luck today. I know you'll do great!"

"I… don't know," Hinata honestly admitted to the person she admires the most.

Like the abundance of confidence he exhumes, he assured her, "well, I do." Fist over his chest, he added, "trust me, I think you're really strong."

Even still, reality is forcing her to admit, "…but I may lose," and it pained her to see Naruto hum and nod dejectedly. She almost feels like she broke him, however, Hinata couldn't know how much was relying on him, how many lives he currently held in his hands. To many, it's about a tournament to become Chūnin. To him, it's a battle to keep everyone from dying. Because only Jiraiya and the toads know about the wager he's going to make with the Kazekage.

Glumly, he admitted, "you know, I feel like that too sometimes. Like, what happens if I lose…" '_someone… everyone_,' Naruto mentally finished. '_Because I know about the invasion, their deaths will be my fault. I'd be a failure_.' Feeling just as he did on the stump, Naruto hated looking so uncool in front of anyone, especially Hinata, but he can't help it.

"B-but you don't give up," Hinata bravely pointed out. '_No_,' her mind called. '_I have to fix this_.' "I think we can change, even a little, when the right person shows us the way. So- so… w-when I look at you, I feel like- like I can be a little stronger… than before… and t-that makes me like myself more."

His expressionless face made her hold her breath until he finally smiled a little then asked, "do you think so? I mean, I don't know so much and I'm not that smart and I mess up a lot… do you really think I can do it even if I'm not ready?"

"Mnn," Hinata sternly hummed. It's practically her nature affinity to recall all of Naruto's many virtues and strengths, helping her to proclaim, "because even when you mess up, you're never ashamed of it… and moments like that… impacts my heart the most. It's your strength to rise that always inspires me because that's what I think true strength is."

It's the clearest Hinata's ever spoken to him, with such conviction and she couldn't be happier with herself. She's progressed so much, from the days she could only blush and pass out, to being able to speak her mind so clearly without suffocating nervousness. It meant everything to see his bright smile again as he happily relayed, "thanks Hinata." Stretching off the rust of depression, Naruto jovially explained, "I was feeling pretty heavy-hearted, but now I feel like myself again. You're a life-saver."

He turned to walk away when Hinata felt it… the moment she'd been training for.

Despite her stuttering, "N-N-Na- Naruto!" As if her limbs were made of lead, she struggles to outstretch her arms. She shut her eyes as her crunched and blushing face couldn't say anything but he didn't need her to. He knew exactly what she worked hard for. Quicker than she can react, Naruto takes Hinata in his arms and gives her a firm but gentle hug. Even better than his words, hugging him gave her a sense of tranquility that comforted her troubled mind. She felt warm and soft against him, but more than anything, she admires herself more than ever, making her believe her dreams can come true.

After they separated—having held her breath the entire time—Naruto told her, "I can't wait to see you kick Neji's ass."

She's a mixture of extreme excitement and embarrassment and can do nothing more than nod, but her lilac pupil-less eyes were as strong as she was starting to feel.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

Though Hinata expected Naruto in the large cement access hallway with the rest of them, she has faith he'll be here because she knows he doesn't ever run from a fight.

Genma announces, "for your fourth contest, from Konohagakure: Inuzuka Kiba."

With Akamaru in his jacket, Kiba waves happily to the crowds and along with cheers, there's also a lot of dogs howling.

"His opponent," Genma continues. "From Konohagakure: Uchiha Sasuke."

After eying the red-haired Suna-nin, Sasuke vaguely wonders where Naruto is. Wearing his black one-piece outfit with belts wrapped around his left arm, Sasuke turns toward the arena and the battles that await. Recalling last night, he wonders about his decision. Gaining his vengeance on Itachi is all that matters, but his choices in the present must be the one that gets him to his brother the fastest.

SASUKE

In the training yard of his clan's mansion, an exhausted and sweating Sasuke smashed a fifth Chidori against a half-destroyed eight-feet tall boulder. He landed on balanced feet but dropped to his knee as his vision began to blur. Pushing himself past Kakashi's warnings, he wondered, '_how much more do I need?_' To ruin Naruto, to annihilate his brother, all he wanted was more power.

Nothing else mattered and irregardless of the number of times Kakashi has told him to abandon his quest for revenge—to put his life on a that won't end the Uchiha clan for good—Sasuke knows in his heart of hearts, he's nothing and no one until Itachi is dead. It didn't matter how much Kakashi or anyone understood his pain. He won't stop until his clan has been avenged and Itachi felt abominable pain before dying by his hand.

Pondering pushing past his exhaustion, he's not surprised to hear a scratchy voice ask, "what is your purpose, Sasuke-kun?"

He could picture the cruel smile before he even turned to spot the legendary Snake-nin behind him. Leaning against a column, he's hidden in the shadow of the outdoor walkway and smiling as Sasuke asked, "how did you get-"

"There isn't a place in Konoha that could deny me entry," he mused with his wide grin. "Don't worry. Your caretakers are sleeping. I wouldn't want Hiruzen to remove you from tomorrow's festivities, after all." Stepping off the elevated walkway to the training ground, Orochimaru proclaimed, "I've come for your answer. What is your purpose?"

Sasuke didn't need weeks or days to answer, "power."

"I can give you more power than this comfortable home environment ever can," Orochimaru assured him and Sasuke couldn't doubt it. "Enough to kill your blond teammate and take your revenge on Itachi," his slithery voice added, walking around Sasuke. "All you need do is ask yourself; are you like them or not? I imagine the answer to that question is as clear to you as it is to me."

Thinking about Kakashi and Sakura, Sasuke confirmed, "I'm not like them and I'll never be, because I'm only alive to kill Itachi." Annoyed at the crushing thought of Naruto, he confessed, "we have different paths and I know the steps I must take. After I destroy Naruto tomorrow, I'll cut ties with this sham of a life and you will teach me everything you know. You _will_ give me the power you promised."

"Splendid," Orochimaru sings. "I'm certain you've made the right decision, and after the exams, you'll be certain as well."

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

Sasuke didn't know what that meant but he knew if he couldn't even beat the Dobe in a match, then he'll never be a match for Itachi. Walking the open battleground, Sasuke ignores the wild clamoring from the mindless villagers and stands beside Kiba.

"For our final match-up of the first round," Genma communicates. "I introduce to you from Sunagakure: Sabaku no Gaara."

The Kazekage stands from his seat and walks closer to the railing to inspect the red-headed Jinchūriki many meters below, all the while recalling the unique wager he made less than an hour ago.

ONE HOUR EARLIER

Jiraiya and the Kazekage—followed by two Suna bodyguards and the Konoha security-escort team Jiraiya assembled—cleared the Leaf's large gate. Naruto is standing several yards away from them off to the side of the wide walkway, and for the briefest moment, he wondered if the Kage and the entire group, including his cousin, are fakes. The legendary Snake-nin is certainly capable of that kind of deception, however, he doubts very highly Orochimaru could avoid Karin's sensing ability on top of an informed Jiraiya.

Naruto smiled at the winded Karin—wearing a lavender jacket with the Uzumaki swirl over her heart, black shorts and thigh high stockings. She's catching her breath beside her personal protection detail, Kurenai and Asuma, and Naruto recalled how nervous he felt when Jiraiya recommended to Ji-chan that Karin join the escort team. It was worrying enough knowing Kurenai was going but Karin couldn't fight as well as the Jōnins. If Jiraiya hadn't promised her complete safety, Naruto wouldn't have agreed. His relief for her safety has him make a clone to escort her to the arena.

The entire time Naruto was waiting, Jiraiya had been talking to the Kazekage in private, requesting a private audience on Naruto's behalf. The stern Sand leader in his white robe and hat turned to Naruto, observing the young blond a moment before ordering his guards to stay. His godfather then orders the security team to stay as well—confusing Kurenai and Asuma—before Rasa and Jiraiya walked several yards toward Naruto.

Naruto felt anxiousness facing the ruthless and strict Kage since he only had Temari's short description to go on. Naru-nii never met him and only knew that he died around the Chūnin exam, though he wasn't sure when. It was Jiraiya who thought they should try to stop however Orochimaru planned on killing him, thus preventing the snake-nin from being close to Ji-chan in the first place. For the Narutos, helping Gaara and his siblings keep their father was reason enough.

The Kazekage had a hard appearance; stern small eyes under furrowed brows and short auburn hair. His jaw was clenched tight and even his posture seem intimidating in the generally soothing attire of a Kage. To the blond genin, the imposing man in the Kage's white robe looked as if he's never had children, family, or even felt love before. Desperate to break the tension, Naruto couldn't help but smile and wave at Gaara and Temari's father.

Well away from the Jōnin escorts, Rasa asked Jiraiya while glaring at Naruto, "this _boy_ is who you wish for me to speak to."

Casually, Jiraiya rotated his shoulders as he plainly answered, "you mean in return for saving your life today? Yeah, that's him." Seeing his Godfather relaxed as he talked to the village leader, also helped Naruto relax.

Tilting his head, Rasa sternly commanded of the legendary sennin, "don't act as if you know the outcome-"

"With all due respect, Kazekage," Jiraiya nonchalantly interjected. "You may not have sensed the ambush before they were on you but we did. And if I'm a challenge for you by myself, Orochimaru and his kill-squad most definitely are."

"Four masked youths," Rasa corrected with murderous eyes and Naruto wondered if Rasa meant the Sound Four or not. Jiraiya had assumed any ambush meant for a Kage would have to be a feint for a second more discreet attack because it didn't make sense to him for Orochimaru to kill a Kage so easily and then make it to Konoha to fight Ji-chan in the same morning.

Additionally, no Kage is allowed to simply walk into another country's hidden village whenever they like. Rasa would've had to give prior notice when he'd arrive so Konoha can prepare for him. Jiraiya assumed in transit would be the best opportunity to ambush the Kage, because a brilliantly placed trap has the capacity to take down anyone not expecting it. It's why Karin's sensing ability was so crucial. She'd be able to sense them without being sensed herself and alert Jiraiya.

An adamant Rasa continued, "as much as you'd like me to accept those four were somehow connected to Orochimaru, you lack any evidence to do so. Next time capture one."

Unfazed, Jiraiya returned, "believe what you like, Kazekage. You're an astute and practical man, so I understand if you don't want to admit to wrongdoing, but, we don't need you to. We already know the truth."

Clearly annoyed by the renowned sage, Rasa nearly snarls as he demanded to know, "and precisely how is this boy involved?"

"For starters, his name is Uzumaki Naruto and he's essentially engaged to your daughter," Jiraiya answered with an abundance of blushing amusement.

Naruto thought he looked angry before, Rasa was positively glaring as he warned the blond, "you're playing a very dangerous game, Uzumaki."

Despite Rasa's stern countenance, his Godfather's casual presence—and his talk with Hinata—allowed Naruto to feel more like himself. Comfortably, he quirks his brow in confusion before asking, "how? You're the ones invading us today."

Pausing a beat, Rasa then retorted, "and if that were true, you're allowing it."

"Only to prove to you we are more than allies; we're friends," Naruto responded, gaining more and more conviction by the second, even wondering why he was so nervous, to begin with.

"I fail to see how you-"

"Gaara," Naruto cuts him off.

Rasa's nostrils flare as he hotly contested, "don't you dare interrupt me!"

"I get it," Naruto interrupted again. He knows it's not a smart move with someone like this—and he's seen plenty of angry people in his time to know the look—however, at the moment, he only needed to say his piece. "You're the Kazekage and I respect that, really—I'm going to be Hokage myself someday—which is why I know _this_ is more important than that. You're Gaara's father and he's the key to all of this, which is why you're going to lose today." Rasa's silence enables Naruto to continue proclaiming, "for all his life you guys treated him like he's broken or a weapon, or both. You're family yet Temari and Kankurō are scared of him, and you tried to kill him-"

"What right do you have to meddle in our affairs?"

"I'm his friend!" Though he feels it in his heart, it's not quite reality, forcing him to add, "even if he doesn't know it yet."

"We could've told Hokage-sama about your plans with Sound," Jiraiya inserted. "We could've let Orochimaru and his men kill you and your bodyguards but we didn't."

"How do I know this isn't a trick of the Sandaime," Rasa voiced in a slightly calmer voice. "This could very well be a manipulative trap."

"I'm the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails Demon Fox," Naruto honestly admitted to the Sand leader, making him blink widely in surprise. "So I know Gaara is the Jinchūriki of the One-Tail and we're even more alike than that. It's illegal to discuss what's in me with anyone but I wouldn't have told you if I was trying to trick you."

"You have my word on everything I hold dear," Jiraiya begins with a slight but respectful bow that Naruto then imitated. "Naruto and I are the only ones who know about your plans with Orochimaru."

Rasa is silently pensive, observing their respectful bows before abruptly contending, "despite your unproven accusation, I'm obliged to ask why?"

"Like I said, because we're friends," Naruto returned turning his attention to the Kage once again. "Even if you can't, I can see it just beyond today. We're doing all this to prove it to you."

"How?"

"By beating Gaara and fighting back," Naruto answered. "It's the best way for Konoha and Suna to understand each other; through our fists," he added, raising his unyielding fist.

"…I see." Turning to Jiraiya, Rasa inquired, "this is the wager you wanted me to hear." After Jiraiya nods, Rasa returned his attention to Naruto and pointed out, "shouldn't it be easier for you as the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails to defeat Gaara-"

"I won't be using the Kyūbi's power against Gaara," Naruto assured the stern Kage. "My own strength's more than enough."

Cynically, Rasa probes, "and if Gaara transforms? Will your strength be enough to handle the monstrous might of the One-Tail?"

"Yup," Naruto confidently affirmed. "Even if he transforms, I won't use the Kyūbi's chakra against him. I'll stop Gaara no matter what he does to me, just like Konoha will stop this invasion no matter what you and Sound do to us."

Still staring angrily, Rasa paused before asking, "…And after?"

"That's a diplomatic bridge we'll cross when our villages are, hopefully, more enlightened," Jiraiya proposed.

"So give us everything you got," Naruto demanded of the strong and stern leader. "We can take it."

Gazing at the arena and the Hokage Monument in the far distance, Rasa turned to Naruto and explained, "no matter what happens today, I will alert your Hokage of your prior knowledge and most reckless gamble."

"_Pfffft_, I'm not doing anything I'm ashamed of," the blond nimbly announced. "You can be in the room when I tell him myself."

"If there were such an invasion, how will your naive foolishness explain to your Hokage all the Konoha deaths you've allowed in order to prove this '_friendship_' to me?" Rasa squares his shoulders as he antagonistically verbalized, "with every death tallied today, your culpability increases as well. It would make you a disgrace to your Hitai-ate, your village, and your leader."

"Hey, now," Jiraiya called, standing next to Naruto, reminding the Kage of his presence. "Let's not forget whose invasion this belongs to in the first place, Kazekage-dono. This is unorthodox, sure. It takes a lot of guts to think way outside the box here, but it's for your benefit; it's for _**all**_ our benefit."

"It's fine," Naruto told Jiraiya. "He's right. I'm from Konoha and these are my people I'm risking. Walking around the village, everywhere I looked people were doing something for themselves, for someone they love, or for the good of the village; living life like they expect to see into tomorrow. I spent a lot of time thinking about how I might be taking their tomorrows away, all to prove something to you and Suna. It wasn't an easy thing to carry and I agonized over it."

Without the girls for two days, Naruto had ample time to think about all of his decisions and plans when he wasn't talking with Naru-nii. Their plans certainly felt necessary, but weren't without risks, and worst yet, he couldn't take those risks on all by himself. He could do his best to mitigate the threat to others but if he wasn't perfect, then someone would die, and if someone died, that would be on him. He wasn't sure he could accept being the cause of that but he wasn't alone. Hinata believes in him, Naru-nii believes in him, and Jiraiya believes in him enough to help.

'_This is for everyone_,' Naruto thought, and with fearless blue eyes, he hotly declared with deafening conviction, "I have a brother in all this and he _**always**_ reminds me of the most important thing. This is for the future—_**our**_ future… and though the price could be high, I won't let _**anyone**_ die! Not today! Not by Suna-nin! No one! And you can bet your ass that's the promise of a lifetime!"

They stare at each other for a long time, time enough to make the group of shinobi off to the side concerned, but armed with his convictions and friends, Naruto has zero doubt and that's all he's ever needed.

"…We shall see," Rasa replied before signaling his bodyguards over.

As the security team and Suna guards fall in a protective formation around the Kazekage before walking to the arena, a grinning Jiraiya gave Naruto a big thumbs up before tossing him his first of many gifts. Naruto caught the folded white garment as Kurenai stepped away from her detail and walked over to her blond ex. Rather than unfold his very first gift from his Godfather, Naruto's mind immediately recalled last night and the raven-haired beauty's amazing confession to him.

'_Nai-chan_,' he thought, watching her walk over to him and making his heart pump extremely fast. Fresh and vibrant memories from last night poured into the forefront of his mind and he smiled broadly.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

Pulling off his veil, the ever stern Rasa looks down at his hard-hearted son and wonders with a measure of innocent curiosity if Uzumaki could be right. As the leader of their declining village, it's a measure of doubt he shouldn't allow in his mind or his decisions. Even if he knows Orochimaru tried to betray him, he always knew that risk was there and it's not as if he wasn't planning on killing him later anyway. For the moment, Suna cannot take Konoha without Oto, but after the Leaf's destruction, Rasa _**will**_ kill Orochimaru himself and claim Otogakure's resources as well.

"Your youngest is quite strong," Hiruzen compliments.

"…He's his mother's son," Rasa sternly responds.

"I've been meaning to speak with you over your daughter's Omiai with Naruto-kun," Hiruzen naturally brings up, though it causes him much anxiety to think about. He didn't like the proposal from the beginning however, he couldn't see any sensible reason to decline it, nor did Naruto seem too opposed to the idea.

Retaking his seat, Rasa simply responds, "after, Hokage-dono."

"As you wish," Hiruzen concedes.

As Genma begins to announce the final candidate, Kurenai can feel Asuma observing her for any reaction. Her mask has been up since meeting Naruto at the gate and her ex-boyfriend has been eying her intently ever since. If they weren't on duty, she's certain he'd be demanding to know everything.

"His opponent," Genma continues. "From Konohagakure: Uzumaki Naruto."

Sitting beside the alert Samui—in an ash-gray sweater with a low neckline and short black skirt—and the abysmally dour Atsui, Mabui—in her gray, double-slitted pencil skirt and long-sleeve, athletic-fit, high-collar sweater—feels physically assured to finally hear his name called, having waited for too long. Naruto rested for two nights before the exam and Mabui has grown eager to see him. Two nights of having to go without being brought to climax by him, without snuggling with him, without being struck by his intelligence, left her feeling deeply anxious and irritable.

Mabui had a long forty-eight hours with her memory-inspired fantasies, but at the moment, she had to be careful. The memories of the past two weeks could act like triggers now, beginning with the morning after her first-ever threesome.

MABUI

After Samui returned from her morning training regiment, Mabui had just walked out of the shower with a towel wrapped snug around her firm bodice and feeling like she's twinkling in tingling satisfaction. Her body felt sensitive, elated, and she couldn't help enjoying the brightness of such an amazing day pouring through her small window. In the morning light, Mabui didn't know what to think nor could she read any expression on Samui's face as to what she's thinking but last night was a deep mine of thoughts and revelations.

As Mabui began changing in the small room, Samui stated, "we should return to base and debrief-"

"Sa-ch- …Samui-taichou," Mabui eventually said. Worried about the captain's brother, she expressed, "I think perhaps it would be for the best if we debrief here and then offer Atsui-kun a censored version of last night's events… I mean, he really doesn't need to know more than it worked."

Considering her words with a blank face, Samui proposed, "you wish to spare his feelings because he has affection for you?"

"And you," Mabui added. "You're his sister. Naruto not only had sex with the girl he has a crush on but his sister as well. That's not exactly an easy thing for a man to accept. We should keep his mental state in mind when we speak around him."

"…Thank you," Samui sweetly replied, making Mabui want to hold the busty blond. "You… are knowledgeable."

Mabui felt a tenderness in the air she happily accepted and conveyed, "of course, and… I'd always try to help you in any way I can Samui-taichou. I've come to care about you very much." Samui simply nods then Mabui asked, "how do you feel?"

"Quite content," Samui admitted, taking a deep breath and flexing her fingers. She takes a seat on the tatami floor as she detailed, "medically speaking, I seem to have an excessively positive disposition."

"That's likely the oxytocin that's released during the '_sex-floods_' of your post-coital body," Mabui diagnosed, very much feeling the waves of joy swimming inside her. "The oxytocin then increases dopamine which is what ultimately leads an individual to desire more permanent bonds with another person."

"In your professional opinion, will this positive feeling hinder our mission?"

"If we're feeling it, I guarantee you he's feeling it as well," Mabui stated, taking a seat across from her captain once she changed. "So I'd say this is to our benefit."

After a moment of thought, Mabui can't help but find Samui cute when she asked, "what… is the appropriate operating procedure to see him again? Must we wait until tonight? Is the afternoon too early?"

Even though Samui wasn't expressing any emotion on her face, the way her light-blue eyes looked away, tilting her silky blond head as she struggled to chart the difficult path of seduction, the elevated hormones inside of Mabui wanted to kiss Samui right then and there. However, Mabui hasn't forgotten for one second how Samui might react to suddenly being kissed, so instead asked, "Samui-taichou, may I reevaluate your kissing technique? …For the mission?"

Though Mabui would prefer not to drop the keywords on Samui, it's worth it for the slow, nearly submissive, nod of Samui's blank consent. The beautiful women lean forward and Mabui immediately takes her supple pink lips. With the previous night still fresh and tingling in their bodies' muscle memory, the pair of beauties make out for a long time. Mabui dominates Samui's mouth, taking her tongue in her mouth and rubbing it vigorously against her own. It was hot and wet, and Mabui loved leading the willing Samui. They only pulled away when the need for air became too demanding.

"V-very good," a winded Mabui complimented. "Your lips and tongue taste… kissing is definitely another one of your advantages." Rather than respond, Samui just nodded twice, making Mabui want to kiss her again. However, she bites her lower tongue, holding herself back to answer her earlier question. "We should wait until tonight. I'm sure I'll see him at the library and I'll invite him over again. I have no doubt he'll say yes."

"Understood."

"We should also create a cover story for our day together," Mabui suggested.

"Understood," Samui responded before asking, "will you be okay tonight?

Curious, Mabui asked, "how do you mean?"

As blunt as a punch to the face, Samui answered, "you passed out due to excessive stimulation last night."

Painfully humbled by the accurate accusation, Mabui crossed her arms as she tried to defend herself. "I- well, it's not like… who expected him to be _**that**_ good? He's sixteen! Plus, he knows my weak spots!"

"Precisely what I mean," Samui simply returned. "It's our task to ensnare him with our minds as much as bodies and yours submitted to his completely."

Jaw dropped, Mabui retorted, "I… Don't act like you didn't need to rest!"

Nodding at the recollection of her own performance, Samui admitted, "he did outperform all my previous partners and engagements. I was unaware a man could ejaculate so many times."

Using her experience and medical education, Mabui assured her, "they're not supposed to! That's what I'm saying, he's definitely abnormal… Now that I think about it…" The night was so heavy and eventful, Mabui only now realized, "I don't think he's a virgin." Then it hits her as much as her hand smacking her forehead. "What am I saying? OF COURSE HE'S NOT A VIRGIN! How could I've been so stupid! There's no way someone who's never been with a girl could _**ever**_ be that good!"

"How could you have missed that?"

"…It's not so much a _missed_, per se," Mabui grumbled before quick-thinking answered, "t-the lateral orbitofrontal cortex- yes, of course. The lateral orbitofrontal, which is the part of the brain that governs your reason and behavior, actually shuts down during an orgasm… of which, I lost count how many I had. In other words, during a state of post-coital bliss, you might feel emotions that aren't what you think because your ability to reason has been dampened by the release of oxytocin and increase in dopamine."

Nodding before thinking, Samui guessed, "by the night's end, the orgasms I experienced seemed to erupt one after the other so it's difficult to tally… I'd say north of twenty," Casually, she then pointed out, "you, of course, passed out." A huffing Mabui rolled her eyes before Samui asked, "does that suggest we're impaired?"

"Again, if we're feeling it, then he must be feeling it as well."

"This mission is quite a challenge," Samui commented—absent any expression—and Mabui couldn't agree more. Naruto was everything she could want in a man; unfathomably brilliant, strong, handsome, ambitious, hard-working, and a masterful lover. He has everything she could think to want in spades… '_except he lives in the wrong fucking village!_'

With a sigh, Mabui asked, "how long do we have?" She was suddenly all too cognizant of her fleeting time with Naruto and wants to spend as much of it with him as possible before their mission deadline.

Samui casually answered, "it wouldn't be smart to take him before the Chūnin exam-"

Taken aback by her response, Mabui's widened as she asked, "take him? What do you mean _**take**_ him?"

With a blank face, Samui sighs before mumbling, "it seems I'm much more impaired than I thought-"

"Samui-taichou," Mabui called. "Please, explain."

"When command learned the owner of Kubikiribōchō was an Uzumaki," Samui started. "Our team's directive was amended."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"As you were faltering in your progress with the target, I felt you needed additional support I could not provide. It's why I messaged Dodai-san and Darui-taichou."

For confirmation, Mabui asked, "and Darui told you why he thought I might be hesitating?" With Samui's nod, Mabui then asked, "so why kidnap him?"

"All I know is Uzumakis are high-value targets," Samui confessed. "I sent Atsui to seduce Uzumaki Karin. Sadly, he failed immediately. We'll have to settle with Naruto for the time being."

Curious for more details, Mabui heatedly asked, "that's it? They didn't specify why else?"

"It's unnecessary," Samui assured her. "We have our orders."

"I…" At the time, Mabui wasn't sure how she felt, and after two weeks, the dilemma within her was far worse. Her heart ached at how much she's already lied to him, and continues to do so, but her mind feared failing Samui and her village. Preferring to distract herself, she asked, "how are we supposed to take him?"

"After his match—or matches—in the Chūnin Selection Exam would be best," Samui explained. "Time-release poison was my initial strategy, however, without knowing precisely when his match is to start—whether before or after the others—he may become so hindered during his fight with Sabaku no Gaara, he could die. That would be unacceptable."

"If we want him to come with us, the easiest and most effective way of doing that without alerting Konoha is by convincing him to join us. I've seen the way this village treats him and I'm confident you and I are the best thing that's ever happened to him. If we suggest leaving, he may feel like following us."

"We would have to lure him out of the village—possibly with a vacation stay of some sort to celebrate any achievement he makes in his exam-"

"Or he could escort you '_home_,'" Mabui suggested. Samui nodded before Mabui continued. "We can hint at being together often and after reaching a good distance, we can ask."

Both women mull over the plan in the minds before Samui eventually noted, "I feel he's unlikely to support our betrayal,"

"You're right," Mabui easily agreed. "He's an honest man who takes his word seriously and respects others who do so as well."

"What would you suggest?"

Without a good answer, Mabui admitted, "I'll have to give it some serious thought. However, for any strategy we devise to succeed, the three of us will have to be together often…" Mabui felt herself grow warmer with anticipation as she happily added, "every night if need be."

"I'm fully committed," Samui blankly affirmed. "You mentioned he's unlikely a virgin…"

Swallowing excessive saliva, Mabui asked, "you think another woman might keep him from agreeing to come with us?"

"We'll have to learn who she is," Samui noted.

"She may not be in his life anymore," Mabui told her. "He doesn't fit the profile of someone content with emotionless connections, physical or otherwise. Essentially, if she were in his life, we wouldn't be in his. I suggest we initiate a soft probe around pillow-talk. Men answer anything then. If that leads nowhere, we can recon."

"Understood."

Mabui thought they had plenty of opportunities to get answers to their questions but he would come over and it was like a switch was flipped; like Samui and Mabui were starving all day and he brought dinner. There was just little thought for much else. Mabui could be cooking while Samui cleaned. Mabui would wear her boxer-shorts and tank top camisole while Samui would wear a sleeveless tank-top dress with lace trim. The moment he'd knock on the door, Mabui already felt her womanhood begin to heat with buttery slickness.

"Come in," she'd call, and he'd enter.

He should be in their trap, at their mercy, and yet, when he'd walk up behind her, grip her hips and pull her round rump into his semi-hardness with a little teasing thrust, the arousing stimulation within her loins would begin to rev up of its own accord, as if her fetish for geniuses would not allow her any control of her dripping sex. He'd turn her around, kiss her deeply, and her knees would buckle from the pure bliss of their lip-lock. Samui would then walk over, press her large, soft chest against them and wait patiently, obediently for her turn. As he made out with her, all thoughts of cooking vanished from her mind and she'd drop to her knees to take his thick manliness out of his pants. Mabui would need him deep inside of her, regardless of orifice.

He'd take turns churning their insides but no one was left wanting. The faster Mabui helped Samui cum, the faster he could go balls-deep in her again. However, Mabui gained such a thrill from dominating Samui; ruling over her sexual positions and teasing the woman by withholding her orgasms until she commanded she can have them. At times, she'd play with her captain while Naruto simply watched. It was fantastic to her because when he couldn't take it anymore, he'd take out his insane lust on their love tunnels repeatedly. This ensured that both women were spent well before he was.

They'd both suck his thick nut-canon at the same time and quickly learned to work together to make him erupt his milk in their mouths or on their face. Mabui would, of course, lick his genius-juice off of Samui's stunning face before sweetly washing her up. Though Mabui couldn't deep-throat him like Samui effortlessly could, Mabui still felt like her experience and emotional connection with him gave her an edge.

That was until Naruto went from the perfect man to the perfect drug when he created the Fūinjutsu tag he said he'd make. The constricted tag with the Mirror-Touch Synesthesia array at its core took him eight clones and half a day to properly write before receding the Fūin characters into a photo-sized paper.

Mabui was lost climbing the wedded bliss of their heavenly organ grinding when he slaps the tag hard across her honey-colored ass cheek, producing a loud smacking sound and her guttural, '_MMaahhnn!_' Her happy yelp was followed by absolute shock. She suddenly felt an additional bundle of pleasure growing erect from her clitoris, but looking down, her love-button is no more distended than before. The influx of a new rippling pleasure network almost feels like the shape of a long thick penis thrusting delectably into a tight, wet, vagina. With her limited brain function, as Naruto kept pounding her into submission, she couldn't understand why a phantom phallus fucking a pussy felt physiologically connected to her own wet genitalia.

So close to a thunderous climax, the moment he voiced his Fūinjutsu synced their physical sensations so she was feeling how amazing _his_ thick dick feels fucking _her_ tight cunt, her pleasure-drowned mind snapped. Mabui's green eyes rolled into the back of her head and her entire body was rocked thunderously with a never-ending cascade of mind-bending orgasms. She saw white as she melted with pure euphoria.

Samui had to handle Naruto alone for the rest of the night and when Mabui awoke the following morning, all her beautiful captain could say was, "that was interesting."

'_Which was ridicules_,' Mabui's mind would always scream. How can her stoic and strong taichou not realize how absolutely masterful his Fūinjutsu is? How much of a genius Naruto is?

For the rest of the day, Mabui had what could possibly be considered a long-running micro-orgasms. Miniature quakes would rupture from her sensitive quim throughout her whole body whenever she realized experiencing that insane Fūinjutsu sex-tech in combination with his own sexual prowess again was only hours or minutes away. To think he could literally fuck anyone or receive oral from the deep-throating Samui and she would feel the physical pleasure of their sensation in addition to her own! No, Mabui didn't think she could survive Naruto. It scared her how soft and pliable she became by simply thinking about him.

For one more night, she barely survived his Mirror-Touch Tag on her, let alone the second tag that mirrored Samui's sensations. Mabui felt her mind-blowing pleasure, the pleasure Naruto felt as his thick cock fucked her, and Samui's pleasure from his vibration tag on her cushy honeyed hot-hole as he fingered her ass. Mabui could feel it all and it was too much for her sanity, and when she came to, she requested a toned-down version. She was almost glad he explained his need for a couple of nights off before the Chūnin exam.

Of course, the three of them talked, though, more in their second week of hot sex than the first. The first week was like drowning in a small room of hot rutting and mountains of toe-curling orgasms. The second week was when the Kumo women learned he wasn't a virgin and that this other, nameless, woman taught him everything he knows. They also learned that they're not a couple and while he has strong feelings for her, they can't be together. They, of course, took that opportunity to double-team his mind-boggling meat show in an effort to make him feel loved; with the Mirror-Touch Tags so they can feel his pleasure in addition to their own.

They also learned that he wanted them to be on high alert for the Chūnin Exams and he seemed serious enough that Samui authorized arming themselves with daggers to be safe. He wouldn't say why he felt something bad might happen but he was visibly worried about them and that was touching for Mabui to see.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

The crowd reacted with a mixture of boos and cheers to the announcement of Naruto's name, however, the boos won the day and Mabui couldn't accept it. She became angry to hear the man she deeply fears she's in total love with being booed with downed-thumbs all around her and she wasn't the only one. Kurenai, Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, Samui, and Haku all felt a growing rage at the pit of their stomachs. To do nothing when they wanted to yell and punch back any villager who dares to boo and point their thumbs down at their man was immediately frustrating. The boos did, however, begin to die when the spectators didn't see anyone walking from the same access point all the other candidates came from. A few of them laughed that he was too scared, but the girls knew better and their concern began to grow.

Hiruzen rotated his head a bit and his guard immediately explains no one has seen Naruto. Rasa watches what he cannot hear out the corner of his eye and wonders what the blond was up to and if he should sound the signal to commence the invasion much earlier than planned.

Clearing his throat, Genma repeats louder, "Uzumaki Naruto," and what came next, no one expected.

NARUTO

Watching Nai-chan approach him, Naruto tucked his folded white present under his arm all the while repressing his bubbling urge to smile broadly. She stepped beside him and they watched the Kazekage, bodyguards, and security detail leave for the stadium. Despite watching in silence, Naruto couldn't help grinning like a loon, wide and very loud to anyone who saw him. He couldn't help it; knowing that this absolutely stunning woman next to him has feelings for him. He had the biggest grin on his face; the kind of grin that could only mean genuine feelings of love.

"Will you stop that," Kurenai demanded with a hushed voice.

Far too innocently, a pink-cheeked Naruto asked, "hmm? Stop what?"

"You're grinning," she huffed with annoyance.

"I can't help it," he cheerfully cried, pinching his cheeks and rocking cutely from side-to-side.

Turning to him, Kurenai demanded to know, "you understand I said I _**can't**_ be with you, right? As in, can _**not**_."

"I heard you tell me about your tou-chan and that you love me," Naruto recites happily. "I didn't hear anything about _not_ being together."

Sulking her head so her beautiful raven hair falls forward, she wearily muttered, "are you going to make me repeat this to you-"

"Sorry, Nai-chan," he happily interrupted. "But I can't stop loving you based on that."

"_**That**_," she whirled on him to emphasize. "Isn't something so simple either of us can just ignore. I'm always going to have this gnawing fear that you or any man I love with all my heart is going to die and I'm going to be left alone again. My father's death drove me to who I am today, but in doing so, a part of me also broke and until I fix it, I don't want that to happen again."

Naruto hummed, practically dancing in place and the corner of her red-eye quirked angrily, peeved by his constant grinning. She yelled, "you're still grin- Why the fuck are you still grinning?! I'm being serious here!"

"I know," Naruto hopped back a step, raising his palms in submissive peace and dropping his present from Jiraiya. "I know you are, I do, really, but so am I. I'm super serious when I say I'm in love with you, Nai-chan, and I'm not going anywhere, dying or otherwise, which pretty much solves that problem."

Frustrated and conflicted, Kurenai wanted to say more but felt a familiar shinobi's chakra approach. Instead, she exhaled to calm down while picking up the folded white clothing and returned it to Naruto as the blond called out, "hey Asuma-nii, thanks for watching out for Karin. I really appreciate it."

"No sweat," Asuma responded, adding, "she's a heck a sensor; helped us out back there." He eyes Naruto and Kurenai a moment before asking the blond, "you want to explain what that conversation with the Kazekage was?"

"Sure," Naruto responded, slapping away a bit of dust from his folded gift as he casually explained, "we were mainly talking about Gaara and how Konoha was going to win today. Tell Ji-chan I'll tell him everything later tonight or tomorrow if he wants."

Kurenai wondered out loud, "you actually told the Kazekage that Konoha was going to win today? Over his own children?"

Inspecting the white cloth to satisfaction, he casually answered, "of course."

"It seemed a little more heated than that," Asuma probed aloud. The gruff man watched the blond and Kurenai carefully as he asked, "you sure it didn't involve Temari and the Omiai?"

"Positive," Naruto answered, sliding the white linen in his orange and blue jacket before assuring Asuma, "she didn't come up."

With a single nod, he replied, "copy that." Before Naruto leaps away, the broad-shouldered Jōnin called, "oh, and Naruto." Though hesitant, he eventually asked, "…were you the one who gave Kurenai the Fire Slipper Orchid?"

Though initially taken by the question, he nods, "sure did." Turning to the beautiful genjutsu mistress, Naruto added, "which the Uzumaki clan is still going to honor you for. Stay ready guys. Later!" Naruto leaped away as Asuma turned to Kurenai's expressionless face.

After his talk with Hinata, being open and honest with Rasa, and talking with Nai-chan, Naruto felt full of energy. He sprints from roof-top to roof-top toward the arena until he finds a large water tank he can change under. Snickering in delight, he unseals his new gear from a scroll and quickly puts everything on. He still wore orange pants but the new one isn't as baggy on him as his old one. His orange and blue jacket with the high white collar was gleefully upgraded to an orange and black form-fitting jacket with a black collar that kept his neck warm and snug. The cloth for his forehead protector was also replaced with a black and wider one, pushing his spiky bangs higher. His new sandals were black and higher than his blue ones.

Looking himself over, Naruto was already squealing with overflowing joy. Despite the girlish squeal, he felt more mature and loved how comfortable easy to move in the fitted tactical gear was. He strapped his shuriken holster on his right thigh and his chakra blades in the holster Haku made for him at his lower back. Before slinging on the large scroll for his reverse summoning over his shoulder however, Naruto unfolds the white cloth. Jiraiya said he had it specially made and to not tell Ma since she's making him a red coat.

He raised the sturdy and soft material with both hands gripping the shoulders and it unfolded to reveal a medium-sleeved coat with a red flame pattern at the hem. It looked so unbelievably cool, Naruto had stars for eyes and drooled a little. However, he also felt the threat of tears spilling down his face when he read the words on the back.

Out loud, he reads, "Fourth-" when all too abruptly, Naruto receives a distressing cache of memories from a forcibly destroyed clone… the clone that was escorting Karin to the coliseum.

_Amongst the throng of festive villagers, the chatting cousins were nearing the stadium when someone from behind them voiced, "excuse me?"_

_ Stopping beside an alleyway, both Naruto and Karin turn to see a frail-looking old man with half his face bandaged, saggy black hair, an x-shaped scar on his chin, and walking with a cane. The old man in a white shirt under a black robe is flanked by two Anbu in white cloaks and monkey masks creating a wall of men the crowd has to walk around. Within the span of a heartbeat, an Anbu sprints from the space between the buildings and knocks Karin out before pulling her into the alleyway. Naruto hollers as he reaches for Karin but with the opening created by his reaching out, the clone is popped in a puff of smoke._

Bubbling anger Naruto hasn't felt in years consumed him from his gut and his mind quickly grasped the threat. Even though he never met the man, he looked exactly like Naru-nii described; the scar, the bandages, the cane are a dead give-away. '_That was Danzō_,' his mind seethed. Naruto knew how dangerous Root was—how dangerous Danzō is—and now they have his only blood relative; '_Danzō has Karin…_' Naruto also knew he'd lose her if he didn't get her back right away.

Quick as stretching out each arm, the white robe similar to his father's is on Naruto's form before he grabbed the large scroll. He originally planned on using his clone in Mount Myōboku to feed him more natural energy when he was in a pinch, but this was far more important. Unrolling the scroll with the fūin seals for the reverse summoning jutsu, he slapped a chakra-covered palm on the parchment and yelled, "Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

His sage-infused clone wearing his original orange and blue outfit pops into existence before immediately dispelling. The natural energy gathered and balanced by his clone suddenly permeates and enhances his every infuriated cell. As explained by Pa, Sage Mode is an empowered state and exponentially increases every attribute of his base. His ninjutsu and fūinjutsu become more powerful. His strength, speed, stamina, reflexes, durability, and at this very moment, the most important, his sensory perception, are enhanced significantly.

He knows Karin's chakra signature and immediately he's scouring every inch of Konoha for the feel of her spirit. He can feel the garrisons outside the walls, the cacophony of energy at the stadium—his loved ones among them—Jiraiya inside Konoha's wall near the garrison, and finally, two signatures smoothly moving away from the coliseum, one of which is Karin.

Rather than jumping from the building, he created a senjutsu enhanced clone to grab his hand before launching him like a bolt out of a crossbow. He launched himself nearly a mile in the air. The drag force of the atmosphere deafening his ears did little to impede his ballistic motion, however, when Naruto reached the peak, he created one more clone mid-air to catch and launch him the rest of the distance toward the target. With his heightened sight, he can see the pale-skinned boy in an Anbu mask leaping from building to building carrying Karin over his shoulder.

Though Naruto had never fallen at such a speed from such a height, he was far too angry to consider any injury. In his mind, he felt powerful enough to destroy whatever building he landed on, so by the time the masked boy sensed Naruto, it was too late. Like a chucked war-spear through fragile glass, Naruto landed on the building the kidnapper was going to land on. The astounding force of his speed and mass transferred powerfully from his feet into the building and it was more energy than the concrete and wood could handle, loudly rupturing and destroying most of the roof and floors as he speared through to the street below.

The root kidnapper lost the stability in his run and he tucked Karin into a protective hug before rolling on the fracturing stone and skidding to a halt just before the crumbling edge of the destroyed section of the roof. Heavy jagged concrete breaks easily against him, but he only has attention for his cousin, now two-stories above him on the half-destroyed roof. The masked boy had no sense of what would cause such impactful damage, the noise of which left his ears ringing and the dusty, heated air pressure baked his skin.

He laid the red-haired target down before he attempted to sense what the object that destroyed half the roof was and the moment he turned to peer over the edge, he saw a yellow flash before he's kicked in his masked face. The force of the strike was hard enough to momentarily knock him unconscious, shattering the mask as he skidded off the roof and fell two floors to the alley below.

When the pale, dark-haired boy came to, he immediately felt fractured bones throughout his body on top of pained breathing and an agonizing headache. He was hoisted against the wall and made to look up. Half of his vision is red and blurry, the other half is also blurry, but observed an angered Uzumaki Naruto holding his unconscious cousin against his chest. The dizzy and injured boy couldn't understand why Naruto wore red make-up around his eyes, but he wouldn't have a chance to.

Just before the pale boy passed out, Naruto practically growled, "tell Danzō he just made the biggest mistake of his life."

Naruto sensed three people inside the building and quickly created clones to make sure they're alright and test his accelerated healing fūinjutsu if necessary. Naruto's fairly certain he's late to the arena, but more than anything, he wanted to make sure Karin stayed safe. With Jiraiya around the perimeter and his Sage Mode lasting no longer than a few more minutes, Naruto shunshins to the building top before sprinting to the packed arena. Along the way, Naruto struggled to remain in control. Kurama certainly wanted him to cut loose and wreck, but today wasn't the day to deal with Danzō.

'_Soon_,' he told Kurama.

Nearing the coliseum, he searches for the person he trusts the most with the last few seconds of his sage chakra when he's struck with relief. Karin regained consciousness.

"…N-NNNaruto?"

"It's okay," he told her. "You're safe now. Just relax. I won't let anyone take you," he promised her and she wrapped her arms around his trapezius, linking her hands at the back of his neck.

THE CHŪNIN EXAM

"Uzumaki Naruto," Genma called and no one expected what happened next.

Bursting through one of the many guest entrances of Section A, a flash of yellow and white stains the air over that section of the crowd. Faster than anyone can react, Naruto lands on the railing next to Kurenai's post, warping the railing from the pressure and heat of transferred kinetic motion, and in that moment, the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha is as confused as the rest of the ninjas old enough to remember that attire, that hair, and that speed. There isn't enough time for their lagging minds to settle with the idea of the Fourth Hokage being alive, or even be stunned yet.

Kurenai has just enough time to read, '_Fourth_-' before the Yondaime lookalike turns around and she notices Karin in Naruto's arms. Kurenai's eyes bulge as her melting mind curses, '_you're fucking shitting me!_'

Rather frantically, he tells a dazed Karin, "stay with Kurenai no matter what. No matter what!" He turns to a flabbergasted Kurenai and she can barely think about the red pigmentation around his eyes or the gold irises with horizontal, oblong pupils before he tells her, "please take care of Karin for me. Don't let her go with anyone that's not me or Jiraiya." A beat passes, and Kurenai is embarrassed to be **so** stunned by this revelation that he needs to repeat, "Kurenai, do you understand?"

Snapping out of it, she takes Karin around the shoulders as she answers, "yes, yes, I- I understand."

"She can fill you in on what happened," Naruto stated as he hops back on the bent metal railing. "I mean it, no one but me or Jiraiya, and definitely no Root or Anbu."

Though that shocked her to hear, nothing shocked her more than when he turns to leap away. She manages to read the back of his coat. "The Fourth Sun," she whispered. A warmth deep within her spreads to every fiber of her being at the metaphorical thought of her sun burning brightly once again. Kurenai felt a longing to cry as she watches Naruto leap to the center of the stage next to his teammate. His landing disperses more energy through the dirt floor than it can tolerate, fracturing radially around him. Letting his coat flap along with his motion, the blond exhales as the last bit of his sage chakra ebbs from his network.

Naruto hopes he can get a clone to gather natural energy without interruption as he calls out, "I'm here! I'm here!"

At the sight of Naruto in a white coat, Genma nearly breaks his toothpick under clenched teeth. From Kurenai and Karin, Asuma, Kakashi, Hiruzen, Rasa, Mei, Mabui, Samui, Atsui, to the other nine Chūnin hopefuls around him and the entire arena at large; everyone is staring at Naruto with a wide mixture of shock, disbelief, anger, fear, longing, and hope. Despite his orange and black two-piece suit, the spiky yellow hair and white coat with the red flames makes it impossible for everyone old enough not to think of the Yellow Flash of Konoha; one of the most feared shinobi in the world and the adored Hokage who sacrificed his life to save the village. For the widely despised orphan, Uzumaki Naruto, to somehow look exactly like their fallen hero is the greatest shock of all.

The bleachers are so silent, Naruto can hear the cicadas clearly as his retarded imagination wonders if he landed in the wrong arena despite his teammate standing right next to him. Rotating around to inspect the ghostly-silent audience gives Genma, the other nine contenders, and anyone with enhanced vision a chance to read the back of Naruto's long coat. Many hundreds of minds echo or whisper the '_Fourth Sun_,' written on his back as Naruto walks up to Hinata. Mei, in particular, finds the proverbial significance of his coat extremely telling. Only those versed in Land of Water myth and legend know of the Fourth House of the Sun. To see the Fourth Sun on his back brought back difficult memories of lost ones, making her crack her glass of champagne from the tightened grip of her fingers.

"Ne, Hinata-chan," Naruto groans, looking around from the audience to Temari, Gaara, and the other genin around. "I'm in the right place, right?"

Before recalling the microphone, the entire stadium hears the proctor interject, "you're late." For a moment, he's tempted to say, '_the son of the Yondaime shouldn't be late_,' however, he eventually reasons that it's not his place to confirm his parentage so publicly. Still, he walks up to Naruto and inspects the living likeness of Namikaze Minato. Taking the liberty, the melancholy Jōnin latches the drawstring at sternum level from one flap to the other, ensuring the coat remains closed. With a satisfied nod, Genma turns about-face toward the village leaders in the highest seats of the center tower.

"Ho, ho, ho," Hiruzen laughs his slow elderly laugh, enjoying immensely Naruto's stunning entrance.

"Hokage-dono," Rasa gravely calls. "Who is this boy?"

With a smile, Hiruzen doesn't even turn to the Kazekage to answer, "that, is the most surprising ninja you'll ever meet."

* * *

Wow, that was a lot of set up. But the pay off is the next chapter will be tons of sweet sweet action!

I've made a couple of changes from canon. Although it was never specified when Rasa, the Kazekage died, we know it was before the finals. Some would say it was even before the Chūnin exam started. It varies because of the panel showing the Kazekage being ambushed and killed by Orochimaru on his was to Konoha, but also another panel that found Rasa's body and says he'd been dead for a while. If he has been dead for a while, Orochimaru would then be disguised as Rasa for over a month(or some idea along that line), being the Kazekage. I decided not to go that route. So in my fic, Rasa was not killed before the Chūnin started.

Also, I looked it up. Judging from the picture of the bodies, it looks like they've been dead for 10-20 days. That's when the body turns purple from active decay and bugs eating away at you. I figure it's possible for Rasa to be killed the day of the Chūnin finals and rot for the length of time it took Konoha to settle negotiations with Suna.

Another thing, in Shippuden, Mei is supposed to be in her mid thirties. I'm aging her down in my fic to mid twenties. She's still the oldest woman in the harem but not by much.

This chapter was a terror to structure. I mean, I must've re-written it like four times before I had something I liked. The issue was the two weeks left before the Chūnin. I still wanted to show that but I really wanted to get to the invasion and stuff. So I was trying all sorts of ways to fit it all in while also including Naruto's meet with Rasa and Mei. This is what I ultimately came up with. I really hope you guys enjoyed it.

For those who would like to support me, I have a /graefoxx is the handle. I also have an original novel on amazon called Belladonna by Grae Foxx. It was originally a modern-setting fanfic of Naruto or Harry Potter. Since I couldn't figure what fandom I wanted it to go to, I just washed the names and tested out the self-publishing waters 😊 As always, thank you thank you thank you to my amazing patrons for your awesome support. You guys make me not want to ever stop writing! Viruses be damned!

Have a great one, and please, please, please stay safe guys. We can beat this thing if we all watch out for each other.

-Grae


	32. 32Invasion

Jeez, where to begin. First and foremost, I hope everyone and their families are safe and surviving this global crisis. Don't ever feel ashamed to ask for help if you need it, because there are friends/family that would gladly give it.

Next, I'd like to apologize for the long delay. COVID altered my life to essentially working, sleeping, and more working. In addition to the stress of catching the virus and supporting my household, it's been very difficult to get in the mindset to write. But I've been trying. I write in my notebook, and for the last month, I haven't had to work 75+ hr/weeks.

Which brings us to this chapter. WARNING: Blood and Violence. It's nearly 21K and like the wave mission, I didn't linger on events from canon we've already read a thousand times. So if I don't go into too much detail with a fight, assume it's similar to canon.

I'm happy to be back and a very special thank you to Vincent Liu for keeping me motivated. Please enjoy 😊

* * *

THE ENEMY

Soldiers young and old remained huddled together for warmth from the early morning chill and vigilance for the signal. They couldn't start a fire throughout the entire night for fear their army will be discovered before the designated time. Come morning, hundreds of shinobi, from jōnin to even genin, are low and quiet in the forests of Konoha ready to fight, ready to invade. Huddled together as the cold slowly seeps from their bones, they whisper to each other to distract themselves and pass the time.

"What'll you do with your piece of land?"

"How will you spend your bonus?"

"They told us no looting but I heard the Sound guys are going to rape, pillage, _**and**_ plunder. I don't care for the raping but how would command know if we took valuables?"

Many Sand shinobi whispered about the possibilities after the invasion and the answers were the same.

"Get away from the heat and sand. Find a nice spot for my wife and daughter… finally be a man who can support them."

"I'd love to invest in a new puppet. But I should really help the family out. Kami knows I can't stand them half the times, but it's family. They'd starve without me. What can you do, you know?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. Those Sound-nin have no honor; why would they care? If you want to take something for your little girl, I don't see how they could have a problem with that, but anything more might get you in trouble with the brass. Look, we're getting the better part of this alliance. After today, Sunagakure and Wind country will finally be able to prosper. No more waiting outside HQ for scraps of work that's just going to go to bills and feeding the family. Once Konoha is gone, we'll get all the land and all the jobs."

Opposite the sore and vehement Sand-nin, the Sound-nin wanted to expand their village and country to become one of the five dominant nations; only they're willing to do so by any means necessary; taking the land, wealth, and jobs by right of conquest. To that end, they will kill the men and boys of Konoha and gift the corpses to their great leader, Orochimaru, for his breakthrough experiments. They will rape the women so they give birth to Sound citizens, and they will kill anyone who stands in their way.

KURENAI

'_Will this boy ever stop surprising me_,' Kurenai can't help but ask herself, smiling at the sight of Naruto in the arena below, his white coat billowing in the wind along with his sunny blond hair. '_The Fourth Sun_,' the red characters on his back read and Kurenai wondered if, '_Sun_,' is intentional or not. Knowing Naruto as intimately as she does, she's fairly certain it wasn't and would even expect him to groan about how it should've read '_Son_,' not, '_Sun_.' She couldn't help but giggle as she could see his mopey reaction so perfectly and it only endeared her to him; after all, he wasn't a flashy sort of guy. Kurenai loved him better this way.

She doesn't subscribe to astrology but she knows many girls who do and recalls the Sign of the Fourth Sun means home. Looking at her golden boy, like the world fell away and no one else existed, Kurenai's whole body tingled with warmth, as if pleasantly thawing from the cold in front of a comforting fire. It took her breath away when she realized she never knew how cold she was until now, so much so, she could cry if she weren't so focused.

'_Fuck,_' Kurenai mentally groans, feeling her dainty nose heat as her heart sings,'_yeah… I'm in love_.' It's the last moment of indulgence she'll allow from her pure heart, because in her charge, her love—'_Kami, he really has me… all of me_'—left his cousin, his only family, in her care, and it was pretty clear a delicate event had occurred.

Squeezing the redhead's shoulder, Kurenai gets Karin's attention to ask, "what happened?"

Though Karin doesn't know Kurenai, it's clear to her Naruto trusts her, which means she can as well, and begins to tell her everything she can remember.

SAKURA & INO

The rest of the crowd is finally starting to openly doubt, mock, or demand answers. The rumbling voices from hundreds of spectators slowly increases in hazy volume, as if the mob didn't know what to make of this image before them and that confusion annoyed them. The Yondaime was too heroic and Naruto was just a loud, annoying, hooligan with many horrid rumors surrounding him. What everyone saw just didn't feel right.

Ino had long since learned the truth of Naruto's character, and to look around, it surprised her how much she's fallen for him since then. His status in the village had only mattered to how she thought her parents might react, but after gaining their support, being the village's pariah didn't factor in her love for him at all.

Looking at him now, looking so similar to the Yondaime, wondering if he really is the son of the Fourth Hokage or not, Ino felt incredibly aroused. She just stared at him, blushing at the possibility that somehow, Naruto can be even _**more**_ amazing than she previously thought. It was enough that they could be great friends and lovers, but seeing him in his new clothes, wondering if her first time was actually with the, possible, son of a Hokage, Ino was so excited she was getting wet at the thought of being with him again. Ino squeezed her legs together, concentrated on her breathing, and tried not to get triggered.

Seated beside the quietly squirming Ino, Sakura observed and questioned as much as everyone else around her. Though she is curious about his lineage, as a budding healer, she also noticed an injured and bleeding Karin. Though Sakura hasn't taken her oath yet, she's already memorized it and knows it's about important ethical interactions between doctors and patients. Aside from the oath establishing that the practitioner of medicine gives deference to the creators, senseis, and students of medicine, the oath serves as a contract for doctors to work towards the benefit of the health of the public.

To Sakura, it means the physician is accountable for their actions should problems arise, so she takes Ino's hand—surprising a small moan for her lips—and calls, "come on," before heading to a patient in need. With Chōji tagging along, they reach them as Kakashi lands on the railing beside Kurenai, and before he can ask one thing, a blushing Ino asks to know, "is it true?"

As Asuma walks over to the gathering, Kakashi looks out to the field, observing Naruto beside Sasuke, then side-steps the young Yamanaka's question with, "mmn, I wonder." Ino groans at the evasion as Kakashi simply turns his single eye to Karin and asks, "more importantly, what happened?"

"I was knocked out," Karin repeats to the revered Sensei. "And when I came to, Naruto-sama had already rescued me and was heading here."

Kurenai adds, "she recalls seeing an older man; dark hair, half his face covered in bandages and walking with a cane," certain that both Kakashi and Asuma have noted the implication.

"I see," Kakashi hums looking around the stands. He can't be certain of any suspicious patterns or irregularities but his intuition is telling him everything is off, even if only by a little. Returning his attention to Karin, he explains, "I'll take you to the Tower to debrief-"

"You can't," Kurenai asserts, mentally realizing she doesn't have the authority to give Kakashi orders.

Kakashi raises a peaceful palm as he reassures Kurenai, "I won't let anything happen to her."

"Naruto-" Kurenai cuts herself off to change tactics, stating, "Uzumaki-dono gave strict instructions that she is to stay with me until he or Jiraiya-sama retrieve her. As he is the Head of their clan, I can't let you take her unless Hokage-sama expressly orders me to."

The moment of silence is the only indication that Kakashi was surprised by Kurenai's response. Asuma was observing her as if searching for any shred of evidence, all the while suspecting the truth underneath and being unable to accept it. Sakura, Ino, and Karin give each other side glances in that tense moment, though Ino is completely thrilled by Kurenai's defiance. Kakashi reminds Kurenai, "I'm his sensei." He didn't have to say, '_and your superior_,' because she heard it nonetheless.

"Uzumaki-dono trusts you, as we all do," Kurenai tries diplomacy. "He knows she'll be fine with me because I'm certain he would rather speak to you. If the man responsible for this is who we think it is, Hokage-sama should be made aware." Kurenai hates Kakashi's poker face. With his bored face, she rarely has any way of gauging where her responses stand with him; whether positive or negative, but she doesn't flinch either.

"I'll speak with Naruto," Kakashi asserts. "Asuma stay with Kurenai and Karin. You three, back to your-"

"I just want to make sure Karin-chan's fine," Sakura declares, asking for permission to check her.

"Understood," Kakashi responds, nodding his consent. "Then to your seats… and everyone, stay alert."

Kakashi disappears as Sakura begins using her Iryō-ninjutsu to monitor a grateful Karin's health. Though Karin feels fine, she feels more comfortable with Sakura, Ino, and Kurenai by her side.

MABUI & SAMUI

Under the breezy shade of section D, Mabui, Samui, and Atsui subtly observe the red-headed girl Naruto had carried in his arms moments before and the group of ninjas around her, while all around them, people groan and gossip about what they've just witnessed. To the Kumo-nin, it was like being surround by disgruntled noise pollution and a flurry of heated movements. Mabui and Atsui didn't understand the uproar and the logic Samui's mind was proposing had no intelligence—factual or otherwise—to back it up. Samui quietly confirms to her team the red-headed girl is Naruto's cousin, Uzumaki Karin, before ordering them to remain vigilant.

Two gambling men in front of the Kumo-nin are arguing loudly in half sentences, and to clear the confusion, Mabui taps a shoulder before calling, "excuse me." Ignoring their instantly lecherous eyes, Mabui internally sighs as she asks, "can you tell me why everyone is making a fuss about that contestant?"

"I'll tell you anything you want, Sweet Stuff," the spiky-haired one with facial tattoos coos. He eyes her up and down as he slyly adding, "over dinner."

With a tight and disingenuous smile, Mabui replies, "I have a boyfriend."

"A girl as hot as you deserves _**two**_ boyfriends," the spiky-haired man replies with a grunting moan. "Not that you have to tell him about me if you don't want."

"Excuse me, I meant to say no other man exists in my eyes unless I'm beating them to within an inch of their life," Mabui returns, daring him with stern green eyes to say more. Atsui groans as his body wilts like a limp noodle.

"Alright, alright," the spiky one grumpily returns. "Can't a guy show a little interest anymore?" Before Mabui threatens him again, he points to Naruto in the sunny and spacious arena below and explains, "the way the kid's dressed… it's just messing with peoples' heads, is all."

Drawing her brows together curiously, Mabui asks, "why?"

The man's eyes shamelessly travel down to the alluring roundness of Mabui's supple chest as he slowly asks, "you're not from around here are you?" It's almost as if he forgot she threatened his life.

"That ain't it," his heftier companion with round cheeks and small eyes interjects. He also has a problem looking above her neck, of which Mabui only tolerates so he can explain, "there are plenty of others who don't get it either. I'm thinkin' maybe you're all too young to've been in the last war."

The spiky-haired man continues, "those who remember are freakin' out because he looks _**way**_ too much like the Fourth Hokage."

"_Shiiit_," the heftier one calls out. "For a minute, I thought he **was** the Fourth!"

All three of the Kumo ninjas visibly sit up straighter at the implication, though it's more of a confirmation for Samui. Her mind begins making alternate plans as she comments for further information, "I wasn't aware the Fourth Hokage had any children."

It was a statement that had the potential to seriously complicate their amended mission and made Samui's team instantly think about the major political repercussions of taking Naruto. If what everyone seems to be in denial of is true, then taking the son of the Fourth Hokage would certainly lead to a diplomatic incident, and if enough authority heads wanted it, war between Kumo and Konoha. This dilemma instantly made Samui believe their simplest and best course of action was for Naruto to voluntary desert Konoha, which meant they had to truly make a concerted effort to seduce him. Samui follows up with, "was he hidden from the public?"

Saucer-sized eyes zeroed in on Samui's terrifically large and ample chest and the heftier man not-so-silently whispers to his friend, "fuck me, will ya look at the rack on this one?"

Ignoring Atsui's angry growl, Samui apathetically returns, "I also have the most amazing boyfriend who exceeds satisfying me in every way." Atsui looked as if he wanted to throw up as Samui demands of them, "answer my question."

The hefty blond man grumbles to his friend, "why are the hottest ones always loyal," before glumly answering, "yeah, the Yondaime doesn't have kids… or at least, that's the story, but…"

"But maybe it ain't so true," the spiky one debates.

"But it _can't_ be," the fat one returns.

"But he's the spittin' image of the Fourth!"

"It's just another one of his pranks," the hefty one protests. "It's gotta be!"

Looking around the chaotic stadium, the spiky one asks, "then why aren't the Jōnin saying anything?"

The two continue arguing amongst themselves, as do the majority of people around them while the Kumo-nin observe the behavior of Konoha's shinobi. To Mabui and Samui, it appears as if the crowd can't accept the sight of Naruto as the son of the Fourth. There's unease and whispers of, '_it can't be_,' or, '_he should be court-martialed_,', or '_to do something so disgraceful._' In the section next to theirs, a disagreement about Naruto's appearance breaks out into a fight, and in that moment, Samui and Mabui nod to each other. They realize the crowd's hostile reaction is likely indicative of the village's attitude as a whole and should aid them in convincing Naruto to defect. They also know they must be extremely careful as it's only obvious Konoha's leadership will not appreciate losing the son of a fallen Hokage to Kumogakure. It's too much of an international slap in the face to allow.

THE KAGES

Patches of boos around the gossiping masses can be heard. They don't last longer than a few moments before opposing voices holler for them to shut up, creating a bit of pandemonium. Scratching his head, Naruto simply chuckles at the mixed reaction all around him, thankful it isn't all booing and heckling. Naruto looks up to the Kages, to Rasa specifically, who's glaring at him and simply returns a broad smile.

Irritated by Uzumaki's aloof attitude, Rasa asks Hiruzen, "is he the son of the Yondaime Hokage?"

"He is an orphan, Kazekage-dono," Hiruzen leisurely replies. "One without inheritance or wealth to foster him. Like many orphans in our village, he must rely on his own wit and strength if he ever wishes to make a name for himself."

With thoughts of Iwa in his calculating mind, Rasa rhetorically asks, "I imagine concealing his existence was for his own safety?"

"At one point, certainly," Hiruzen confirms, stroking his chin-beard with a lazy hand.

"Uzumaki seems an ill-suited family name," Rasa coldly denotes. In a calculated manner, Rasa probes the Hokage by saying, "I imagine he will adopt his father's name after today."

"Hoh hoh hoh," Hiruzen laughs his slow elderly laugh, adding, "I highly doubt that." Rasa turns his curious gaze on Hiruzen, who only returns a lazy glance before answering, "while it's fairly evident Naruto has his father's appearance, he's his mother's son through and through. He's the type of young man who believes the name you call him doesn't matter as he is the one who chooses what he answers to." Returning a proud sight on the blond in the wide arena below, Hiruzen proclaims, "and Adversity knows him intimately as Uzumaki Naruto."

Rasa didn't sense any deception or hidden awareness in Hiruzen's responses, forcing the Kazekage to truly consider that Jiraiya and Uzumaki are being truthful and hadn't informed their Hokage of the attack on their village. Rasa stares down at the son of the Fourth who is getting admonished by the proctor for not standing next to his Uchiha teammate.

TEMARI

"Alright guys, this is the final test," Genma calls to the ten Chūnin candidates before him. Genma's voice is still projected throughout the spectating crowd, silencing the grumbling chatter as he explains, "the arena is different but the rules are the same; there aren't any." The crowd cheered to hear that through the PA system, then Genma eyes Sasuke a moment before adding, "you fight until one of you dies or concedes but if I determine the fight is over, I'll step in and stop it. Got it?"

In the spacious arena under the warm sun, Temari glances at the other candidates to catalog their response but her eyes immediately latch onto Naruto. Her mind is a jumble of impatient curiosity and she just stares at him, wondering more and more about him; his clothes, his entrance, his power, his doom. Her heart felt torn by the excitement of seeing him again and the terror of his demise today.

Proctor Genma cuts through her train of thought as he announces, "everyone but Kankurō and Shino head up to the viewing gallery."

Before Temari steps away or anyone takes more than one step to leave, Kankurō whispers to her, "waiting for Gaara's match is going to take too long. He needs to be on the field by the target time."

"I know," she whispered back all the while observing Naruto in his new, dashing, and respectable look; he even seemed taller to her. Despite hearing her brother, she had the greatest urge to ask Naruto about his outfit. She's seen pictures of all four Hokages but couldn't accept the clear evidence that Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Naruto are related since information like that couldn't be hidden so easily. More eager to solve this mystery, Temari tells her brother, "we have time. Just finish him quickly-"

"Examiner," Kankurō called, raising his hand. "I forfeit."

In an instant, Temari is fiercely upset. Even if it was a prudent move toward their father's ultimate objective, Temari couldn't help but mentally curse, '_fucking Kankurō!_' Even inflating her chest with a deep breath doesn't calm her glare.

Confused by his sister's reaction, Kankurō draws his brows together curiously as he answers the proctor, "I'm sure."

The other Chūnin hopefuls observe Kankurō's unexpected withdrawal with puzzlement. The ones reexamining their chances at reaching the final match are Sasuke, Neji, Kiba, and Shino. Naruto and Temari know none of this truly matters, Hinata is simply pleased her teammate is advancing, and Shikamaru is only interested in the calm breeze keeping him cool and the few fluffy clouds drifting in the big blue sky above. Of all of them, Gaara is the only one who never stopped walking to the gallery. Kankurō has never been anything more than a meat-sack to the homicidal red-head, but in that one moment, he didn't feel his usual urge to kill him. Even still, Gaara is all the more eager to validate his existence in excessive blood and death. It's been too long and he's shaking in anticipation of killing someone soon.

"Whatever," Genma's amplified voice grumbles louder than the boos of the crowd. In his mundane way, Genma announces to all through the speakers, "Shino, you advance. Go up with the others. Temari, Shikamaru, you stay." Hinata skips over to her teammate and congratulates him while Kiba whines about how lucky he is.

Neji, Shikamaru, and Team Kurenai walk toward the viewing gallery as a smiling Naruto calls out, "good luck, Temari-chan, Shikamaru!" Naruto then follows the others to the gallery.

Watching her chance to learn any secrets from Naruto slip away, an annoyed Temari harshly whispers to Kankurō, "you didn't have to do that!"

"It's fine," Kankurō waves aside her concern. "None of this is going to matter after today." Eying their father before looking around for Baki, the face-painted Sand-nin reiterates, "conserve your chakra and finish him off quickly."

Kankurō rushes to Gaara's side before noting how transfixed he is on Naruto. Though his vicious little brother appears to be in control, Kankurō can tell it won't last. '_He's going to detonate soon_,' Kankurō estimates, observing Naruto walking beside his teammate with his hands clasped behind his head.

"Yo, Sasuke, it's been a while," Naruto greets. Wearing a black one-piece with white bandages around his forearms and shins, and a black belt wrapped around his left arm, Sasuke looks at Naruto dispassionately, as if noticing a fly buzzing annoyingly around him. Without a response, Naruto goes on to say, "I bet you've gotten strong too. I guess Team 7's been pretty busy, huh? Anyway, I wanted you to know I haven't forgotten." A silent and annoyed Sasuke glances at the blond, like the buzzing is entering his ear. "I said I'd help you out, and after today, I'll have more time to do that."

"I don't need nor want your help, Dobe," Sasuke retorts. Walking ahead and stuffing his hands in his pockets, he continues, "you're nothing but a nuisance holding me back so stay out of my way or I _**will**_ break you."

"What the hell," Naruto hotly returns. Turning around and walking backward to have eye-to-eye contact with the self-proclaimed avenger, Naruto explains, "I'm not in your way. If you weren't such a stubborn ass, you'd see I'm actually trying to be a **friend!**"

"Then you really are the biggest idiot," Sasuke growls back. "I don't need friends. Power and revenge are the only things I care about, and after today, you'll only live on in fading memory."

"Yeesh, and you call me an idiot," Naruto groans in frustration. While Naruto's concern is steadfastly focused on the future, talking to Sasuke makes him see how focused on the past the avenger is, making him think they really are like two sides of the same coin. "Whether you see it or not, I get why you're like this," Naruto replies. "Power and revenge aren't all you care about and I know for a damn fact, it isn't even what matters most to you." Despite Sasuke glaring at him, Naruto sternly tells him, "so sit tight, you prissy little drama queen cuz I'm helping you whether you want it or not."

Watching Naruto walk ahead of him wearing an overcoat similar to the Yondaime's—as if he's lording over his clan and life—threatening to interfere with his life's goal. Sasuke grabs Naruto's shoulder, pulling hard to turn the blond and maliciously tell him, "don't even think about losing until you reach me." Squeezing his shoulder tight, Sasuke practically spits, "this is the last time you'll ever get in my way." Onyx eyes to clear blue ones, the challenge between them is clear; there isn't another person in this tournament that Sasuke wants to fight more than Naruto.

"Temari versus Shikamaru," Genma announces as soon as the contestants were ready. "Begin!"

Watching from the observation gallery beside team Kurenai, Naruto wasn't sure if the same result Naru-nii had explained to him would happen this time, and if it did, how Shikamaru would trap Temari without the hole Naru-nii dug when he beat Neji. Like many watching, Naruto learned Shikamaru truly is a genius.

When he finally got moving, the pineapple-head unloaded all of his shuriken and kunai, making it appear as if he was desperate to snipe her from afar, however, he only wanted to distract her from an umbrella kunai he launched in the air in order to extend his shadow-bind. She saw through the tactic and maneuvered away… exactly where he wanted her. From the shadow of the wall, Shikamaru used his shadow jutsu to travel around the very edge of the perimeter of the arena to attempt and capture her from behind. Temari saw through that as well. The shadow nearly had her and she watched it on the floor struggling to reach for her but unable to. It made her smile confidently until she turned to finish the match and noticed the flash bomb he threw in the air. It wasn't thrown high or ultra-bright, but it detonated before she can react and the light from the explosion easily stretched her shadow toward the one that nearly snagged her, ultimately capturing her.

Exhausted after using his jutsu for so long, Shikamaru walks to the center, forcing Temari to walk there as well, raises his hand, forcing her to do as much, and gives up. After getting over her shock of the bewildering, intelligent, and lazy shinobi, Temari couldn't deny she was impressed with his foresight. It made her wonder about Konoha men in general and their ability to impress her.

The honest sentiment then made her heart ache because she knew what was expected of her. She knew many Konoha Shinobi would die today. Walking on the grass toward the viewing gallery, Temari gazes up between her brothers and Naruto, and in addition to feeling defeated, she felt nauseated. Every weak step up the stairs to the holding area seemed to threaten her with a violent urge to vomit. Of course, it didn't help the moment she cleared the staircase, Naruto is right in front of her, happy as a clam. Closer to her than he's been in over two days, he looks so powerful and feels so strong but he still has his smile. Being forced to crush his cheerful heart nearly makes her hyperventilate.

"Wow, Temari, your fan is _**soo**_ awesome," Naruto beams. "I know you showed it to me before but I've never seen it in action…"

Over his shoulder, Kankurō is standing next to Gaara who's sinister grin is all the signal she needs. In that revolting moment, her heart hates her brothers, her father, and her village for making her do this. It's a spike of emotional distress that even makes her hate Naruto for being so amazing, and herself for choosing this vile darkness over love and hope.

Mechanically, Temari walks over to her brothers as Naruto follows to ask, "since we're both wind-users, can I hold it?"

Gaara steps in front of Naruto, glaring with his cold dead eyes as he proclaims, "she doesn't love you."

Naruto pulls up, humming, "Hmm?" He examines Gaara a moment before looking between the Sand siblings. Temari's remains as silent and still as an emotionless porcelain doll.

"She. Does. Not. Love. You," Gaara slowly repeats, trying to let each word sink in as he steps closer to Naruto. Gaara whispers, "all this time, she's been lying to you. She betrayed you; betrayed your trust."

Realizing this is the moment, Naruto hates that this is happening. He always suspected but he hoped maybe he could've changed her mind; even if he knows that would've made her a traitor to her village. Though a small part of Naruto recalls her funny smile—like a girl who never does it—he can't help but confidently tell Gaara, "no she didn't."

"Of course you'd believe otherwise," Gaara replied, taking a step back and standing next to his older sister despite glaring at Naruto the entire time. "Temari," he commands.

"…He's right Uzumaki," Temari hesitates to starts. Recalling the need for eye contact, her teal eyes snap to his blue ones as she practically growls, "d-didn't you ever ask yourself how someone like me possibly fall in love with someone like you? I never l-loved you; no, not such a weak, ugly, m-monster like you! I faked everything when we were together—my attraction, my joy, my desire for you, all fake." Temari takes a heavy breath as she fights to add, "a-and I laughed! Laughed at you after you left! We all laughed at how pathetic you are!" Kankurō chuckles from Gaara's other side as Temari finishes, "someone as pathetic as you should honestly just d-die!"

Even though Naruto knows Temari is lying, watching the three stand united as someone he cares about reviles him still hurts to see and hear. Naruto couldn't even put on a brave smile even when he's had a lot of practice throughout his life doing so. She said the words he fears the most and regardless of how false they were, he's grown to cherish Temari, her laugh, her cocky attitude, her intelligence, and her drive to prove herself. To hear her mouth say those words simply hurt.

"Tell them all," Gaara commands, and Temari looks surprised to hear the command.

She tightens her jaw before calling out for all of Naruto's friends to hear, "t-this guy is so pathetic, so weak, he thought he deserves love." Temari yells louder, "it was so easy to toy with him. Show him a little affection, and he became my p-pet; did anything I wanted like a lost little puppy. I turned him into my bitch. I'm- Uzumaki is a monster… That n-no one could possibly lo-ve and deserves to d-die."

Sasuke, Shino, Kiba, Hinata, and Neji all stare at Naruto and the sudden drama unfold. Though Sasuke and Neji didn't care much, Shino remained quiet, and Kiba actually looked offended, Hinata felt anger within her rise higher than even when she fought Sakura. Hinata's anger triggered her Byakugan to focus on the sandy-blond kunoichi and what she saw made her calm down some. Something about her posture and erratic chakra flow told Hinata that Temari was in turmoil and possibly being dishonest.

Publicly humiliated in front of his colleagues—in front of his rival—Naruto attempted to laugh it off but it didn't even sound convincing to himself. Despite knowing she likely doesn't mean it, it still hurts to hear and Naruto takes an uncertain step away from Temari. Gaara steps closely in front of Naruto to assure him, "this is why I will kill you today." Maniacally gleeful by Naruto's pain, he continues happily, "because you foolishly believed that someone you trusted would return your love. When you love others and are betrayed, it's the worst pain this world has to offer and you will beg me to relieve you of it moments before I crush you in my sand."

Eying the redhead without much reaction, Naruto sadly turns and walks over to the corner of the observation deck, away from everyone, and leans heavily on the railing. Hinata, Kiba, and Shino join him to keep him company, though Kiba is still pissed on his behalf, and yells, "you fucking bitches better pray you don't meet me in the finals, cuz if I see you in a round, I'm drilling ya six feet under!"

NEJI VS HINATA

"Hyūga Neji," Genma begins to call. "Hyūga Hinata. Please come down."

Neji ignores everyone as he coldly walks down to the battle arena. After Shino and Kiba give her their support, Hinata follows Neji's direction. She's by the stairs leading down to the ground floor when Naruto slowly calls her name, missing his usual liveliness. It made Hinata angry to think people he's been trying to be friends with would go so far to hurt him and nearly wish her match was with Temari rather than Neji.

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto voices drawing her attention. Naruto knows this match will be difficult for her but she doesn't seem overly nervous in his estimation. It reminds him of Naru-nii assertion that she'll be a top-tier kunoichi in the future and with a small but genuine smile, he shares, "I wanted to say it properly… thanks for helping me earlier; in the training grounds. I believe in you too, so, no matter what, give it your all, and I know you'll be happy in the end."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Her face blushes as she gasps, "thank you, Naruto-kun." With stern resolve, she adds, "for everything."

With a tight fist-pump, he encourages her, "show him what you got."

He expected her to nod and leave, but she stays and asks, "when this is over, can… w-would you still like my h-help… with ch-chakra control exercises?"

At the thought of mastering the Hiraishin next, Naruto genially answers, "definitely. I've been itching to get to that."

Though she couldn't profess to him, '_please, watch me_,' she does nod and bow before making her way down. Naruto returns to his fellow Konoha shinobi and spies a glance toward Temari and Gaara. Gaara is happy to see Naruto's hurt expression, but Naruto knows it isn't for the same reason. Though facing away from him, Naruto can see Temari's conflicted and low-spirited appearance in her rigid posture. It was as if someone broke _**her**_ instead of him. Sighing in sympathy, Naruto relocates that energy and saves it for his fight with Gaara, eager to unleash everything he has on him.

—

As Hinata follows her cousin to the center of the arena below, Kurenai's mind curses, '_fuck!_' as her eyes widen in gut-sinking fear. Her knees buckle, her skin heats, and her chest tightens in shame and agony. With her full sight on Hinata, the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha has only just realized that she's in love with the same boy her most cherished, daughter-like student loves.

'_Oh, fuck… fuck, fuck fuck_,' her mind constantly repeats, panicking over this scenario playing out in the most obvious way; her absolutely decimating Hinata's heart. Kurenai wants to rip her hair out for finding herself in such an absurd predicament. '_Being in love with Naruto would obviously mean betraying Hinata_,' her mind painfully addresses.

Watching her uncharacteristically focused and confident student stand opposite her biggest challenge to date, the choice between her love as a woman and her love as a mother-figure should be clear. Rationally, there shouldn't be a debate about this, but her mind is silent. Her options are simply what needs to happen and what she wants to happen, and it makes the tortured Kurenai horribly sick to her stomach.

—

Observing Neji in the center of the battleground, Hinata understands why Neji demands she forfeit, and even why he arrogantly breaks down her insecurities one by one to the credit of his irrational gospel; Destiny. The Hyūga heiress knows why Neji firmly believes people can't change and that their future has been destined since birth. He had proclaimed that, '_a failure will always be a failure_,' but Hinata isn't that same girl who graduated the Academy six months ago or even the girl who suddenly learned she'll be facing her genius cousin a month ago, or even the girl, who only a few minutes ago, offered to teach Naruto some of her clan's extreme chakra control techniques.

Momentarily imagining him calling her, '_Hinata-sensei_,' her cheeks blush and her whole body breaks out in electric goosebumps.

Naruto's faith in her felt as if she were being blessed by the sun itself and she couldn't even think of failing him. Feeling Naruto watching her, Hinata knows Neji is wrong, because if her jaded cousin was right, then the nine-year-old Naruto who rescued her from older bullies would've never thought to protect her or proclaim to one day becoming Hokage; let alone the greatest of them all. Quitting because of destiny has no sway over a man with conviction, and if it's not Naruto's way, then it's not hers either.

"You're wrong, Neji-niisan," Hinata asserts, setting her stance. "You can choose your destiny. And it's because you don't know this that I will stop you."

With a snide grin, Neji asks, "do you actually believe you stand any chance of defeating me?"

"Not of defeating you," she answers, shaking her head. "Of stopping you."

"Neji versus Hinata," Genma speaks, booming through the speakers. The wind and birds around them fell as silent as the crowd before Genma speaks, "begin."

'_Byakugan_,' both Hyūga members mentally chant, protruding veins around their nearly white eyes as their all-sight shows their opponent's chakra network and nothing else. The stands of spectators disappear from their view and even the proctor becomes irrelevant to them as they focus solely on proving to the other who is right.

In less than a second, they're crossing gentle fists with light physical taps but bursting with perfectly timed chakra out of their tenketsus, aiming to damage the other's chakra network and internal organs rather than deal external muscular damage. For no matter how much chakra an opponent has, if they can't use their immense power, they're as vulnerable as an academy student. Using their wrist and forearms to block or sway strike after strike away without losing their footing to the other, they seem evenly matched from a layman's perspective, but Hinata knows better.

Her cousin is hiding his true speed. He's toying with her, waiting until she's confident in his timing, dropping her guard so he can surgically cut off her chakra flow. It's a strategy she might have missed if not for Kurenai's diligent strategy planning. Neji may have beaten her completely if they faced each other in the preliminaries. '_He may even now_,' she thought, but with time and Kurenai-sensei's tutelage, she won't be defeated.

Masters of their style, they each know how to attack and defend, yet Hinata is being pushed back by his fast strikes. It was difficult to maintain her footing and balance when Neji's skill and ability was better than her in nearly every way. '_He's faster, stronger, and a genius in taijutsu_,' she mentally analyzed. '_But he doesn't have Kurenai-sensei_.'

Kurenai knew that, in general, the Hyūga clan tends to have average chakra reserves and after testing each of her students, Hinata had above-average chakra capacity. That along with a strong understanding of the Gentle Fist, Hinata could only see one way of besting him; chakra endurance.

Neji is moving faster tapping her chakra points one at a time, but rather than let the obvious continue, Hinata takes an explosive tagged kunai from her pound and flicks it at the ground between them. The small flash of light igniting has an alert Neji leap back but the tag didn't explode.

The moment the crowd and Neji realize it's a feint, they all witness Hinata, her eyes closed with her index and middle finger together, parallel with the length of her dainty nose and concentrates on the technique she's learned from her father. Like he taught her, she envisions herself within the center of balance between the forces of peace and chaos, love and hate, offense and defense, and she sees the eight trigrams symbol, and Neji within range.

It also means Hinata is within his range and he recognizes her stance. Smirking cockily, he raises his arms, inflating his lungs before thrusting his palms in front of him, setting his resolve. He spreads his stand along with eagle-spreading his arms and tilting his balance forward. Neji's mind delighted in showing the main house how wrong they were and still are as he mentally yells, '_Hakke Rokujūyon Shō!_'

Hinata felt his sliding approach, mentally calling, '_Shugohakke, Rokujyuu Yonshou!_'

Unlike the offensive Hakke Rokujūyon Shō that attacks sixty-four tenketsus within the body to incapacitate an opponent, Hinata's Eight Trigram, Sixty-four Palms is a defensive technique. She can create, strong, flexible, arcing chakra blades that project outwardly, defending her from his incoming attack from a distance.

Hyūga techniques clashed and as strong as Neji is in his offense, Hinata has just as much passion for her defense because it won't hurt him but it will stop him. Though she still can't get more than four cross-sectioning blades to protect her, it's just barely enough to stop Neji's chakra covered fingers from shutting down two tenketsus on her torso.

A sizzling flash behind Neji alerts him that there was a second explosive note wrapped underneath the dud, but whether it was also a feint or not, it was enough of a distraction for another of Hinata's four-section cross blades close three of Neji's tenketsus. Focused solely on stopping Neji, helping him, proving to him he can break out of his cage, Hinata manages to two consecutive cross-sections before Neji flips back, snatching the kunai she stuck in the ground and flicking it at her with enough strength to clang loudly when she deflects it.

Neji flexes his fingers and looks around his arms at the ten closed off tenketsus. It's not enough to completely impede his attacks, but a few of his fingers won't receive chakra… '_the embarrassment_,' his mind cruelly whispers. For someone like the meek, weak, and fragile Hinata to hinder him even this much in front of the whole village, in front of the main branch, is a disgrace he won't ever live down. The cage bars of destiny have never felt so cold and Neji can't remember the last time he was this angry.

Though Kurenai's minor panic attack from observing Hinata execute their strategy perfectly has subsided, she still feels unwell at the sight of her beautiful student trying so hard. Then Neji resumed his attack and he looked furious even from where she was standing, compelling her worry for Hinata to triple.

Neji attacked ferociously with his superior speed and strength, but Hinata continued defending herself with her Eight Trigram defense. He attacked her constantly, and though she was getting tired from her constant use of chakra, she manages to close a few more of his tenketsus without even touching him. After several moments of visceral attacks, Neji finally managed to break through her defense and attack her organs with the few chakra covered ringers remaining.

Neji beat her internally, striking her liver, stomach, kidneys, and heart, but it was with less than half his usual strength, and when she fell, it wasn't enough to satisfy him. She struggled to her feet but she was within his range and he reignited his Sixty-four Palms. Though he started with two strikes, then four strikes, followed by eight strikes, and on until he struck her chakra network with sixty-four strikes, less than half his strikes actually closed her tenketsus.

After his onslaught, Hinata falls to her knees, coughing up blood, but she doesn't stay there. She tries to get up again. She looks at him, sweating dripping around lavender-white eyes brimming with a strength and determination he's never seen before, making him believe that destiny is once again showing him his place.

Neji can't help but yell, "you're beaten! Stay down!"

Hinata only shakes her head, causing drops of sweat and blood to drop on the ground as she struggles to return to her stance. "You can't know… what you can really do… until you've tried… and failed… and tried again… a thousand times."

Neji practically teleports in front of her before landing every attack he hits her with, despite strained inability to stop him. Hinata holds her breath as she tries to push her body beyond her limits. Despite her best efforts, Neji strikes her liver with minimal chakra, though it was enough to shock her entire system, and even then, he heal-palms her in the face, sending her flat on her back several feet away.

Disappointed with his performance, Neji curses as he begins walking back to the observation deck when the silent crowd gasps in unison. The young genius turns around and to his staggering disbelief, Hinata is battling just to stand up. Like a new-born baby attempting her first steps, Hinata's hands push off the ground onto weak and unbalanced legs.

"You've lost already, thus have nothing to prove or gain," Neji calls to her, feeling his anger swell in his chest. "If you don't stay down, I will attempt to kill you."

"I'll kill you first," Naruto's lone voice yells from a large distance away, making Hinata smile a bit.

"Your problem… isn't destiny… Neji-niisan," Hinata gasps through wheezing breaths. Sweating profusely, freely bleeding from her nose and mouth, fire in her lungs making her wince as she pants, "or that… you're weak… Your problem… is that… you give up…"

Anger rolling off of him, Neji sprints after her. His tenketsus were closed in the most inappropriate places, weakening his attacks, and forcing him to use Lee's Iron Fist to combat Hinata's smaller weaker body. With closed and angry fists, Neji punches Hinata down to her knees, and with a clean punch across her temple, he's certain he's knocked her out.

Hinata drops to the floor with her blurry vision of her cousin, the sky, and the stadium as gone as her equilibrium. She sees only darkness surround her with an unstable floor that feels like sleeping on a rocking boat. Above her is a single ray of light, warm and inviting like a celebration dinner with family. Hinata doesn't know how to reach the light, but she knows she can. She knows she will and unbeknownst to her, she's standing to reach the light. Hinata knows nothing else, not the awe of the crowd, the medical observation of the proctor, or the shock of her father. She stands in the Gentle Fist's ready stance without being conscious.

Neji looks shocked as Genma mumbles with respect, "even unconscious…"

Despite lacking consciousness, Hinata's pure will to never stay down permeated the muscle-memory of her limbs to move regardless of position or orientation to will herself upright. Even if she couldn't consciously feel the pain standing up flared through her ravaged muscles and chakra network, she wobbled and struggled to lift her open palms to the ready position. It might have pained Hinata to lose in front of the person she admires most in the world—she was simply too far behind her dear cousin in nearly every way—but she wasn't going to show Naruto the sight of her staying down. More than anything, she will never stay down in front of him.

Around the silent or gasping crowd, both Kurenai and Naruto couldn't be prouder of Hinata. This match was obviously a win for a genius of Neji's caliber, but for her to push him so far… for her to stand even beyond consciousness, impacted both Naruto and Kurenai—everyone in fact—deeply. She may have lost but her character molded a special place in the hearts of many that will not be forgotten anytime soon.

After Genma declared Neji the winner, Hinata receives a standing ovation for the depths of her tenacity despite overwhelming odds and it hurt Kurenai to think of Hinata's future pain when she learns of her Sensei's betrayal.

—

"Go," Kurenai hears Asuma tell her. "I'll cover your section."

Kurenai was hesitant, to say the least. Conflicting feelings of disgrace, shame, pride, and concern tore at her insides, but mechanically, she takes Karin's hand and they walk to the infirmary. Opening the door to Hinata's room, Hiashi walks away from his daughter's bedside and stops before the ebony sensei. Eyes locked on one another, his hard face says nothing and Kurenai isn't sure how he'll address their individual pledge for Hinata; spoken in what feels like a lifetime ago. The arrogant man does something unexpected to her and bows deeply.

After Hiashi leaves, Karin waits in the corner of the room while Kurenai looks over her bruised and slumbering student. Lamenting discovering both her great love and her great shame on the same day, Kurenai doesn't stay long. She didn't need to be near Hinata longer than a few seconds to feel the adult decision inside her clash fiercely with the selfish woman inside. She places a gentle kiss on her daughter-like student's forehead before exiting the room and running into Naruto. Kurenai's heart beats incredibly fast at the sight of him and for the life of her she can't understand why she's blushing; after everything they've done together, she shouldn't feel so hot and happy to see him.

Curiously, Karin calls to her cousin with the implication of asking why he's here, "Naruto?"

"Hey Karin, Kurenai," the blond returns with a happy salute.

"If you're worried about Hinata, she'll be fine. She's resting now," Kurenai relays, managing to keep her voice neutral but failing to keep a small smile from her face. He was two feet away from her and the fact that it felt too far, made her want to smile like a complete fool. Feeling a more relaxed joy settle her anxiety, Kurenai asserts, "you should be focused on your own match."

"It's all good," Naruto tells them as he moves to the door. "I'm just a clone. Boss-man wanted me to stay with her, just in case."

As he walks into the room, Kurenai's conflicting emotions knots her stomach once again. Looking at the blank door, her mind recites, '_we all love each other, even if Naruto doesn't love her in the same way, but only one of us can be with him… and it's obvious who it should be_.' The painful truth creeps into her heart like giving up the warmth of the sun. '_Unless I end my relationship with Naruto, none of this will end well_,' and she hates it; hates it so much she wants to cry. Compartmentalizing her chaotic emotions, Kurenai and Karin return to the stadium.

—

In the infirmary room next door, Neji is looking over the many tenketsus Hinata managed to close with sheer frustration. Though two-thirds of his tenketsus are functional, Hinata managed to close off many of the most important openings utilized best for offense. So focused on his injuries, he hardly noticed a person walk into the room, who he assumes is a healer.

"Your tenketsus will remain closed for a minimum of an hour," Hiashi points out. At the sight of his clan's Head, Neji quickly lowers his arms and stares at the man indifferently; nearly glaring at him as Hiashi adds, "you will have to forfeit your next match."

Long past honorifics and courtesy, Neji bitingly retorts, "what do you want?"

Taking a breath, Hiashi walks around the room as he explains, "soon after Hinata graduated the Academy, her Jōnin-sensei approached me in a foolish attempt to goad me into allowing her free range to instruct Hinata. She rightly believed I would seal my daughter for the good of the clan. Hinata showed no promise and could never best her younger sister—mentally, it would seem—which is of paramount importance when you become the leader of a clan as great as the Hyūga, so I paid no mind to Yūhi-sensei's scheme and permitted her folly." Ending his pacing in front of Neji, his clear eyes strong and genuine as he admits, "I had not expected to see such… tenacity from her."

"You must be so proud," Neji retorts hostilely. "Am I supposed to have more sympathy for _your_ daughter than _my_ father?"

"There is nothing I would not do for our clan," Hiashi softly admits. "As would my brother-"

"Don't," Neji growls before recalling the seal on his forehead. In a much more calmer tone, he replies, "nothing you say will make up what I've lost to the main branch."

"To think my eyes were blind to your pain as much as my own daughter," Hiashi sadly states. "Anyone with a modicum of ability can see she would not have been able to best you and yet her will… her strength of heart stood her up against a superior opponent regardless of consciousness." Turning to Neji, "will you, nephew, continue?"

"…I can do no less," the genius genin answers.

"Neither can I," the elder returns.

Neji is surprised when the leader of the Hyūga clan kneels and bows, forehead to the floor before apologizing for his loss. Hearing the rest of how his father died, Neji stands and walks to the window, looking up at the birds flying in the sky.

SASUKE VS KIBA

Sasuke and Kiba meet in the battleground, and in full view of their Kage and village, Sasuke proves yet again why he's considered a genius shinobi. Kiba may have had Akamaru and his sharp sense of smell, but Sasuke only needed his Sharingan and taijutsu to defeat the Inuzuka heir in less than a minute. Though Kiba lost, everyone could see he tried his best and that the Inuzuka clan are still strong. However, throughout the match, the way Sakura paid extra attention to Sasuke's match made Ino worry.

After getting over her initial shock about Naruto, Ino was imagining all the ways she can tease her blond stud between observing the matches. Hinata's match moved her the most and gave her such a sense of resilience, she felt her own blood boil to prove her worth. It's why she was so concerned after noting Sakura's reactions to Sasuke's match. It was clear that her pink-haired sister wasn't completely over the Uchiha. From an intellectual standpoint, Ino can understand Sakura not being over Sasuke but with all the progress she's made in her training and her relationship with herself and Naruto, she had hoped Sasuke was firmly behind her.

'_Matters of the heart aren't that simple_,' Ino thought with rising concern, only for a second voice to declare, '_but I also love Sakura_.' Considering Naruto's polyamorous admission, Ino couldn't be sure in what manner she loved Sakura, be it the loving sisterhood or the sexual intimacy she can't deny she enjoyed—even if it's not on par with Naruto. Glancing at her sister beside her, Ino mentally admits, '_more than sister but not fully into girls._'

Regardless, Ino loves Sakura, and as she watched Sakura cheer for Sasuke, she knew what was best for her _**wasn't**_ Uchiha Sasuke. Observing the cold Sasuke returning to the viewing gallery as the next match is announced, Ino wonders what she can do to convince Sakura of that once an for all. Her mind immediately declares any manipulation is off-limits. She's learned that lesson quite painfully.

'_I'll do it… but it has to be honest, like Kurenai-sensei would_,' is her final thought before noticing the blond love of her life enter the dirt and grass stage below. With his white coat flapping in the wind, making him look too cool, Ino is smitten. Taking Sakura's hand, they both smile as Ino excitedly focuses all her bubbling attention of her dear friend and love.

—

Gaara body flickers to the center of the arena using his sand-jutsu, kicking up the dirt around him. Naruto gives the stern and conflicted Tenmari one last look before taking the stairs down. In passing Sasuke, the raven-haired avenger demands, "you better not lose to him." Naruto is a bit taken by the blunt encouragement, until Sasuke clarifies, "it's going to be you and me in the end."

Smirking at Sasuke, Naruto assures him, "heh, no it won't." At Sasuke's confused brow, Naruto answers, "be ready, Sasuke," and as he walks down the stairs, Sasuke yells, "for what?"

"For whatever Orochimaru has planned," Naruto calls back as he walks out into the sunny arena. All the while Sasuke stares at the blond, wondering what he knows and how he can possibly come to know it.

HAKU

From atop of the nine-story, half-completed, construction site that used to be Naruto's old apartment, Haku observes the stadium several miles away longingly, wishing he was there to see Naruto dominate his opponents and show the world the feats of his vast strength. Since his time in Konoha, he's learned that much of the village has treated Naruto unjustly, to say the least. Haku wanted to be there to witness for the first time, on such a large stage, Naruto finally having the chance to show them all how wrong they were about him.

Despite being alone, Haku still felt fortunate. Not only did he find it amusing he was being paid to guard Tazuna and his family while they rebuild Naruto's old apartment bigger and better than even the most modern building in the village, but he's also able to listen to the Chūnin exam's broadcast over the radio on the floor next to him. Additionally, when he senses a familiar chakra land right behind him, he feels both better and worse at the same time.

"They won't let you in the stadium because they feel you pose too high of a security risk," Kabuto explains. He steps beside Haku and they both watch the village landscape as he adds, "Konoha will never be your home, Haku-kun. They won't accept you."

"Home is where the heart is," Haku tells Kabuto, looking directly at the distant stadium and imagining Naruto's smile.

"Then come with me," Kabuto pleads, turning to him.

"Don't you mean, '_come with us_,'" Haku asks, considering the bit Naruto has told him. "Orochimaru is your master, isn't he?"

"He's a great man," Kabuto defends. "He only asks you to be strong and loyal, and he'll ensure you won't be used and discarded. He would never ask you to betray someone you love simply because you've become a liability. He only wants the strongest soldiers because he will always be stronger; as any true leader should be. Join us, Haku… and we can be together."

The moment of silence between them allows the radio to statically inform them that Uzumaki Naruto is raising quite the uproar over his attire for its similarity to that of the Yondaime's, making Haku smile. "I can see you wander the world like a monk on a mission of self-discovery, Kabuto-san," the beautiful boy remarks. "But I know who I am and I'm incapable of abandoning Zabuza-sama and Naruto-sama."

Recalling Naruto asserting, '_I can't see you_,' with irritation makes Kabuto coldly react with, "and if they died?" Though he instantly regretted it.

"Then the best part of me dies along with them," Haku returned, turning to the silver-haired boy. "And sadly, I'd be forced to kill anyone complicit in their deaths, whether that be someone I love or Kami-sama himself."

"It doesn't have to be that way," Kabuto reinforces, trying to settle his turbulent emotions. "I can convince Zabuza-san to join us easily enough. Naruto-kun… will take some time, but if you come with me now, I promise I will bring him over to our side. You have my word."

"Thank you," Haku says with a bright smile. "That makes me happy to hear but I cannot embrace a love that would betray them. I hope you rediscover your center, and more than anything, I hope you don't regret the lengths you sacrifice in the process to get there."

Clenching his fist, Kabuto tells him, "don't do this, Haku. You don't know what tomorrow will bring or how you will need to adapt, and I'm telling you now, after today, you will need me to survive."

As they gaze at one another—one in affection and the other in ache—the long silence is only interrupted with the radio's continued announcement, "this rookie genin is certainly raising questions, ladies and gentlemen. Just who is the boy we thought we knew? An orphan, certainly—one who's gone ignored or unnoticed for so long—but as if reinvented, it's shocking to see the Uzumaki Naruto before us today. As of yet, none of our sources can confirm his genealogy, but this could very well be a battle between heirs of the Sand and Leaf, and I feel confident we'll learn much more in this fight!"

GAARA VS NARUTO

The flat battleground feels wider to Naruto as he walks to the center underneath the big blue sky. The grass crunches under his foot as the crowd murmurs all around him. Wind wipes up his coat as he eyes the glaring redhead, feeling the same weight he felt when he faced Haku. This mattered a great deal to him and it may have only been like this because of Naru-nii, but that didn't take away how important this was. Naruto knows Gaara's pain, and more than anything, he wants to relieve him of that burden.

Reaching the center of the field with Genma between them, the proctor looks between the pair as silence descends the spectators. Genma can feel the anticipation in the air; a buzzing charge like static electricity, makes him pay more attention than with any other fight. From the stands, everyone is staring intently, unable to gauge an outcome of the match because even if Gaara is the son of the Kazekage, it appears that Naruto may be the son of the Yondaime. It was an impossible and unprecedented situation to consider for rational and bias observers alike and everyone was fully invested in the event.

"Keh keh keh keh," Gaara insanely laughs to himself which irks Naruto.

After being inspired by Hinata's match and hating what Temari was forced to do, Naruto pronounces to Gaara, "you didn't have to do that to Temari-chan." Though Naruto was a mixture of feelings, he felt certain, "she loves you and her village very much and you used that for nothing. Can't you see you hurt her?"

The top from Gaara's sand gourd pops off as he glares at Naruto, professing in the meantime, "fighting only for oneself, living while only loving oneself, thinking that others exist only to allow you to experience that feeling of superiority, nothing else matters but that world."

"Enough," Genma calls to the boys. "Gaara versus Naruto: Begin." The majority of the crowd cheers for the official start of the match for everyone was eager to see physical proof that Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son. But Gaara and Naruto don't start. Staring each other down, they reject this show for the crowd because this meant more to them.

Thinking of Temari's anguish, Naruto demands to know, "why'd you make her do that?"

"One must have a reason to exist," Gaara growls. His face morphs into something demented as he maniacally declares, "mine is to kill _**everyone**_ besides me. Hers is to be of use to me. But you… I could not simply kill you without destroying your belief that love means anything more than weakness."

"You're wrong," Naruto retorts, clenching his fist. "Temari loves you. Both your brother and sister love you-"

Growing irritated with that word, Gaara's sand explodes out of his gourd. High and wide-reach sand tendrils shoot out to stab Naruto from multiple directions. The blond was quick on the uptake, gathering chakra under his feet and avoiding every strike while retreating far enough away to eye his feral opponent from a distance.

"Come," Gaara yells. "Or are you too much of a coward to face your death!"

Naruto creates two clones of himself, both of whom rush and hide behind the few trees at the forested edge of the arena. Only a few in the booing arena can see them sitting and meditating as Naruto draws out his chakra knuckle blade from his lower back. Naruto easily adds his Fūton chakra to the blade, creating a longer sharper blade of chakra as he calls out, "the only coward here is you! Someone who can't even hear how much other people love him cuz they're too scared to feel anything!" Naruto begins walking toward him, growing more and more confident with every step. "Talking about blood and existence is absolute crap but I'll show you you're not as alone as you think!"

Gaara's missiles of sand attack fast and precise from above, straight on, and the sides, but Naruto is much faster and his blade cuts through each tendril of sand he doesn't dodge as he rushes the redhead. With his arms crossed, Gaara remains rooted in place as his sand effortlessly conforms to his great need to kill, attacking Naruto from any angle he can draw blood but the blond only gets closer. Like sand spears coming from eight different sides, Naruto easily extends his chakra blade longer, sharper, to cut the sand spears to finally enter within range of Gaara for a strong punch to the head.

Unconcerned, Gaara's sand automatically absorbs Naruto's fist and tries to crush it when the blond's chakra blade cuts through the sand and he leaps out of the way. Naruto leaps back, dodging and cutting sand bullets until he's far enough. They stare at each other for a moment before Naruto rotates his shoulders and stretches, twisting his midsection as he tells Gaara, "not bad. You're sand's faster the closer to you it is." Snickering, Naruto notes, "if anything, at least your sand loves you."

Glaring at Naruto, Gaara voices, "is that all I can expect from you? What happened to all that power I saw? Show me what your words of love mean so I can crush them! Show me!"

Naruto extends his right hand ahead of him, palm facing toward the blue sky. For a moment, what Naruto is doing is almost imperceptible to the naked eye, but very soon, blue chakra begins to spin in multiple directions at once. Naruto knows it took his father three years to master Rasengan, and from Jiraiya, he knows that's roughly seven thousand hours of pure training time. In the five months since Naruto's learned the Rasengan, he estimates he and his hundreds of clones have logged-in just over seven thousand hours, since in his palm, in front of hundreds of witnesses, blue spinning chakra brightens and broadens as it forms into a perfect sphere.

From merchants to villagers to shinobi and everyone in between, none dare blink for fear of missing a single moment of such an unexpectedly extraordinary event. For many years, the history that's always associated with Uzumaki Naruto is that of the rampaging Kyūbi killing and butchering many loved ones, shinobi and civilian alike. At the moment, no one rational can deny seeing Naruto as the son of their beloved Fourth Hokage who died protecting their village. Many had to accept that the boy they've hated with all their being for years was in fact the son of the Fourth, while many others were proud.

Iruka, Hiruzen, Kurenai, Ino, Sakura, Kakashi, Genma, Guy, and many other shinobi who knew the truth looked on with pride, amazed by the boy's death-grip on perseverance despite years of systemic negligence and abuse. Observing Naruto in this moment, who looks so much like his father, wearing a similar cloak, using his signature technique, was mind-boggling. Without even being from Konoha, Temari, Mabui, and Samui were entranced by the display while Mei grows much more intrigued with the blond.

"That's some defense, I'll give you that," Naruto champions with his chakra blade in his left hand and Rasengan in his right. "How about I just break those walls down!"

Naruto sprints faster than before, narrowly avoiding heat-seeking spears of sharp sand from piercing his flesh. Juking from side-to-side, cutting away, and dodging sand spears the closer he gets, Naruto manages to spin from the side into position for his Fūton covered blade to cut right through his last defense. It was a small break in his sand Naruto used to bury the miniature tornado into Gaara's armor-covered gut. His blue Rasengan expands spherically, carving ceaselessly into a surprised Gaara's sand until it cracks and breaks before the redhaired shinobi is launched perfectly vertically through the air. The gourd on his back reforms into softening sand to alleviate the tremendous force of the impact as Gaara smashes against the arena's wall.

The sand was sufficient protection and Gaara remained conscious even if all of the sand layered over his skin is cracked and crumbling. The sand and clothes over his midsection were completely gone and his stomach was bleeding from many little scrapes. Gaara coughs a bit of blood and struggles a moment to glare at Naruto with absolute hatred. The crowd remains stone silent even as a wounded Gaara lazily pushes away from the arena wall and claps his hands together.

The sand hisses as it makes its way to it's weakened master and forms into a sphere made of sand around him. Naruto knows what that sphere of sand means and looks high to his right, above the crowd to the Kage's viewing balcony, directly at Rasa. They hold stern gazes and Naruto can tell they're only moments away. Naruto creates a clone that immediately annuls itself and one of the two clones in the arena disperses, immediately sending all of the sage chakra it was gathering directly to the original. As he feels the tremendous force of power flow through him, an orange-red pigmentation around his yellow, toad-like eyes, leaving no doubt to those viewing that Uzumaki Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage.

Naruto rushes to the sphere of sand against the wall and with a clear mastery of sage chakra, creates a large claw-like hand that bull-dozes and digs through the ground and concrete wall to lift the sand sphere. Though sand spikes pop out to try to pierce his chakra grip, Naruto feels no pain, and with his enhanced strength, launches the sand-covered boy miles into the air. A stadium full of stunned spectators gawk at the sand sphere rocketing far into the forest beyond the village's wall with wide eyes and hung mouths. Naruto hops onto the arena's wall, turns around to the nearly silent crowd, unironically displaying his white Fourth Sun cloak. He smiles at his village before leaping high into the sky to follow his fellow Jinchūriki.

THE INVASION

Since this turn of events isn't against any rules, Genma makes to follow the genin when unbeknownst to Konoha, the village is struck with perfectly synchronized attacks. In the span of one second, many of the villagers, whether civilian or weaker shinobi, begin losing consciousness to the power of a sleep-inducing genjutsu. The Sound Four and Orochimaru move into place and Kabuto detonates an explosion at the protective barrier of the village powerful enough to cause minor tremors. Even worse is the perfectly timed giant three-headed snake that's summoned just outside of the destroyed section of the wall.

Shrugging off the sleep genjutsu, Ino, Sakura, Choji, and Shikamaru stand gaping at the incredibly large snakes beyond the destroyed wall. They're never seen a summon the size of a small mountain and look over to Asuma and Kurenai for directions or clarity of the situation when more deafening explosions splinter the air with concussive shock waves. "What's going on," Ino asks Sakura when smoke bombs screens are popped off throughout the stadium to limit visibility. In sage mode, Naruto and Jiraiya can sense an additional three hundred combined Sand and Sound nins invade the village on top of the hundred or so elite enemy forces already inside the village.

In the seconds after the explosion, many many Sound and Sand shinobi begin closing in on those still awake and confused, not giving them a chance to catch up to the situation. Throughout the main sectors of the village—the wall, the Tower, the Stadium, and main street—villagers young and old who are asleep are momentarily ignored so the Sound and Sand nins can focus on killing all the confused, directionless, or situation-assessing Konoha shinobi they see.

From rumbling explosions to genjutsu'd civilians and gigantic summons, it's enough of a stupor for two teams to ambush Kurenai, Karin, and Asuma, for Genma in the arena below to be rushed by a coordinated team of his own, and for the first Chūnin sentry to fall to the blood-splattering kunai of an enemy. Within the brief moments of surprise and directionless engagement, Sound and Sand sprint through the streets and attack without reservation, and above all, it allows Rasa to slip behind the Leaf's Kage and spirit Hiruzen to the wide-open roof above them with a kunai to his throat.

Leaping through the trees rushing directly for Gaara, Naruto can feel the fighting begin and creates a clone to give everyone in place the signal. The final clone with sage chakra disperses, infusing Naruto and his clones with the last amount of nature chakra he'll have until the end of the invasion. Split between his three clones, Naruto worries how he'll fight Gaara or Shukaku when his sage chakra runs out. Promising to fight without Kurama's power makes the outcome feel uncertain to him. All he knows is that he won't stop until he wins or he's dead, which feels gravely like the latter without additional power.

'_Bah_,' his mind hurls. '_Guts is more than enough!_' Speeding from treetop to treetop, Naruto has faith in his clones and prays they finish as fast as they can.

With the infusion of empowering natural energy, the three Naruto clones that are already with Jiraiya on the wall, in the stadium covering Hinata, and at the tower with Iruka smile before they each concentrate on calling forth over two hundred clones each with all the sage chakra they have.

Hardly any enemy shinobi hears Naruto yell, "Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," but they all stop fighting when hundreds of puffs of white smoke pop into existence all around them. Out of the dissipating clouds, only spiky-blond clones in a white cloak remain. They puffed into existence on the barrier all-around Jiraya—stuck on railings, the wall, filling up the space between shinobi teams—extending out dozens of yards. They popped all around the stadium—on columns, railings, walls, around other Konoha shinobi—to protect those asleep as well as Sakura, Ino, Chōji, Shikamaru, and Hinata. They appeared all around the exterior of the Hokage Tower where Iruka's talent as a leader was assigned, ready to take orders and assist civilians. Each clone had its mission and none planned on failing to the likes of Orochimaru and the Kazekage.

The hundreds of enemies in the stadium and on the perimeter couldn't believe the sheer number of clones suddenly appearing to challenge them and matching their numbers, spreading a wave of unease through their forces like a virus. But the seasoned and desperate invaders hardened to Naruto's show of force, because even if the hundreds of shadow clones looked as strong as the fourth Hokage, logic dictates that this many would be slow and pop with even the weakest of punches.

Sound and Sand forces continue their attack, and without delay, each clone begins charging up Kurama's chakra from the pit of their seal, exponentially amping up each one's strength, speed, durability, and jutsu. Suddenly sensing the spike in rising power, the enemy shinobi focus on attacking any clone they see with ranged weapons and puppets but it's too little, too late. They may have popped a few clones with kunai, shuriken, swords, arrows, or puppets, but with practiced ease, the rest of the army of Narutos gathered enough of Kurama's bubbling chakra to form a visible red shroud around their bodies. It's not one-tail's worth of power but they certainly equalize the battlefield.

At the destroyed section of the wall, one clone notices a Sand shinobi swallow hard in nervousness, making him smile before yelling out fiercely to his brethren, "Yosha! Let's beat these bastards back! Charge!" Like a tidal wave of white and blond encased in bubbling red, the heavily empowered clones attack the enemy forces straight on. In the stadium, the battle storms with Naruto swarming the enemy, though they seem trained enough to stick together and fight as a unit.

On the large roof above the stadium, Rasa holds the Hokage hostage while the Sound Four land at the four widest corners of the large roof and quickly begin erecting their demon energy barrier. Hiruzen's bodyguards fight off Rasa's guards but are unsure of how to proceed with their leader being held hostage by a powerful Kage and a notorious missing-nin, Orochimaru, between them. As the barrier finally rises, a four-man team of Narutos yell as they leap within the inescapable perimeter, locking them in.

"Stop, you fool," the masked leader of the bodyguards yells. "You'll get Hokage-sama killed!"

The four clones try to rescue Hiruzen when they're obstructed by a grinning and battle-ready Orochimaru. "You impress me, Naruto-kun," the snake-nin quips. "Perhaps I should take you after all. You can never have too many test subjects after all." Opening his mouth wide as he turns his head toward the sky, a snake rises out of his throat for a sword to then ascend out of the snake's maw. Though grossed out, each clone takes out their knuckle blade and the team attack as one, much to Orochimaru's delight.

One takes him from the front, one from each side, and the fourth trails the first. Though the fourth clone seems to be focused lining up a following kick, he, in fact, hurls a kunai at Rasa, hoping to distract the Kazekage long enough for Hiruzen to free himself, but the Sand Kage simply tilts his head to the side, easily evading the deadly snipe that embeds itself in the rising shingle of the curved roof.

As they watch Naruto's clones attempt a multitude of attacks, Hiruzen has to know, "why?"

Through his hard countenance, Rasa asked with genuine curiosity, "did you not know, Hokage-sama?" Hiruzen tilts his head a bit, then Rasa clarifies, "did that boy truly not tell you?"

Looking over to the remaining three clones try to tag the slippery ninja, Hiruzen asks, "Naruto?"

Rasa can't help but smile at his fortune before asking, "he kept such a thing from you, didn't he?"

The Kages continue to observe the fast clones of Naruto being systematically dismantled one at a time with patient efficiency by Orochimaru and his enduring sword. Through the red shroud of chakra, Hiruzen notes Naruto's fiercely determined face as he fights in defense of his Kage and village. The trust in the boy he's personally witnessed grow into a young man flows through him easily as he explains, "even if he had told me, I would never believe a shinobi of your integrity capable of betraying his allies."

"I respect your faith in a piece of paper, Hokage-sama," Rasa replies, "But my village cannot fill their bellies with platitudes or quench their thirst on empty promises. As their leader, they look to me for growth and prosperity, yet your country denies them a life of fair work for fair wages… I cannot allow this to continue any longer. You will die today Hokage-sama, and in deference to your title, I, the Kazekage, will kill you."

"Rasengan!" Naruto cries, finally hitting Orochimaru in the stomach with an orange-tinted white ball of densely spinning chakra. However, out of his mouth, another Orochimaru slithers out to stab the last clone through the back and chest, defeating the last of Naruto's clones. Orochimaru's slimy husk spins like a propeller to the demon barrier before disintegrating into nothingness. Orochimaru sucks his teeth at the loss of another skin before promptly turning to Rasa. With a broadening grin, he levels his nearly indestructible sword point directly at Rasa. Even Hiruzen's guards outside the barrier were surprised.

"Sarutobi-sensei is mine to kill, Rasa-dono," Orochimaru's scratchy voice happily states.

Glaring at the Oto leader, Rasa calmly but dangerously states, "first you attempt to assassinate me and now you betray the terms of our deal."

With a smile, Orochimaru playfully wonders out loud, "should I dare pretend you didn't implement plans of your own to assassinate me?" Unperturbed by Rasa's murderous glare, Orochimaru appears as if he's enjoying himself before pointing out, "with its resources split among our villages, what's left of Konoha and most of Fire country can still be yours… or, you can challenge me on this one insignificant little matter and risk spoiling your people's reward. So long as I kill Sarutobi-sensei, I will be satisfied with nothing else. Can you say killing him will satisfy the dire needs of your village?"

Rasa considers his countrymen, the lives he's responsible for, and their growing demand for more work above anything else. With a sigh, Rasa concedes, "as you wish," clearly choosing his village's needs over his duty to his title. Rasa removes the kunai from the elder's throat and moves to the side between them, like the third point of a triangle as he expresses, "my deepest apologies, Sarutobi."

Orochimaru smiles wider and Hiruzen enters his combat stance, ready to fight.

—

Laughing from high above the battlefield by the wall, Jiraiya, in his sage form, on the head of the dual sword-wielding toad, Gamahiro, halt the three-headed snake's movement by landing on top of it. Using earth style, Jiraiya creates a swamp to sink it in the earth as Gamahiro draws steel to cut off two heads at the same time. Leaping off the large toad, Jiraiya drills through the last head with a large Rasengan, killing the snake summon.

In the forest below, the invading forces outnumber Naruto's clones two to one, but only because a third of Naruto's clones are actually fighting along with Konoha's first wave of defense. Some teams of clones are made of all offense, other four-man teams are made of all Fūinjutsu healers, and the majority of clone teams have two offense and two healing cells.

The teams entirely made of offense deal with the enemy advance along with the many Chūnin and few Jōnin, confronting the most dangerous poison and puppet attacks. The platoons of puppeteers and their multitudes of puppets were the worst for Naruto to fight, as he has no experience with their capabilities and is tricked and surrounded easily. Though he's durable enough to survive most attacks, as well as fast and strong enough to fight back, the longer the battle rages the longer it'll be before the primary Naruto can use Sage chakra against Gaara.

The clone teams made of all Fūinjutsu healers are only focused on slapping his pre-made Fūinjutsu tag over the wounded area and pumping a lot of chakra to stabilize them before taking them to the hospital. Several clones reply to various shinobi how the tags act like a cauterizing agent, only it uses chakra to hyper-activate the injured body's natural healing process and create more collagen enzymes to heal the afflicted wound as best he can. It takes a lot of chakra, so much so a single clone is out of chakra by the third injured person healed. Additionally, it requires focus for Naruto to do this, and in the midst of battle, he's vulnerable attack.

The clone teams made of both offense and healers, try to assist where ever they can, however, all the clones find it hard to ignore certain aspects of battle. If he's healing, he can't fight. If he's carrying someone to safety, he can't heal or fight. If he's ambushed and dispelled, that's one less defender for Konoha and her people. People are suffering and this is the first time it feels as if he can't help everyone. It makes all the clones maintain desperate effort.

—

In the close proximity of the stadium, short to midrange attacks are to be expected and to Kurenai's delight, that was Naruto's bread and butter. With his knuckle-blade, Rasengan, and enhanced speed, he can get by all the Chūnin-level invaders and even some of the Jōnin-level enemy to one-shot them to the wall with his devastating attack, or at the very least, destroy their weapons. Konoha's counter-attack didn't last long, however.

Many of the Oto-nin took notice of Naruto helping the wounded. Kurenai herself thought it strange he even helped wounded Suna shinobi. That is until the Sound-nin began stabbing the villagers under the slumber genjutsu and when Naruto would rush to help before they bled out, he'd immediately be ambushed. The elite enemy forces would do this over and over and would even do so to other Konoha Jōnin as well; using the villagers as wounded bait to prey on their compassion.

Kurenai wasn't just disgusted by the tactic, she was outraged, and that dark side all seasoned ninjas have is easily tapped. It was as if she shut off her humanity and became an instrument of death. It wasn't necessary at the start of the surprise attack, but that was before they started harming innocent and defenseless civilians. With her elite Jōnin-level skill and mastery of genjutsu, Kurenai disappeared from the enemy's senses—just as she had done with Karin in the beginning—and stealthily stained her kunai wielding hands red with the blood. She runs on all instinct and pure chakra flow to weaponize her senses, chakra, and body and she isn't the only one. Kakashi, Guy, Asuma among other elite Jōnin in the stadium were fighting to kill.

Kurenai only paused her blade when she heard from behind her, "yeesh! Nai-chan, ease up on the Suna guys." Turning to the body she had just dropped, she was stunned to see Naruto healing his neck wound with one of his healing tags while another clone watches his back.

"I don't care about the Sound guys," he tells her. "To tell you the truth, they're _**really**_ pissing me off. But for Suna, try to keep it non-lethal if you can. I'll take care of the rest."

Despite being in the midst of battle, she's confused and asks, "why?"

Smirking, he explains as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, "it's about teaching them, not killing them." She raises her eyebrows in stunning disbelief as he further adds, "don't worry about the wounded. You just be my sexy badass and wreck."

Kurenai watches the clone pick up the wounded Suna-nin—alive, despite stabbing him in his neck—and leaps away. That moment of distraction allowed a Sound-nin to appear within lethal striking range, but before she could guard or he can slit her throat, a fiery clone slams his Rasengan into the shinobi's guts, shredding through his abdominal skin, muscles, and organs underneath, spraying blood radially before Naruto lets the Rasengan go, propelling the enemy to the wall with a hard thud and wet splat.

Naruto practically growls, "I'm not losing you, Nai-chan." Turning to her, he adds, "so don't go leaving me so easily."

Despite the heat of battle, that sentiment struck her throughout her entire being—heart, mind, body, and soul—more completely than anything she's ever felt… because Kurenai didn't want to leave him either, making her want to cry for the lengths she's willing to sacrifice for Hinata.

—

Mabui, Samui, and Atsui are fighting as a unit on the streets outside the stadium. Samui didn't want to fight near so many Konoha jōnin as it would only draw unnecessary attention and questions to them, so she commanded her team to flee at the start of the invasion. They fought off both Sound and Suna shinobi on their escape of the stadium and into the streets outside.

Without their weapons, they each had to steal a kunai, which still kept them at a disadvantage. Fortunately, they work well as a team and Samui is as elite as they come. It almost unnerved Mabui how effortlessly she can kill without a hint of remorse on her blood-stained and neutral face. Mabui didn't know why she forgot that Samui could pass the salt or kiss her as easily as she can stab a person through the heart.

The Kumo-nin rush through the streets to find a safe place to hide when they're ambushed by a team of Sound shinobi. Atsui and Mabui are dropped to the ground by a tripwire and snare snagging their ankle before being ganged upon. "Quick," one of them yells as Samui, who managed to avoid the trap, is surrounded by six armed attackers. "Before that red bastard shows up-"

The leader barely finishes his sentence when he's suddenly stabbed from behind, pushing the reddish-orange bladed chakra bursting out of his chest. There's only one clone but Samui immediately observes how different this one is from the others she's seen. The others were covered in a shroud of red chakra. This one looked far angrier and though also covered in red chakra, he had a single tail swirling behind him. The squad of Sound-nin noticed the difference as well.

"If you Oto-nin want to live," Naruto growled. "Let. Them. **Go**."

Nearly all of the Sound-nin focus their killing intent on Naruto, targeting him with raised swords, tantos, and kunais. Two of the enemy ninja brought kunais against the necks of the downed Mabui and Atsui but this only angered both Kurama and Naruto more; making Kurama scream from within his seal. The Sound nin are stunned when their body's instincts scream at them to flee as Naruto's power soars, forming an additional bubbling red tail behind him.

His angry irises were red split by black slits, his hair along with his whisker-birthmarks was longer and more feral, and he didn't hesitate to launch a giant red hand made of pure chakra, of which a dozen more hands sprang out like missiles to grab all of the frozen Sound-nin by their entire torso. With all of them in his chakra hands, Naruto yanks his arm back hard, pulling the hostiles toward him with the spine-bending snap of a powerful rubber band, while his other hand prepares his chakra knuckle blade. Naruto wanted to dice them up like a chuck of meat dropped in a blender, however, his sixteen binding-fast slashes only cut them deeply as their bodies flew past him. They tumble and slide on the hard ground, groaning pain and bleeding out, but alive.

Throughout the ferocious engagement, Samui understood that if they ever wanted to bring Naruto to Kumogakure, it could never be by force. He clearly had more raw power than she did and deduced only Yugito-sama, Bee-sama, possibly Darui-taicho, and the Raikage could forcibly take Naruto.

In a complete one-eighty, Naruto suddenly rushes to them in grave worry, summoning three clones without the red chakra shroud as he calls, "are you guys okay?" Each of the clones were uneasy and anxious as they asked them, "Ma-chan, how's your leg? Can you walk?" Or, "Sa-chan, are you injured anywhere? Here, let me clear some of that." Or, "who are you?"

"His name is Atsui," Samui answered, allowing Naruto to clean some of the spurts of blood on her cheek with his sleeve. Atsui was nearly growling as a clone picks up Mabui princess-style, holding her close with dear concern. Samui tells Naruto, "he's my brother. He came to see me and watch the exams."

"Oh," Naruto happily hums, turning to a queasy-looking Atsui. "Sweet! Your sister's said so many nice things about you, it's great to finally meet you."

"We should continue moving," Samui notes.

Naruto nods and his clones use a protective formation around the group as Naruto apologizes for the invasion. The blond leads them to the nearest civilian shelter, however, surrounding the shelter are several ambush points set up by the hostiles, and Samui, Atsui, and the clones have to fight many puppets and shinobi to get through. Once they were safe, Naruto quickly goes back to clear out the enemy as fast as they can.

Most of the clones are counting the amount of time passing for their boss is fighting a monster single-handedly and at base level. All the clones throughout the entire battlefield know that the longer this invasion goes on, the worse it'll be for their boss.

—

"I should've learned more ninjutsu," Naruto painfully groans, grasping his sore chest.

Gaara is already in his second transformation, beating Naruto bloody in the forest. Except for his knees and feet, the red-haired jinchūriki was covered in body-enlarging sand with blue lines-like tattoos up and down his form with the face of a snarling raccoon-dog. With his light brown tail waving behind him, Gaara was bigger, stronger, and worst yet, his mania was emboldened with amazing power.

Bleeding from his forehead, mouth, and forearms, stopping the sand shurikens hurt him more than anything else. Naruto still refused to use Kurama's chakra, and as of yet, can't use Sage mode but he could still use his knuckle-blade and Rasengan. Down on one knee, breathing heavily, he frantically thinks of how to prolong this fight past the endpoint of the invasion. He's already used all of his exploding tags, shuriken, and kunai, but he needs his clones could dispel so he can be free to use sage mode.

"You!" Gaara yells, suddenly landing in front of him before sending another volley of tree-drilling sand shurikens. Naruto managed to cut through two shurikens before one smashes into his gut, dazing him immediately, and another drills into his shoulder, causing his Rasengan to dissipate. Naruto lands painfully hard on a large tree branch as Gaara continues yelling, "you, who is strong! You, who has companions! You, who has ambition! You, who is like me! Once I kill you, I'll be the one to have destroyed all of that. Only then can I survive! Only then can I feel alive!"

Naruto's entire body is throbbing in pain but several trees away, he can see a bit of Temari's hair and groggily thinks, '_she's caught in the middle_.' Naruto can't think very well over the pain, but he knows she only has two paths, the one where Gaara wins or the one where Naruto does, '_and only the one where I win can give her a friend and her brother back_.' No amount of pain and hurt could ever allow him to forget he has people to protect and a world to unite. Standing up like the slow beat of a steadily powering drum, Naruto asks the redhead, "you want to feel alive?"

Gaara watches from his high perch as Naruto struggles to put both his feet under him, but when he does, Gaara sees nothing but determination in his angry blue eyes. Pointing a finger at the sinfully mistaken jinchūriki, Naruto intensely returns, "you're never more alive than when you're protecting someone you love. You think loving someone and being loved is weakness, then give me everything you got! Because some stupid ass reason like that, IS NEVER GONNA BEAT SOMEONE LIKE ME!"

Naruto summons Rasengan to his right hand quicker than he's ever done before and leaps directly at an oncoming Gaara, where their attacks clash violently in mid-air.

—

Orochimaru didn't believe in fighting fair. Not only was fairness an illusion used to control, but it also took the pure joy out of fighting to the death. Only the strongest survive and he fought as a true shinobi should, using the best techniques to exploit any and all weaknesses. As such, he didn't allow his former sensei to summon Enma as he gleefully attacked with his nearly indestructible sword. The thrill of battle excited his heavily augmented body as nothing else can and Orochimaru enjoyed swiping to maneuver his opponent and stabbing any opening with tremendous speed, accuracy, and technique.

However, Hiruzen is a master of masters and is formidable enough to defend against Orochimaru's rapid sword strikes with his decades of battle experience and arm guards. It wouldn't be as fun for the Snake-nin if he defeated his sensei easily. The seasoned ninjas combated one another like a well-choreographed dance, sure in their movements and never taken by surprise as strike after strike tries to land a critical blow.

Their strikes sound crisp to Rasa as he observes from many yards away, admiring Hiruzen's combat prowess even in his old age. A small smile spreads Rasa's lips as he observes Hiruzen's strategy like an intricate game of Go and isn't surprised when the rotating old man kicks Orochimaru in the gut before repelling him away with a great force of chakra to avoid getting his leg cut off. A grunting Orochimaru lands elegantly on his feet several yards away, allowing Hiruzen enough time to summon Enma. Arms still crossed, Rasa wonders if he'll need to intervene now.

With Enma in his staff form, Hiruzen explains to them, "Konoha isn't just an organization you can take over. The village is its people, born and raised every year to live, fight, and protect their home, to their death if need be. Even if we're not related by blood, those from a village like ours are my most precious family and I will protect them with my life."

Stabbing his sword of Kusanagi through the shingle tile of the roof, Orochimaru smiles as he replies, "I wonder if all Konoha shinobi feel the same, sensei." With five blurry-fast hand seals, the legendary sennin calls, "Kuchiyose no jutsu, Edo Tensei."

Orochimaru uses Edo Tensei technique to call forth out of the rumbling ground the caskets of the First and Second Hogake. Enma's staff form extends at lightning speed, slicing through the air as it targets Orochimaru's head, only to be stopped by Rasa's gold sand. Orochimaru smiles as he begins raising the third casket when the forgotten kunai embedded into the cracked shingle that was thrown by Naruto's clone earlier pops from a clear white cloud into a clone of Naruto.

Desperately fast, the clone throws three kunais with exploding tags at the off guard Orochimaru, who's forced to stop the technique and leap away as the three kunai puncture the wood caskets with three quick taps before exploding mightily. The bodies and caskets where destroyed to pieces as Naruto then lands beside Hiruzen ready to fight.

Orochimaru glares at Naruto, fists up and ready to defy him, and mirthlessly growls, "you."

—

Mei watched from her perch as Haku fought off Sand-nin attacking their group with non-lethal ice or senbon strikes. From Mei's high vantage point, Haku is escorting what appears to be a construction crew, a woman, and a teenager as they made their way to the nearest shelter. A clone of Naruto lands beside Mei, looking at the three teams of Suna shinobi she subdued and tied up on the floor.

He couldn't help but ask, "did you do this?"

"It seemed as if you wanted to spare the Suna shinobi," Mei responded leaping to the next building to follow Haku. After Naruto makes a few clones to take the Suna-nin to the detention center Jiraiya had set up, he follows after her. Naruto then spies Haku and Tazuna as she remarks, "saving Suna shinobi is actually a smart play."

"Shit, I better help-"

"Haku is more than capable of taking care of this," Mei interjects as Naruto looks on. "And I'm here in case he needs me." Naruto looks extremely concerned, prompting Mei to ask, "are you worried?"

Though he has confidence Haku will be alright, Naruto is very worried about Tazuna, Tsunami, Inari and the small crew that came with them from Wave. Naruto had been supplying them with dozens of clones to help expedite the restoration of his old apartment. He told them to take the day off and even had Karin pay Haku a retainer to be their security; and getting Haku to accept the ryō was a struggle. Before Naruto leaves to assist Haku, he asks Mei, "will you help? Not just with Haku but with keeping villagers safe and not killing Suna shinobi?"

"Of course," Mei answers. "Before you go, I've seen a chakra shroud similar to yours. Are you by chance a jinchūriki?"

With widened eyes, he excitedly responds, "you have?" Though eager to ask who, a voice that sounds like Kurenai stops him from asking thereby confirming he's also a jinchūriki, which is top secret information. The mental red-tape forces him to think about what he wants to say and what he should say but also what he wants to know from her. This is still the woman who wants to take Haku back, so Naruto is weary as he asks, "how did you feel about that person?"

"I've come to know two actually," Mei says as they both hop to the next rooftop. With a shuriken, Naruto snipes an unsuspecting Sand-nin using a puppet against Haku thirty yards away as she explains, "one is currently responsible for much of the bloodshed in my country while the other was a man I thought I could marry. He was tall and handsome, but sadly he didn't seem to appreciate my attention and didn't return my affection. However, I will say he's a kind and stoic man."

Naruto can't be certain she's telling the truth, but he also doesn't like how much energy it takes to unravel the truth from her words and decides to trust her just enough. "We should definitely talk some more later. I don't when just yet; after all of this obviously."

"How will all this end I wonder," Mei purrs.

"Easy," Naruto remarks. "Suna and Konoha will be even closer than before."

Looking stunningly surprised, she asks, "even after all this? They're invading you as we speak. Many would find any alliance after this to be overly naive."

"Nah," Naruto waves her off, preparing to join Haku. "It'll be fine. Friends can argue and still be friends afterward."

Smiling, Mei replies, "I like you." Naruto nearly slips as he turns to look at her. She finishes, "in my country, those that have faith in the Fourth Sun, believe in securing their home and their family. I look forward to building a working relationship with you, Naruto."

—

Slapping his hands together, Naruto's clone calls, "cover me Ji-chan!" He didn't want to waste even a modicum of time, not with opponents like Orochimaru and the Kazekage close enough to dispel him. Focusing on that familiar feeling from deep within his core as Hiruzen steps defensively ahead of him, the blond genin calls on as much of Kurama's chakra as he can handle.

When the enemy leaders feel the insane amount of power radiating in hot waves from Naruto, they sprint to stop him, shooting kunai and shuriken at the blond and multiplying it with jutsu before lighting them aflame. But Hiruzen and Enma block or deflect everything until the they're on them. The elder shinobi deflects Orochimaru's sword while simultaneously extending Enma to block him and uses a series of kicks on Rasa. Orochimaru slithers to the side to impale Naruto with his serpent sword, only to be stopped inches away from Naruto's heart by Hiruzen's aged hand. It cut into his flesh, making the Sandaime bleed but he held firm until Enma can counter, punching Rasa away while simultaneously extending the staff to Orochimaru's gut and launching him dozens of yards away.

"Such gall, Uzumaki, to lie to a Kage," Rasa's thunderous voice accuses, ready to resume attacking. "Did you not say you wouldn't use your beast's power?"

Pausing a moment to answer back, Naruto reminds the Sand leader, "I said I wouldn't use it against Gaara." Feeling Kurama's immense strength flow and coil throughout his network, he adds, "I didn't say anything about you guys." Two tails quickly bubble and form from the base of his spine, flowing freely. There must've been fewer clones in the field because a third tail begins to take shape, all the while, Hiruzen floods the battlefield with, "Suiton: Suiryu-dan!" The water dragon missile attempts to cut both Orochimaru and Rasa while flooding the first quarter of the rectangular barrier.

Orochimaru uses his own, "Katon: Karyuu Edan," to incinerate Hiruzen and Naruto with a stream of napalm as Rasa uses, "Doton: Doryuu Heki," to create a thick tall wall of mud for them to stand on. Naruto shoots out a giant red hand made of chakra, smashing through the great wall before disappearing and fighting against Temari's father. The Kage and Naruto fight it out hand-to-hand and at high speed but as Naruto has chakra that can act independently of his own movements and three tails, the blond's split-second attacks are much harder to deal with.

Ignoring the tingling in his wounded hand, Hiruzen focuses his attacks on Orochimaru. Though he's worried about Naruto, he knows it's ultimately a clone, and even if he were dispelled as long as his young friend lived, being outnumbered wouldn't be the worst thing. Hiruzen felt it would be a fitting end even, following a death not too dissimilar to his sensei. Fighting with Naruto encourages Hiruzen to not only fight Orochimaru for the future, but stop him once and for all.

—

While Jiraiya was surrounded by enemies evading and attacking as they try to bring the legendary sage down with puppets and genjutsu, Naruto's clones became overwhelmed with wounded shinobi. All around the village Konoha shinobi defended as best they could to save the civilians, and in an effort to keep his promise, the grand majority of Naruto's clones were curing any injured they came across with his Fūinjutsu healing tags, or transporting them to the hospital, or defending civilian shelters and bunkers, or healing and detaining Suna shinobi. And Naruto lost scores of clones because of it.

A fourth of Kurama-enhanced clones remained specifically for combat, and many of Konoha's Jōnin allowed the clones to take the lead, engaging the enemy and their relentless puppets regardless of mismatch. Any other day, the element of surprise might've made all the difference for Suna and Sound, but they didn't count on a shinobi that can make hundreds of very powerful clones and his legendary Godfather in sage mode fighting back. From Hiashi, Genma, Guy, Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai in the arena, to Ebisu, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chōza taking control of the streets, and Ibiki, Anko, and Raidō leading the charge at the infested wall, they all fight back to protect their precious home.

The enemy seem nearly defeated, running away more often than not when far off into the distance, a large dome of vibrating sound hits the village like the force of a powerful tidal wave. An ear-piercing scream from a mountain-sized Shukaku alerted everyone in the village that the powerful One-tail beast has entered the fray. Aside from the familiar terror of a tailed beast so near their village, it also gave the remaining Sound and Suna ninjas a boost in confidence, encouraging them fight that much harder to win.

—

Naruto has never fought a Kage before and the Kazekage has so many different elemental jutsus, his experience tends to trick Naruto's battle strategy, landing several clean punches and kicks. It's as if Rasa can see Naruto's pattern before he does it and Naruto takes a repeated punches or kicks before Hiruzen interrupts with his extendable staff. Naruto resumes his assault, slicing along with swirling kicks, and though confident in his speed and power, the best he can manage is hitting Rasa's sand with a large Rasengen, shredding away some of the Kage's armor.

The four only pause to witness Shukaku erupt out of the forest floor as tall as a mountain and screaming in the delight of freedom. Clones everywhere automatically fear for their boss. Hiruzen can barely feel the real Naruto fighting Shukaku from his vantage point, but he can still feel him and knows the boy is at least still alive.

"Back Naruto up," the elder commands his bodyguards outside the barrier. Hiruzen ignores the pain traveling up his arm as Orochimaru uses the moment to explain why Konoha's Hokage will die today. This reinvigorates Hiruzen to keep how significant his injury is and end this as fast as he can.

"The jutsu exchanges ends now," Hiruzen informs his adversaries. "From here on, it's going to be a blood-drenched free-for-all," and to the three-tailed Naruto, he specifically tells him, "destroy the barrier."

—

Leaning against a tree for support, the real Naruto is bloody and exhausted. Fighting Shukaku with his Fūton chakra blades, Rasen-shuriken, and his Rasengan is apparently not enough to bring him down, making him chuckle. He's trained so hard with Naru-nii for so long and has reached a level of power he never thought he'd have in only seven months after graduating. And yet, Naruto can't help but feel like a failure for not learning more elemental chakras, techniques, and strategies, instead of relying on Rasengan, speed, and taijutsu.

He feels sand begin to enclose his entire body and he hasn't an ounce of strength or idea on how to stop it. He can barely form his Fūton chakra at the end of his chakra knuckle-blade and only when his eyes are about to be covered does he see Temari racing toward him. She's far away and he isn't sure she can get to him in time, but as the sand obscures his vision, and then tightens like being submerged meters underwater, he feels a strong force punch, slice, and kick. Enough of the sand is ripped off of him for Rock Lee to hoist him out of the sand-coffin and away to safety.

After landing on a nearby branch, Rock Lee tells a coughing Naruto, "don't worry, Naruto-kun. The Leaf's proud green beast is here!" He turns to the mountain-sized monster, voicing, "you did great. Just leave the rest to me!"

Laying back against a tree, Naruto looks past Lee to the monster raccoon-dog, and internally asks Kurama, '_is he still not talk with you?_'

'_Why should I have to speak to him!_' Kurama stubbornly returns. '_That mangy dog should be grovelling at __**my**__ feet. And while we're at it, you should just forget about your stupid promise and use my power before you die!_'

Though annoyed Kurama and Shukaku are being so stubborn about talking, Naruto's too hurt to care, chuckling as he asks, '_you worried about me?_'

'_Shut up_,' Kurama indignantly calling retorting.

'_I don't go back on my word, Kurama,_' Naruto painfully wheezes. '_You should know that better than anyone._'

'_…the most stubborn… can't believe how cursed I am_,' Kurama is so disgruntled, he yells back, '_die for all I care!_'

Naruto chuckles as Kurama pouts and throws a fit. Before Lee leaps away, he grabs the boy's bandaged forearm and tells him, "thanks for the assist, Lee. I owe you." Standing up, he takes a deep breath before admitting, "but he's my opponent. I have to be the one to beat him."

"I can understand your passionate feelings," Lee remarks, keeping his attention on the great beast beginning to move toward them. He adds, "but this isn't the time to be headstrong."

Naruto's body would completely agree if not for the feeling of his clones disappear in vast numbers. Despite the enemy still in the village, all of the clones were expressly ordered to disperse by Jiraiya. He hadn't even given the nearest clone a chance to reply before grabbing him by the collar and yelling to him, "your number one job now is to stop Shukaku. We'll take care of the rest. Now go!"

Among all the clones in the village, one was in his room at Iruka's calmly gathering and molding natural energy, so along with a heap of memories streaming into his memory bank, Naruto rapidly gains an overwhelming flow of tremendous strength. Even Rock Lee suddenly looks at his stronger and healthier appearance. Everything reaches his senses and Naruto only feels one clone left fighting alongside Ji-chan with a lot of Kurama's power. Naruto smiles as he feels all of nature and the energy around him before telling Lee to get clear of him and watch his back.

Dragging his thumb over some of his blood, Naruto makes five hand signs before smacking his palm on the tree branch and shouting, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

—

Jiraiya and his platoon of summoned warrior toads were happily beating back the resurgence of spirited Suna and Sound nin. Though injured, though weaponless, the enemy army fought that much harder at the sight of Shukaku. Still, in Sage mode, Jiraiya smiles as he senses everything going on in the battlefield. They kept the majority of the army behind the walls and the other squadrons inside of the village were nearly all taken care of by the strongest of Konoha's forces.

"Listen up, my little tadpoles," Jiraiya trumpets as he dodges and counters four attackers with ease. "Open your beady little eyes and take a good look who you're fighting! It's the Legendary Sennin, the Great Toad Sage, the undeniably handsome, Jiraiya!"

Morino Ibiki could only smile as he faced off against the remaining Chūnin forces. Though he didn't doubt this was Jiraiya's typical nature, it was also beneficial moral added to their own Chūnin corps. Additionally, Ibiki didn't like when Jiraiya ordered all of Naruto's clones to dispel, especially not that they have to deal with Shukaku next, but he felt the battle turn in their favor when everyone witnessed the great summon Gamabunta erupting out of the forest in front of the One-tail. He smiles wider when he sees the yellow dot of hair on the head of the boss toad.

—

Staring at the surprising blond on top of a giant toad, with his arms crossed and his white coat flapping in the strong gust, Gaara is further angered by his inability to kill this boy and yells, "who! Who are your protecting so I can destroy them!"

With something akin to sympathy on Naruto's face, he honestly answers, "you."

Gaara doesn't understand why his heart aches to hear that, or why this boy tries so hard and that actually scares him. That face, that sincerity, this feeling of ache in his chest. Memories of a smiling Yashamaru plague his mind making Gaara yell in pain-filled anger before attacking Naruto again.

—

Naruto slams another excessively large Rasengan against the demon barrier while Hiruzen continues to defend his blond genin and fight off the enemy leaders with a failing left arm. The earth-shattering impact vibrates the entire structure, fading from strong purple to clear and back, nearly destroying it. Rasa and Orochimaru then note when more elite Jōnin show up outside of the barrier; Asuma, Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai—with Karin—and Genma.

When those Konoha shinobi arrive outside of the barrier, that's how Orochimaru knows most of their forces are defeated. Moments later, a bleeding and beaten Kabuto lands as near to the barrier as he dares and yells to his master, "our forces are down or retreated-" With a deep slash across his chest, Kabuto is suddenly attacked by three Konoha shinobi and has to leap away to avoid being captured. Despite Gamabunta and Shukaku's destructive fight, the invasion is all but lost, and an enraged Orochimaru orders a fleeing Kabuto to take their remaining troops and retreat. Orochimaru then commands the small snake he had slipped into Rasa's clothing to bite him with a terrible venom in order to secure his escape.

Rasa immediately drops to one knee and grips his ankle from where two dots of blood can be seen after the snake slithers out of his shinguard. "Orochimaru! You! _Kuh_…" The man immediately drops face-first on the shingles. Aside from the poison rapidly coursing through his veins, rage compels the Kage to turn his stiffening neck and promise Orochimaru, "you had better hope this kills me… for I will never rest… until I end your life!"

Rasa passes out, his face writhing in agony even unconscious. Sweating profusely, Hiruzen looks over his fellow Kage and demands to know, "what have you done to him?"

"You don't look so good, sensei," Orochiaru jests before turning to the Kazekage and confessing, "he won't die for at least a month but if you come after me, I will kill him now."

Looking at the unconscious Kage that betrayed him and his village, Hiruzen asks Orochimaru, "why would you believe we'd ever care what happens to him? His circumstances is the product of his own misplaced judgment."

"And you know all about consequences of bad judgment don't you," Orochimaru smiles, mocking his old teacher over the Uchiha massacre and showing him mercy in the past. Smiling at Hiruzen's rising ire, Orochimaru admits, "I may be your fallen student, but I _**do**_ know you, and I'd be very much surprised if you kill your misguided ally simply in exchange for capturing me." The sound of Naruto finally destroying the barrier assembles the exhausted Sound Four to their master's side.

Naruto takes one look at the slender girl with long red hair and wondered if she might be a descendant of the Uzumaki clan or Uzushiogakure. He rushes to her in less than a second and grabs her forearm, managing to mark her before intentionally dispelling with her weakly punch.

Glaring at his former student with sheer anger and a hint of disappointment, Hiruzen ordered his forces to, "stand down. Let him leave." Orochimaru smiles cockily as Hiruzen growls, "run, Orochimaru. Run as if your life depended on it, because after today, it surely will." The Sound ninja then leap out of view and Hiruzen orders no one in particular, "follow them out of the country but keep your distance. If the Kazekage's life is truly on the line, I'd rather not take the chance… even if he doesn't deserve it."

Despite the poison coursing his veins and dizziness, Hiruzen pushes on and orders the gathering of shinobi around him, "I want all Suna and Sound ninja detained and interrogated. Bring the Iryō Butai to care for Kazekage… and me. Secure him in our strongest containment unit with guards stationed in and out of his room. Temari and Kankurō are to be taken as hostages to a hospitable prison cell and guarded round the clock-"

The feel a mild earthquake when Gamabunta lands in front of Shukaku and Hiruzen orders, "Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, Guy, back Naruto up. Take anyone you need." Kurenai and Karin are the first to shunshin away. Hiruzen and the remainder of his soldiers watch from a distance as the large toad summon and Shukaku battle in the forests outside their village, Sand against Water and Wind. Moments later, Shukaku screams before he's reduced to disintegrating dust and Gamabunta explodes out of existence, pushing out immense clouds of white smoke.

NARUTO

An exhausted, aching, de-saged Naruto is helping an equally exhausted and bleeding Gaara to his feet. The pair are hobbling back to the village through the ruined forest, one silently contemplating his loss and sense of self, the other is happy to have gotten through the other's painful defenses. It hurt to breathe as much to walk, but Naruto loved the feeling of triumph uplifting him. He still wasn't sure if anyone from Konoha or Suna died, but he did his best, and now he was ready for a well-deserved rest.

Sasuke suddenly lands in front of them and draws a sword he didn't have before and immediately demands Naruto to, "tell me what you know about my brother!" Frustrated and roughed up himself, Sasuke is ten paces away and close enough to attack.

Exhausted with one arm healing from a break and the other supporting Gaara, Naruto is in no condition to fight. Not that he wouldn't power up with Kurama's chakra, but that would take more time than Sasuke would allow and the avenger was fiercely motivated. Naruto doesn't doubt he could easily clear the distance in less than a second.

"He has… eyes like mine," Gaara slowly notes.

"Naruto," Sasuke yells. "Start talking!"

With a long resigning sigh, Naruto explains, "what you know… about your brother… isn't the whole truth. There's a lot you don't know."

"What? What stuff? How do you know? Who told you!"

"Calm down," Naruto returns. "I get this is the only thing that matters to you… as much as I hate that… but I said I'd help… and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Snarling, Sasuke takes a few steps forward, pointing his sword at Naruto's neck as he demands to know, "is this some sick game to you? Making me wait? Making me beg?" Taking another few steps, he's nearly on them as he yells, "do you even _**know**_ anything?"

Naruto is already asking Kurama for some chakra as he tries to reason, "Sasuke-"

"If the next words out of your mouth isn't proof you're not lying," Sasuke begins to interject. "I'm going to beat it out of you and kill him for good measure." Naruto can feel Gaara try to stand on his own to defend himself.

"Always with the killing, I swear," Naruto groans. With some more energy and frustration, Naruto nearly yells, "listen, I don't know what kind of proof I can offer you but I know Itachi's a genius-level shinobi, master of the Sharingan, and loves you and this village very much-"

"Lies," Sasuke yells. "You're fucking lying! He doesn't love me! He doesn't love anyone but himself and I won't hear otherwise!" Naruto and Gaara see it in his eyes, Sasuke is a paragon his emotions and is primed to attack. Though they try to defend themselves with sand or evasion, they know it won't be enough, but Sasuke's sword only cuts halfway through Temari's fan as she leaps in to defend them. She tries to kick him as well, but Sasuke slips the strike and aims his kunai at Temari's abdomen. Before it can land bloody home, sand explodes between them, sending the furious Uchiha several yards back.

Though heaving and sweating profusely, Gaara glares at Sasuke as he proclaims, "attack my sister again… and I **will** kill you."

Temari is so shocked to hear her malevolent little brother call her _**his**_ sister, and not a '_Sack of Meat_,' she loses concentration for a moment… all the time Sasuke needs to attack again. With his one good arm, Naruto uses his Fūton covered knuckle blade to cut through Sasuke's sword as he stands in defense of Temari.

"You'd protect the enemy," Sasuke declares in disbelief.

"They're not enemies, you idiot," Naruto yells, sweating and panting heavily. "Calm the fuck down and think for a minute. How do you want to learn what I know? By pissing me off and attacking my friends? Or taking a fucking breath and meeting me tomorrow to talk? Because I swear to Kami, if you keep this shit up, I'm just going to help your brother without you." Naruto is dead tired but glares at Sasuke nevertheless as he demands to know, "so what's it going to be?"

It doesn't take Sasuke more than a moment to think about his options and stands down. He promises Naruto, "if I _**ever**_ find out you lied to me about _**any**_ of this-"

No longer caring about Sasuke's threat, Naruto collapses on his back, wanting nothing more than to rest. "Yeah, yeah," he groans, looking up at the blurry sky as he adds, "let's just wait… for a med-unit." Tilting his head he notes Temari setting her brother down. "I'm glad… you're okay… Temari-chan."

"I'm not okay Naruto," she returns, looking over her brother's wounds. "I don't know anything right now."

"Temari," Gaara weakly groans. "I'm… sorry."

Temari has to clear her eye of moisture as she smiles to her baby brother and assures him, "it's okay, Gaara. It's okay."

It wasn't long until Kurenai, Karin, Kakashi, and Sakura arrive with Ino and secure the scene. As Sakura is healing Naruto, he was resting with a smile on his face, promising himself to train harder _**and smarter**_ for the real enemies that feel moments away from appearing.

* * *

I hope you guys enjoyed that update. I'd love to hear your thoughts because I am overly critical of this chapter. Maybe it's because it's been so long since I've written, or I'm still working a lot(I had to do a few all-nighters to finish this). I don't know, it feels like the bare minimum to me. Please let me know because you guys really help me be better.

There were a lot of perspectives to keep track of at various areas of the village which was quite the challenge. I essentially focused on the changes I made to canon, so Hinata and Neji's fight, the speculation surrounding Naruto's father, Kurenai's emotional revelation, Temari, Haku, Mei, and Team Samui. I also liked the beginning bit, about what Suna and Oto are fighting for.

I've already started writing a few conversations I've been dying to get to for the next chapter but I don't have a set time as to when I might update again. The next few chapters are going to be so much fun because I start addressing how Naruto's harem starts coming together.

I'd also like to thank David Collings, Stuart Beebe, Tyson Hill, Eric Jenkins, Kingsfun, Zachary Smith, Kyusen, Aladdin Muttlak, Rene Harjus, Cormag81, Nameless, Ares_Starh, MagisterdeVita, CP, Ernest Jamison, Joshua Lamar, Paxton Watts, Joshua Seth Armstrong, Stevi Roy, Onuey, Franco Delosangeles, Pasan Samaranayake, IIue, Narendra V, Isidro Sephtis, Timothy Barnett, Richard Wray, Jay Joseph, Ege, N.A, Shahed, Rathalos Azure, Stephen Tracy, Thomas E. Nellis, Axis of Symmetry, Tejaswi Kasturi, Kristopher Weitzel, Kevin, Slytherin In Your Pants, Kori K, John Depina, Robin, J.G., Zachary Hurst, J.J., Leo Vera, SilkySpectre, and Scipio. You guys are awesome and I couldn't do it as fast without you 😊👍 If you'd like to support my original content, please feel free to donate to my pa-tre-on / graefoxx or you can buy my original novel on Amazon. It's called Belladonna by Grae Foxx. I'm going to make it as a successful writer so... yeah😎✨

Thank you all again! Please, please, please be safe and let me know what you think. Have a great one,

-Grae


	33. 33Nine Wives

Hey guys!

First, I hope every one is remaining vigilant, safe, and healthy. It's a tough time and all we can do is stick together. Second, I apologize for the delay. Work has not gotten easier. Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy this update.

Warning: Language, kissing.

17.6K words. Please enjoy!

* * *

NARUTO

A groggy Naruto regains consciousness long enough to recognize the disinfectant smells of a hospital and opens his clear blue eyes to the blinding brightness of a white room in strong daylight. Looking out the window to his left, he can tell it's morning and beautiful. Heavily wrapped in white bandages and feeling chronic aches all over, he naturally thought back to the invasion. Fighting Gaara and Shukaku mostly in base level near to the point of severe chakra exhaustion was not an engagement he wanted to repeat anytime soon. Simply recalling the fight gave him phantom pains.

Naruto is checking his restricted mobility when he notices two flowers in a vase on the bedside table—one red rose and the other a daffodil—along with a Fūinjutsu scroll, a balloon in the shape of a frog, a cup of noodles, and several get-well cards from his friends and family. Giddy at the small shrine of well-wishes, he smiles happily at the thought of being loved. He may have cried if not for a nurse suddenly walking in, and to Naruto's great surprise, she looks pleased to see him awake. The bandaged blond doesn't recognize her nor does he understand why any hospital staff would be glad to see him, but she cheerfully saunters over relaying, "Uzumaki-kun, it's good to see you're finally awake."

As she checks the monitors whilst writing on her clipboard, Naruto nervously asks, "how long have I been out?"

"Three days," she replies with amazement. "I have to alert your healer, but before I go, I just want to say, thank you."

Looking at her suspiciously, Naruto cautiously asks, "for what?"

"You saved a lot of lives that day," the brunette nurse answers. "I just… I feel a little safer knowing you're protecting us." Feeling as if she's said too much, she blushes before leaving a stunned Naruto in his room alone.

"Whaaa the fuck," Naruto slowly gasps.

The flabbergasted blond didn't have a lot of time to ponder such blatant positive feedback before his healer enters with a different, older nurse. Naruto spots many younger nurses huddled by the door before it closes. The rudeness of the older doctor and the nurse is an attitude he's much more accustomed with and he relaxes a little. Additionally, the doctor didn't mind telling Naruto how appalled he was by the Fūinjutsu tags he used to heal others. The older man instructed Naruto to stop training for a month and he'll eventually return to normal. Naruto knew it wouldn't take more than a could days to return to full strength but he didn't argue.

Less than twenty minutes later, a giant toad the height of the hospital lands outside of Naruto's windows, rattling the entire building and grounds. Sliding the glass to the side, Naruto sticks his head out just in time to be hit in the face with folded red, black, and orange clothes.

"Get dressed," the exuberant Jiraiya calls uproariously from atop his armored blue and red toad. "We've been summoned!"

Rolling his humored eyes at his Godfather's outrageous antics, Naruto quickly dresses in his orange and black clothes over the medical bandages and takes a few extra minutes to enjoy modeling the cloak Ma finished for him in front of the mirror. The collarless cloak looked similar to his father's white Kage cloak only red with black flames and the name UZUMAKI written down the back with his clan's emblem on the left arm. Shining stars for eyes, Naruto squealed with joy.

Though Naruto didn't know it, walking from the third floor to the front entrance of the hospital gave him a sample of what the rest of the village is like. Three days after the invasion and there are still many wounded soldiers and civilians in the hospital as patients or waiting loved ones; many of whom take note of him as he passes. They point, whisper, and openly stare at him, and Naruto finds receiving so much attention without the vitriol in their eyes odd. It makes him keep his head low and walk faster.

Meeting Jiraiya in the front, the white-haired elder escorts the heavily bandaged boy down Main Street toward the Hokage's Tower. Many of the shops are still in business as most of the buildings hadn't been damaged. There is a lot of fire damage, however, and in the distance, Naruto can see a section of the wall is rapidly being repaired under heavy security. Additionally, the streets are bustling with civilians and Chūnin patrols, all of whom stare at Naruto as he passes. A few even wave at him, which again, makes Naruto feel very odd under the attention. Fortunately, Jiraiya easily demands his entire attention by explaining how they're on their way to see the Hokage.

Noticing his distracted Godson, Jiraiya asks, "nervous?"

Though he shakes his head, Naruto has no idea how Ji-chan will react. On the one hand, he'll be happy just knowing he's alive and well. That was the primary goal for the day, after all. But on the other hand, they kept Ji-chan out of the wager he made with the Kazekage. Naruto wanted to tell him, but neither Naru-nii nor Jiraiya could answer if Rasa would accept the wager if he learned Hiruzen knew of the invasion as well. It's possible Ji-chan and Rasa's deaths was the price for peace in Naru-nii's time, but Naruto didn't want that to be the case in this time-line. The round-a-bout thinking left him confused and without a satisfying choice.

Turning to his Godfather, Naruto asks, "do you think he'll be mad? I mean, he's alive, right? He can't be too mad once he knows; once I tell him _everything_."

Humming loudly, Jiraiya takes a moment before asking a question of his own. "Do you know why I went along with the plan?"

Quirking a blond brow, Naruto asks, "so Suna and Konoha understand each other better. To prove to the Kazekage that we're really allies. Taking him on and beating some sense into him."

"You're not wrong," Jiraiya comments. "But that's only one side of it. There's more to it than that."

"Like what?"

"Come on now," Jiraiya grouses. "You're the head of your clan, you know. You're going to have to start using that brain of yours if you're going to be a leader of men."

"Yeah, but you're asking me if I know what you're thinking," Naruto contests. "I'm not a Yamanaka. I can't read minds here."

Nodding, the old sage replies, "point," before explaining, "I agreed to this plan because what happened in the other timeline is an event I feared would happen one day. Just as well I agreed too, because if I hadn't, I knew the fault would fall on you."

"But it does," Naruto replies, looking at the village he helped defend. Recalling many of his clones' memories, he adds, "I remember everyone I saved but I can't be sure if I missed one. If I did… they died because of me."

Slapping a strong yet comforting palm on Naruto's injured shoulder, Jiraiya sincerely explains, "the decision to die for your country is a personal conviction you can't take from any shinobi. More importantly, when you're at a bar and you see a fine lady you want to bring to your room, you can't be afraid of rejection."

Crunching his face at a loss, Naruto asks, "what?"

"Shinobi die," Jiraiya flatly answers. "Every leader knows at some point, men under their command will die. Some just don't make it home; that's reality." Before his wager with Rasa, Naruto never thought about death or risking the lives of other people. Being Hokage simply meant defending the village from attacks and complaining about paperwork. Now, however, Naruto often wonders what it really means to be a good leader. Jiraiya underscores his thoughts by continuing, "nevertheless, a leader must still carry out their mission; no matter the loss. This plan—this mission—was technically not yours to undertake. Handling big stuff like invasions is very much the prerogative of a Kage."

Nodding dejectedly, a dispirited Naruto slowly agrees with, "Yeah… I guess, I really messed up-"

"_However_," Jiraiya loudly interrupts, cleaning out his ear with a pinkie finger. "Our Hokage is also the very reason I decided to do this your way."

Quirking a blond brow, Naruto turns to him and asks, "wait, what? Weren't you saying how I messed up?"

"Technically, you committed treason," Jiraiya clarifies, adding, "which is more than just, '_messing up_.'"

Flinching terribly high, a bug-eyed Naruto yells, "_**treason?**_"

"_**However**_," the elder shinobi strongly replies. "As much as I love sensei, there are facets of his leadership that can't be overlooked. I've come across scraps of intel over the years that led me to side with you over him."

"Wait, what intel," Naruto asks. "And I still don't get why."

"Gah, use your brain," Jiraiya retorts, tapping Naruto on the tippy-top of his blond head. "Think about what it means to be a good leader—in _all_ ways—and really look at what happened and why." As they approach Hokage's Tower, Jiraiya reminds his blond ward, "remember, I already planned for this so let me do all the talking."

INO

Following her pink-haired sister from the hospital through the barren path of an abandoned district, all Ino wanted to do was look for Naruto and it grated on her patience as they neared Sasuke's traditional mansion. The day was gorgeous and she was anticipating the moment he wakes up and sees her there watching over him. They would be thrilled at the sight of one another and kiss passionately on his bed. Realizing how short and precious life is, they would soon start dating and figure out a way to convince Sakura to join their relationship, scandalous as that is.

Since the invasion three days prior, Ino hasn't stopped thinking about Naruto's declaration for polyamory. She's had fantasies about herself, Naruto, and Sakura all sharing a bed, a house, and each other for the rest of their lives, however long that may be, and often finds herself longing for that dream. Walking around Sakura as they did simple D-Rank missions together would always remind her of what could be. The more she thought about the lifestyle, the more she realized that she didn't support polyamory unless it involved them. Following her sister now, however, worried her.

"Sakura," Ino calls in the empty Uchiha street. "Let's just find Naruto first then tell Sasuke."

"If you want to look for him, go ahead," Sakura replies, leading them. With the house is half-a-mile away, she reminds Ino, "I promised Sasuke I'd tell him when Naruto woke up."

Arms crossed as she shakes her head, she asks, "does it have to be now? It's not like he can't wait a few hours."

Sighing and growing impatient, Sakura questions, "if Sasuke wants to talk to him, why can't we all just search together? I don't get what's so wrong with that."

Growing annoyed by her sister's regard for Sasuke, Ino irately replies, "and I don't get why you're so eager to tell him Naruto's awake. If he actually cared about Naruto's well-being, he would've visited."

Sakura tries to respond, "he's my teammate-"

Ino interjects, "who impaled his arm through Naruto's freaking chest!"

"You're never going to let that-"

Ino's eyes widen the same moment Sakura stops talking, both girls abhorrently realizing how that sentence was going to end. Though upset and disappointed, Ino doesn't voice her frustration as Sakura takes a few moments to collect herself. It's as if both girls recognize the signs of obsession and if they're not cognizant of it, they might slip.

Sakura clears her throat before admitting, "I don't know why this is so hard." The shamed pinkette looks over to Sasuke's large home Ino has no doubt Sakura dreamed of living in one day. "Obviously, rules or no, what Sasuke did was inexcusable. I won't forget it, and in my mind, I know what it means. But feeling it…"

Cautiously, Ino slowly asks, "do you still love him?"

Sakura whips around, as if offended, repeating, "do I still love someone who would kill me as easily as an enemy?" The tone told Ino that Sakura was putting on a front. Her sister was never great with masks and Ino always loved that about her and Naruto; they can't hide their emotions easily. It's no surprise when Sakura deflates and sadly admits, "I'm terrified that I still might- …because if I can't answer such a simple question, doesn't that mean there's something wrong with me?"

She looked so vulnerable Ino can't help but hug her as she assures her, "No. It just means it's tough. But you have me and Naruto."

Sakura hugs her back with grateful gratitude, enjoying the warmth and support. After many moments, she's settled enough to say, "I still want to tell Sasuke," however, before Ino can object, she asks, "but will you stay with me, please?"

Smirking happily, Ino sneaks a peck on her lips before answering, "always."

Hand in hand, the girls walk to the Uchiha compound and eventually meet Sasuke. As expected he rushes away without so much as a thank you, strengthening Ino's mission to show Sakura that this version of Sasuke is no good for her. At the moment, Ino is simply happy to look for Naruto as the girls visit Karin at the construction site first.

NARUTO

Jiraiya and Naruto stand at attention before their Hokage in his maximum sealed office. Naruto is partly distracted by the glowing blue seals lining most of the room as he finds them interesting to read on top of Hiruzen's bandaged and heavily wrapped left arm. They're the only three in the darkened office when their stern leader begins with a simple question; no welcome back, no update on current affairs, no inquiries on his health. Simply straight to the point.

Looking at Naruto, he asks, "how long have you known?"

Naruto hums, "Uuuh-" before his Godfather interjects, "Sensei, if you would, I request you unseal Black Scroll, registration number: 318106. I submitted the scroll less than a month ago precisely for this eventuality."

Eying his former student, Hiruzen retains his hard expression for several moments, however, Jiraiya never falters under the intense gaze. The Hokage reaches under his desk with his one good arm, they hear a gaseous pop, then his old hand lays on the desk a black scroll.

Turning to his Godfather, a curious Naruto asks, "Black Scroll?"

"For highly sensitive information that shouldn't be known until the appropriate time," Jiraiya quickly explains. "I submitted one to Hokage-sama because unlike you, I have actual credibility."

Turning to Hiruzen, Naruto wonders out loud, "you wouldn't have believed me if I told you?"

Breaking decorum, Jiraiya boldly rebukes, "of course he wouldn't. You're a sixteen-years-old genin fresh out of the academy, not the superstar protagonist from one of my phenomenal novels. How's the Hokage supposed to take your word about an invasion by one of our strongest allies as credible intel?"

Eying his former student oddly, Hiruzen assures Naruto, "if you had shown me whatever proof you collected, I would have believed you. Even if their betrayal seemed unlikely, I would've placed my trust in you and at least listened to any evidence you had."

"Exactly," Jiraiya adds. "As this concerns the safety of the village, our Hokage would've sent shinobi to interrogate and infiltrate anyone or location that may be involved." Having known him since he was a child, Hiruzen recognizes when Jiraiya is blowing smoke but can't understand the angle as he continues, "I'm sure sensei would've kidnapped someone from Sand or Sound on your say… as long as you had proof-"

"Enough," Hiruzen commands, eying Jiraiya's smiling face. The Hokage breaks open the seal with his chakra before taking a few moments to read over Jiraiya's words. Hiruzen's eyebrows rise seconds before he demands to know, "is this true?"

Looking between the elders in confusion, Naruto asks his Godfather, "is what true?"

"Every word of it," Jiraiya answers, ignoring Naruto.

Impatient in his curiosity to know what they're talking about, the blond demands, "will someone please tell me what's going on?"

"I want to be clear here," Hiruzen tells them both. "What you both took upon yourselves to do—risking the lives of our villagers and armed forces—behind my back is tantamount to treason. I would be well within my rights to arrest and imprison you." Naruto swallows what felt like a rock down his dry throat and he feels stupid for having never thought of that. Lowering his elderly tone, Hiruzen confesses, "what's worse is how deeply disappointed I am in you both, who hold a special place in my heart."

It's the first time Naruto's ever heard those words from his grandfather-like role model. He didn't even think disappointing his oldest friend was possible. Even when he stole the Scroll of Seals for Mizuki, Hiruzen only gave him a stern talking-to about being gullible. While Naruto did feel he could've revealed everything about Naru-nii to his Hokage weeks ago, it truly didn't seem significant to him so long as Hiruzen survived and Gaara became his friend. When Jiraiya agreed with the plan for the invasion, Naruto assumed telling Hiruzen after the fact wouldn't be a problem, making him further wonder why his Godfather agreed to the plan if he knew it would be.

In the everlasting moment of grueling silence, a distressed Naruto is ready to confess to everything when Hiruzen looks between the black scroll and the blond genin, then sighs before continuing, "however, I will not ignore the impossible situation you found yourselves in. I have a contract with a summon as well, and Enma, the Monkey King, can be uncompromising when confidentiality is required. Being unable to freely speak when the Toads insist on privacy is understandable when it involves prophecies. Knowing future events is dangerous information the truly powerful would stop at nothing to gain for themselves and I agree it would be better if others did not know of their ability."

Naruto turns to Jiraiya who only glances and smirks at him before tilting his chin forward to keep listening. "In addition," Hiruzen continues. "Prophecies being what they are, I can't be certain I would've categorized the intelligence as actionable. I would've believed that you believe it and I may have been wary, however, suddenly mistrusting a long-time ally, an honorable person, and fellow Kage on precarious and debatable intel would've been…" Hiruzen pause seemed odd to Naruto, as if he's struggling in some way.

"Unreasonable," Jiraiya offers.

"Excessive, I think," Hiruzen slowly articulates. Turning to Jiraiya, he comments, "I imagine it's why you were so motivated to oversee the security of the village."

With a nod and non-committal shrug, Jiraiya adds, "in addition to the Kazekage's security. After all, it's not like we wanted to destroy relations between Suna and Konoha. The opposite, in fact."

With a sigh, Hiruzen nods as he orates, "this is a distasteful situation. Two people I care about withheld vital intelligence from me, your chief commander. Even if you felt I would _not_ have believed this prophecy, it's your duty to prove otherwise. On the other hand, you both not only saved a multitude of Konoha lives, but Suna lives as well, which will aid our peace talks moving forward. As I see it, you not only deserve punishment, you also deserve reward."

"Did…" Naruto pauses a moment, scared of the answer, but ignores the fear for his stubborn courage as he asks, "did anyone die?"

Turning to Naruto, he answers, "yes." Naruto visibly saddens and Hiruzen adds nothing more as he looks to the pair of them before asserting, "you will await my judgment while I reflect on how best to address your actions. For now, I must meet with Rasa-san and his council."

"How's your arm," Naruto asks in worry.

Shifting his gaze on his wrapped appendage, Hiruzen only answers, "I worry less about it every day," before telling them, "you're dismissed."

On his way out of Hokage tower, Naruto's mind is reeling from his memories of the battles, everything Ji-chan said, why Jiraiya supported the plan, then blamed their knowledge on Old Toad Gamamaru's prophecy ability. As Naruto and Jiraiya wave back to a few Chūnin, Naruto asks, "do the toads know you hung the future stuff on them?"

"Of course," his Godfather snickers. "No one can know what you know."

Setting that worry aside, Naruto asks what he's growing more dire to know. "How many people do you think died because of me?"

"_**Not**_ because of you," Jiraiya restates.

Stepping outside the Tower to the bustling street outside, Naruto insists on knowing, "did they tell you how many-"

"I only know of Sound-nin deaths," Jiraiya interjects. "Listen well my little leader, you did a fantastic job with those tags. _**If**_ there are any Konoha deaths, I'm sure it'll either be because of some unrelated accident or medical error. Don't stress yourself ragged over it until you learn more. Afterward, deal with it like the rest of us."

Hoping for a good answer, he asks, "how?"

Staring straight into his godson's clear blue eyes, he answers, "by training harder than ever so the next time someone needs you, you won't fail again." It was a hard truth Jiraiya has been talking about that truly added worry to his life dream of being the best Hokage ever.

At the mention of training, Naruto knows exactly what technique he'll be learning next. Ever since Naru-nii entered his life, he's been training hard every day to protect all his special people. If one person died because he couldn't protect them, he knows he'll have to carry the heavy burden. It's a reality to his world view that offers a tireless grasp of responsibility.

The pair walk down several streets eying the villagers shouting out to the last of the remaining Chūnin Exam business left. To his surprise, he spots Inari and Konohamaru chasing each other around the market. Naruto waves to them as they rush over. The group then heads to the construction site together. With Inari and Konohamaru well ahead of them, a different curiosity runs to the forefront of his thoughts, Naruto proceeds to ask, "can you tell me why you went along with the plan when you knew it was treason, and why we didn't just tell Ji-chan the whole truth?"

"Don't tell me you didn't like the toads getting credit," Jiraiya proposes. "They already make prophecies, so it's not much of a stretch to say they predicted the invasion."

"You know I don't care about credit," Naruto points out. "But you agreed with the plan when you knew this would happen."

"How you didn't think it was treason only means you got a lot to learn," Jiraiya humorously chides, bumping Naruto's shoulder. "But that's okay. We all start somewhere. And yeah, I knew this would happen and agreed anyway."

"Yeah, but why? I don't get it."

Scratching his square jaw, Jiraiya tilts his head as he hums in wondrous pondering. With the boys running off to meet Inari's mother, Jiraiya finally voices, "mmnnn… maybe, I wouldn't mind telling you… if you put in a good word for me with Tsunami-san."

"Wait, what-" Turning to the blushing cheeks and perverted glint of his godfather, Naruto yells, "Oh! No way, you giant pervert! She's too nice a lady for a loose guy like you!"

Erotic fantasy broken, Jiraiya yells back, "loose!? How dare you speak to your Godfather that way!"

"Like I can help it when it's the truth!"

The pair continue their animated quarreling all the way to the construction site. Though Naruto wanted to help out the crew, Karin, Tsunami, and Tazuna refuse to let him work while he's still injured. Aside from informing him Sakura and Ino came by, Karin assures him construction is coming along nicely and he should go home and rest. Naruto stays a little longer, catching up with everyone before going home. Upon finding no one at Iruka's, the blond decides to walk to Kurenai's and finds no one home there either. Deciding to wait, he lays down on her comfortable couch and goes to sleep.

TEMARI

Neither Temari nor her brothers expected to be let out of their guarded accommodations, however, they were given thirty minutes' notice to wash and change, and are now on their way to meet their father. For the past three days, Temari and her brothers have had nothing to do but think and reflect on all the decisions that lead to being held hostage in a village that was once their ally. In hindsight, the reasons why they lost seem so obvious, and many from Suna feel a sense of regret.

Kankurō was very vocal about their mistake in trusting Sound and took it personally. Gaara kept his thoughts to himself, however, he did nod or comment occasionally, which was an enormous improvement from his, generally, homicidal personality. He wasn't suddenly affectionate or caring toward his siblings, however, they could feel his malice was gone. It was as if Gaara had faith in hope once again, and slowly but surely, he's recognizing them as family and not meat-sacks to be murdered.

While Temari was happy to spend quality time with her youngest brother, her critical mind has had upwards of eighty hours to think about everything; from the conception of the invasion to the Chūnin exams, to meeting Naruto, to being forced by her own family and Kage to Honey-Trap him, to learning how sweet, brave, and virile he is, to regretting everything, and throughout it all, she couldn't stop how angry she felt. While Gaara may not have been in his right mind, her father should've never agreed to pimp her out. Her village's invasion plan failed, and on top of that pain, she felt so gravely betrayed, she couldn't stop exercising to expend the pent up energy.

Upon exiting their comfortable prison, Temari, Kankurō, and Gaara are escorted by a Jōnin team up many floors until they reach the surface. They're clearly in the forest around Konoha, however, she can't tell where. Walking through the path, there are seven large pens with many of her countrymen inside, all surrounded by a great portion of Konoha's Chūnin force. Many of their compatriots call for them as they pass and seem genuinely happy to see the Kazekage's children are safe. Temari is just happy so many of them survived, a reflection that spurs memories of Naruto healing the very shinobi that invaded his home, reigniting her shame and anger.

The three don't walk far and are upon a large red tent guarded by Konoha shinobi shortly. It looks like a carnival tent big enough to fit two hundred people inside, and upon closer inspection, Temari notes Fūinjutsu characters etched into the dirt floor all around the tent. It makes her curious about how well it prevents escape. Inside the tent is cool and sectioned off with tall screens to create several rooms. They are taken to one of the larger rooms, and after the guards close the door behind them, the Sand siblings are greeted by Baki, their village's council, and their Kazekage. The man with the stern face of her father was seated in the middle of a round table with an I.V. drip is connected to his arm, and despite his attempt to appear strong, he looks sickly.

'_Poison_,' Temari's sharp mind deduces. '_Strong poison_.'

She hasn't seen him since they were captured. She only knew that he was in the hospital but stable. He doesn't stand to greet them as the councilors did and Temari wonders if he's even able to stand. Regardless, he points to the three empty chairs in front of him, an invitation for his children to sit before him. Though the old war dogs take their seats, Temari does not. She simply glares at her father and crosses her arms. Gaara and Kankurō stand on either side of her, though Kankurō voices, "I'm sick of sitting down."

"Why've we been called," Temari begins. Her mind is perceptive enough to know the three of them would serve no other purpose to the negotiations besides being hostages. Additionally, it's only been three days so she's certain they haven't concluded the terms to an accord. Standing in this room with these men wouldn't make sense unless the siblings were somehow involved in the settlement, though Temari isn't sure how.

"He knew," Rasa gravely voices. In a secure location with half of the Suna Council and his children, the weakened yet active Kazekage singles out his daughter, eying her staunchly as he demands to know, "did you tell him?"

Temari snickers in irritated disbelief, realizing this is about culpability as she angrily retorts, "is that why you've summoned us? To assign fault?"

Rasa specifies, "whether intentional or not, did you tell him?"

Temari takes a strong step forward, angry he would doubt her word even when all of this was his fault to begin with, and boldly proclaims, "I didn't tell him!"

"We're only attempting to establish the origin of the leak," councilor Jōseki evenly states. The clean-shaven old man likes pretending to be civil, however, he's always treated Gaara as nothing more than a weapon and Temari has always hated him for it. Analyzing her with cold hard eyes, Jōseki questions with just enough accusation, "were you even aware of Uzumaki's sage training?"

With a heavily bandaged arm in a secure sling, Baki steps forward to voice, "our plan's exposure must've come from Jiraiya. He's an infiltration specialist of the highest caliber. There isn't much intel he can't figure out how to access."

Rasa simply asks his Jōnin, "and not report it to his Hokage?" Baki had no reply as Rasa continues. "No. I fought Hiruzen. He truly did not know and I can't imagine Jiraiya wouldn't tell him."

"The sages took this gamble together," Jōseki takes the liberty to voice, finishing, "and the only explanation for Jiraiya keeping this information from his Hokage—and former sensei—is if Uzumaki informed him; not the other way around." Eying Temari and Gaara stoically but coldly, he deduces, "that could only happen by sheer luck or he was told."

Getting more upset by the suspicion and passive accusation, Temari yells back, "it wasn't me!"

She's done so much in service of her village and family; things she knows her mother would never approve of if she were still alive. Temari's heart is hammering in her chest as they sit comfortably in their chairs of failure and question her loyalty when she's prostituted herself and betrayed her heart and character for nothing. Temari couldn't help pointing an accusatory finger at her father as she yells, "you're the ones who ordered me to be around him; to seduce him-"

"And he seems to have swayed your heart instead," her father interjects with his powerful voice, despite his sickly appearance.

"He didn't-" but Temari pulls up short when she tries to deny being swayed. Her heated heart then yells, '_so what?_' Even if she liked Naruto, she didn't do anything wrong and he never pressured her in any way. In fact, compared to these old hardened men in front of her, it's impossible to not feel affection and respect for someone as good as Naruto. With a commanding voice, she asserts, "regardless of my opinion of him, otou-sama, I would _**never**_ betray my village or family, for _anyone_. I thought I proved that when you asked me to be a whore-"

"Your Kazekage gave you a directive for the success of the village," Jōseki commented. "And you failed."

"In case it's escaped your notice, Jōseki, I'd say we all failed," Temari shoots back at the elder. She was thrilled when Gaara backed her up, glaring at the man enough to clear his throat and look away. Even without his gourd of sand, Gaara can still be intimidating.

Father and daughter stare at each other unflinching for several silent moments until the Kazekage tells his advisers, "Temari is not the one," bewildering her. She couldn't tell if his assertion was an olive branch or another tactic but she feels uneasy when he turns to the table of old men and asks, "what's our strategy for the Omiai?" Blinking in surprise, Temari had considered the marriage contract a non-issue, and is again uneasy when he adds, "the document may have been for the invasion, however, it's still an officially binding contract."

In consideration of his student, Baki asks, "shouldn't it be canceled, Kazekage-sama?"

"If they demand we fulfill the terms of the contract, we're not in a position to refuse," Jōseki communicates to the room, all of whom murmur and hum. "They could see it as an act of ill-intent and demand more in other areas we're unwilling to concede."

The knowing look in her father's eyes made Temari clench her fists in anger, pondering if the Omiai was the point of questioning her character in the first place; as if he didn't want her to know this is what he cared about the most. She wouldn't put such manipulation past him, but at this point, she's growing so infuriated, breathing calmly is a challenge.

Then her father asks of her, "do you think you'll be able to convince Uzumaki to cancel it?"

Openly glaring at him, she asks through clenched teeth, "why?"

"You can serve the village in better ways than being a broodmare," he dispassionately admits.

Without anyone to attack, Temari takes as many moments as she wants to calm her raging emotions, consciously unclenching her fists so blood can return to her fingertips. She may have every right to wronged and insulted, but, righteous anger won't serve her here; not with these men. Currently, her only goal is to teach her father how wrong he is and has been, to rebel against him, to throw his stupidity and heartlessness in his face, all while watching him suffer for it. With a much clearer conscious, calmer demeanor, and hard teal eyes, she eerily conveys to the stuffy room, "maybe I don't want to serve the village in better ways, otou-sama. Maybe I like serving the village _this_ way."

Frustrated as only a father can, Rasa sags in his chair—praying for patience—before replying, "this is no time to act a spoiled child, Temari."

"First a broodmare and now a spoiled child," Temari practically spits back. "As if a spoiled child would so easily prostitute herself for her _father_ in the first place!"

"It was-"

"A means to an end," she cuts him off without fear of penalty. "Yes, I know. I understand how to callously move people on a board; you taught me quite well in that regard. Since family seems to mean so little to you, who's to say I wouldn't be better joining another one?"

"Enough," Rasa loudly declares, freezing the old men in the room. "I will name you as our official ambassador in Konoha. You will meet with Uzumaki and you _**will**_ convince him to reject the Omiai-"

"And if I don't," Temari challenges just as loudly. "You've always taught me to think clearly and weigh the options. Look me in the eyes and tell me, father… how well do you think you can move me now?"

Rasa was angry; angry as only a father of a rebelling teenage daughter can be, but a stubborn and irate Temari won't budge; not for him. Casting aside her reputation as, The Good Daughter, she refuses to do anything for him anymore. Not until he gives her a reason to.

With hesitant calm, the Kazekage implores of her, "Temari, think carefully, as I've taught you, and try to see I'm doing this for your own good. We lost three days ago and a critical portion of our military force are prisoners being fed once a day to keep them weak. With the small remaining forces defending our borders, Iwagakure could invade our home at any time and there would be little we could do to stop them. We _need_ Suna and Konoha to return to the status quo, immediately, and they know that, which means we _**cannot**_ refuse them. If Konoha demands it so, our Daimyō will have no other recourse but to sanction this Omiai, and per your request, it's been amended to include _**multiple**_ spouses. Ask yourself if you would truly live a life like that to spite me?"

Everyone in that room felt in their heart and mind how scorned and furious the statuesque Temari feels. Her sharp eyes, her tense shoulders, her rigid stance, clearly communicate she isn't backing down. She didn't even have to speak to convey how publicly she would graciously accept sister-wives to embarrass and shame her father—to be a proud beacon for all the ways he went wrong—and delightfully retorts, "don't expect our first child to be named after you, Otou-sama."

As Temari marches out of the room, Rasa holds in his ire, his disgrace, his frustration, and worst of all, his failure as a father and leader. He turns to Kankurō and tells him, "talk with your sister. You don't want her to regret this in the future."

"The only regret I have is going along with the Omiai in the first place," the second born responds.

"All the more reason to speak to her now," Rasa points out.

While Kankurō thinks about that, Gaara—arms crossed and just as cold—informs his father, "it's her choice. And I think it's the right one." Gaara follows Temari's path out followed by Kankurō. Temari and her brothers are escorted back to their comfortable cell, all while fuming every time she pictures her father's face telling her not to marry Naruto.

TENTEN

From atop a roof two blocks away, Tenten asks her beautiful handler as her focus remains on their target, "uh, why are we spying on Naruto?"

The pair leap to the next building as Naruto slowly walks the streets of Konoha toward the residential district, and Haku answers, "I want you to watch him; to learn his movements." Though Haku needs less effort to keep track of Naruto in his dashing red and black cloak, Tenten is still new to tracking and requires most of her focus.

So she doesn't look away from Naruto as she answers, "even if I learn his movements, I don't think I'll ever be able to beat him. I thought it was amazing that he beat Zabuza, but he stopped an invasion near enough by himself!"

"Shh," Haku sounds. Tenten slows down as Naruto walks in the direction of the residences, to either Kurenai's house or Iruka's a little farther. When he stops walking and looks around, Haku tells Tenten, "we have to go."

Eying the heavily bandaged blond looking around, Tenten asks, "wha- why-"

"He's on the verge of sensing us," Haku responds as he slowly backs away from the edge of the stone roof.

Turning away to question Haku with her eyes, Tenten points out, "but we're so far away-"

Commanding Tenten to move with his eyes alone, he assures her, "his senses have improved after his most recent training."

They remain on the roof for several minutes all the while Tenten watches Haku for the all clear. When Haku finally nods the all-clear, Tenten asks, "I don't get why you want me to learn this."

"As my weapon-"

"I'm not your-" The bun-haired brunette stops herself with Haku's raised eyebrows.

"As my weapon," Haku restarts. "You are also his weapon. In the event I cannot be by his side, you must take my place."

Concerned by the open-ended negativity, Tenten questions, "what does that mean?"

"I'm simply being cautious," Haku responds, but the suspicious brunette isn't sure she believes him.

"…Are you hurt," she asks.

Daring with raised eyebrows, Haku asks, "would you care?"

"I…"

Flashes of her exploits during the invasion race through her mind. In defense of her fellow shinobi and civilians, she wounded eight enemy combatants and several of them didn't even know she was there until it was too late. She also killed one man using Haku's silent killing technique. He would've killed a genin if she hadn't killed him. She was trained in life and death from the academy and knows some shinobi can feel guilt over sacrificing their morality or principles for senseless violence, but to actually take life truly made her wonder if this was the cost to be strong.

Haku had always tried to explain why her perspective was naive, innocent, delusional, and though her sexual interactions with Naruto helped her understand something about life, it wasn't until she killed a man that she learned the other side of that coin; the end comes for everyone. When she killed that sound nin, for a split second, she saw her dead face in his and it was such a shock to see, she froze. If it wasn't for Lee and Naruto's clones watching her back, she might've been the next dead face on the dirt. It wasn't until later that night Tenten realized death wasn't far from anyone; her father, her teammates, Haku, Naruto, or herself. A lonely death comes for everyone and that realization cut out a lot of her naive and pointless thoughts and left her with the only things that matter.

'_Do all you can for the people you love_,' she thought. '_Because someday you're going to die and they'll be all that's left of you._'

Her Will of Fire never felt more prevalent. Additionally, her new outlook doesn't carry as much reservation over the things she can't control, which is why she has no trouble informing Haku, "well, you teach me a lot of stuff my sensei tends to avoid… and I don't think you're a bad person, even if you're a little off."

Nodding, Haku asks, "why the change of heart?"

"Less noise," Tenten quickly answers before elaborating, "if I were a weapon, I guess you could say I went from a single-edge to a double-edged sword."

"That's a weapon you have to handle with more care," Haku kindly notes.

"Yeah," Tenten realizes, giving the beautiful boy a half-smile. Shaking her thoughts of unnecessary thoughts, she asks, "so really, why do you want me to watch Naruto?"

"A weapon must always be ready for any situation," Haku voices as he looks over to the large hole in the village's wall. "I can't say what the future will bring, but if I'm not around, I want you to protect Naruto-sama on my behalf."

"He took on an entire army," Tenten reminds him. "I don't think he needs my protection."

Turning to her, he asks, "how strong is he when he's fast asleep?" Tenten nods in understanding as Haku adds, "he's been in the hospital for days. Who protects him then?"

"But you were watching him while he was in the hospital," she replies.

"Of course," Haku states before he walks to the edge of the roof once again. "No matter how strong someone may be, there is always a way to defeat them. Remember, no one escapes death's blade."

Tenten didn't have to think long to understand, and answers, "alright, but I still have a lot to learn if you want me to be his bodyguard."

"Quite a lot, yes," Haku returns with almost a tired slant of his head. "Fortunately, Naruto-sama and I are always happy to train with you."

Smirking, Tenten asks, "happy, really?"

"You are Zabuza-sama's gift to me," Haku reminds Tenten as a matter of fact. Sagging her shoulders and rolling her eyes, Tenten is reminded why their dynamic can seem too frustrating at times as Haku remarks, "any gift he gives me brings me perpetual happiness."

KURENAI

After a full day of using her genjutsu to assist in interrogating the Suna shinobi, Anko distracts Asuma so Kurenai can sneak away early from the Torture and Interrogation department. They're nearly finished interrogating all of Suna's forces. Nearly all of them said nothing and those that did only repeated their name, rank, and registration number. It's as expected and with Kurenai's genjutsu, they manage more information in the short amount of time they have with each shinobi.

On her way home, Kurenai wonders if Naruto's woken up yet and debates sneaking into his room to see him. Since the invasion, no one in Konoha's forces has had much free time, but the Jōnin, especially, have been giving the bulk of incoming missions in addition to the task of back-tracing the movements of key security risks; Kabuto in particularly. Additionally, Kurenai is on alert for anything that might involve Shimura Danzō and Root. She alerted the Sandaime on the same day Karin's near kidnapping happened, however, as of yet, she hasn't heard anything about it from him.

As Kurenai enters her home, she wonders if she should speak with the Hokage in the morning about it when her sensitive ears pick up light snoring. Familiar light snoring. Snickering in delight, Kurenai walks into her living room and smiles happily to find Naruto sleeping on her couch. Underneath his new orange and black tactical uniform, he's still wrapped in medical bandages to his neck, but over everything is a new red and black cloak she's never seen before.

Regardless of their status, Kurenai sits on the edge of the couch by his waist and leans down to kiss his inert lips. Sending her love through, she's elated when she feels affection kiss back. She moves back when he wakes and greets him with a casual, "hey."

"Oh man," he groans, sleepy eyes adjusting to the sight before him. Feeling the love in his smile, Kurenai feels lighter, prettier, and merry while he asks, "how long was I out?"

Comforted by his warmth in her home once again, she answers, "a few hours from what I can tell." He sits up and props himself against the armrest of the couch as she asks with clear concern, "what are you doing here? You should be in the hospital."

Noting her own injury—a square adhesive bandage on her left thigh where she was tagged with a shuriken—Naruto rests his hot palm on her thigh as he assures her, "nah, I'm fine. How are you?"

Happy crackling energy twitches through her at his gentle touch, but Kurenai does her best to remain composed as she answers, "I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

Feeling his hot hand directly on her tingling skin expanded the urge within her. Her thigh muscle flexed to hold back the pleasure flourishing within her with his one touch. She's missed him. Kurenai's mind clears of everything except for how much she missed his magnetic touch. Feeling the stirring pleasantness within her ripen into storming desire, Kurenai bemoans, "Naruto," but she isn't sure what she wants him to do, whether remove his hand or take her upstairs.

His hands remained on her strong thigh as he asks, "are we alone tonight?"

Feeling her blood rush to her crotch, her thighs tense together and Kurenai shakes her head of dirty thoughts, replying, "no, sir." She stands from the couch and takes a deep breath before assuring him, "we are not doing… any of _that_ while you're still recuperating. I insist."

"So _after_ I heal," he softly voices with his knowing smile and intense eyes.

Kurenai had to swallow an excess of saliva at the thought of him satiating her gnawing hunger with thick meat and seed. She's gone so long without him, his penetrating gaze on her figure is already unraveling her determination and doesn't feel the resolve to wait until he's fully healed.

Standing off the couch, he walks up to her but claims, "I'm only teasing." Disappointed, an aroused Kurenai doesn't know what to say until he adds, "actually, I need to tell you something."

"…Oh," she despondently replies before taking a deep calming breath. Her logic wrests control from her arousal and to distract herself, she asks, "we could- uh… dinner?"

Snickering, he jokingly asks, "when _don't_ I want your food?"

Throughout the preparation of their meal, the conversation between them centered around the village after the invasion, her assignment in the T&I department, his cousin Karin, his clan, the construction of his apartment complex, and his Godfather. After dinner, Kurenai insists he not use shadow clones to clean and instructs him to wash up instead.

Nearly done with the dishes, she hears the faintest tap against her kitchen door. Through the window panes of the door, she identifies Asuma, and it surprises her she hadn't sensed him on her property. Avoiding looking up to the faint sound of a running shower, Kurenai dries her hand and walks to the door all the while dreading what this conversation with Naruto in her shower. Asuma seems to suspect her relationship with Naruto is crossing boundaries that shouldn't be crossed and has been attempting to talk with her for the past three days. Fortunately, they've been too busy securing the village's security and avoids him whenever possible.

Opening the door, she doesn't let the gruff man in as she explains, "I was actually on my way to bed, Asuma. Can we talk tomorrow?"

She notes his eyes flicker behind her, then up as his nose takes a quick whiff before he asks, "are you alone?"

"First, that's not any of your business," Kurenai responds. "And second, I'm exhausted and want to go to sleep. So if you would…"

Without moving, he insists, "we need to talk, Kurenai. You can't keep avoiding this."

"I'm not avoiding anything," she casually asserts. "And we can talk tomorrow, promise. Good night."

"…Tomorrow," he eventually finishes before turning to leave.

After closing the door and securing the property with her Fūinjutsu system, she shuts the curtains of all the windows in her house. She's closing the curtains of her bedroom's window when Naruto walks out of the shower. Absent bandages and with a head of wet falling locks, he smiles at the sight of her. Her mind still can't believe her heart is so in love with him and she can't help a small smile of her own. Breaking their intense eye contact, she looks down at the red and black cloak on the bed. Kurenai picks it up by the shoulders and gives him a curious eye.

He smiles as he answers, "Ma- uh, one of the Toad Sages, made that for me."

Nodding, she flips it around as she asks, "and the uh, the white one?"

"She made me that one too," he answers. "But I like this one better. It's more me."

Opening that box of curiosity, the raven-haired beauty asks, "and less your father?" When Naruto casually nods, Kurenai clarifies, "less Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage."

"Yeaup," Naruto casually returns, oblivious to her stunned amazement.

Lowering the cloak, the astonished Jōnin gasps, "how do you keep surprising- So, you're truly the son of the Fourth Hokage?"

Eying her with a hint of confusion, he slowly answers, "uh, yeah. Doesn't everyone pretty much know that now?"

"Everyone suspects, sure, but nothing's been confirmed," she informs him.

"Oh," he hums before acknowledging, "well, yeah. I'm his son."

Plopping on the edge of the bed, she's eager to know, "how long have you known?"

"I suspected for a while," he answers with his head tilted. "I mean we practically look alike. But I didn't know for sure until the second task of the Chūnin exam."

Looking at the floor as she recalls all the details of his life, Kurenai heaves, "wow… you're the son of the Yondaime Hokage…" Smirking, Naruto shrugs, but Kurenai hadn't really thought about what that meant until this moment, asserting with disbelief, "the village should love you." He only snorts as she adamantly adds, "I'm serious, Naruto. No one should be treating you… like they've been treating you most of your life!" Clapping her hand over her mouth, she speaks through, "even me… Kami, now I feel even more shame for attacking you. I attacked the son of the Yondaime!"

"Hey, come here," Naruto blurts as he takes her hands and pulls her into a comforting embrace. Kurenai is now face-to-face with Naruto, enveloped in his warmth and kindness. "That's enough of that, Nai-chan. Normally I'd say you can't change the past, but it's probably better to say I rather focus on building a better future… with you."

Pressed against him with his strong arms around her back, her anxious mind and body soften around his strong body. So close to him, nothing of the outside world could penetrate the simplicity of his love for her and her love for him. Leaning in, Kurenai kisses him, taking his lips with a hungry, yet gentle sweetness. Yearning for more of him, she wraps her arms around his neck pulling him in deeper as their hot wet tongues taste each other. The lovers make-out pressed flat against each other growing stimulation until the need for oxygen became necessary.

Kurenai grants him access to her neck as she slowly asks through a fog of rising bliss, "so what did you want to talk to me about?"

As if the room was suddenly filled with ice-cold water, Naruto stops necking her nape and tilts back. After calming down, he lets her go and takes a step back, all of which worried her tremendously. She feared he was about to reject her after she finally became comfortable with her love for him.

"Uh, this might upset you," he starts, alarming her further until he adds, "but let me finish before you say anything. It might make more sense that way."

Willing her body to stop feeling arouse, Kurenai takes a measured breath before replying, "of course."

She did not expect nor could she properly prepare for his very blunt, "I think I'm a polyamorist."

After many seconds of silence, a thoroughly perplexed Kurenai assuages, "just to be absolutely clear, you know what that means, right?"

"Yeah," he replies with a nod. "It's a loving relationship between multiple people."

"… … well, then I don't understand," Kurenai slowly admits. "How… just, how?"

"Until recently," he begins. "I thought being in love could only happen between two people, and if you loved someone else, then it was cheating. It's why I never cared for other girls even if they were obviously pretty. Even though I loved Sakura, **not** being in love with you in the beginning didn't make our training feel like cheating… not that Sakura liked me or anything," he adds with a whimsical chuckle. "Since then, I've grown to love you, Nai-chan; as a sensei, a friend, and a woman. I love you so much, even if I feel like a polyamorist, I know I wouldn't want that if it meant I couldn't be with you."

If any man she were seeing would propose a polyamorous relationship, Kurenai wouldn't even dignify them with a response and just walk away. A significant other wanting multiple partners, whether sex is a part of the equation, is wrong. As she deserves to be loved as fully as she would love a man, she cannot, in good conscience, support such an open union, however, her mind instantly thinks of one person.

'_Hinata… the girl who's like a daughter to me may never be with the man she's loved since she was a little girl because Naruto is in love with me_.'

"The way I see it," Naruto continues. "Polyamory is about love; more love sharing love. I get that's hard to believe, but I promise you, it's not like I only care to have sex with multiple women. If you, me, and another girl were in a relationship, I wouldn't even care about more or less sex as long as we all love and support each other. This might sound pretty lame, but I just picture a big kitchen table with you, me, and everyone we love eating and laughing together."

While she's physically swooning under his loving gaze, she's also processing what his words and what this means for herself and the people she loves the most. For a mind as sharp as Kurenai's, it's effortless to connect the dots—crazy though the dots are. He doesn't want to involve anyone else if he can't be with her, which will cause her sweet Hinata tremendous pain, and she ultimately reasons either no one gets to be with the person they love, or everyone does. A longing in her for everything to work out can't help but play out the possibilities of such a relationship; the disasters it can cause, the problems it could resolve, and finally, the freedom she craves to be with the man she loves.

'_Love_,' Kurenai's befuddled mind sadly repeats. '_If only it were that simple._'

Normally she would say no, but Uzumaki Naruto wasn't just anyone. Everyone saw as much, and Kurenai counts herself thankful to the high heavens to be loved by him. If anything, Kurenai can't think. It's simply too much too fast, and in his presence, so, rather than try and force an answer, Kurenai kisses him again, deeply. Melting against his loving lips, she compartmentalizes the poly matter for another day. Tonight, she just wants to be with him.

When he moves them to the bed, she painstakingly resists, adding, "we can't." At his pleading puppy-dog eyes, her resolve weakens but she remains firm. "Don't give me that look. You're still recovering so until you're a hundred percent, the only activity we'll be doing in bed is sleeping."

Thankfully he agrees, because even if they hold each other in bed, Kurenai didn't sleep. She spent the entire night trying to think of a possible way everyone can be happy, but after every waking hour that passed, she slowly realized more and more that she may have to say goodbye to her love. Praying for Naruto's and Hinata's future happiness, Kurenai curled into her blond love as much as she could, holding his heat to her cold body all night long. Sadly, just after dawn, her finite time with him came to an end with a knock at her door.

—

Standing in a line in the Hokage's round office as the sun slowly begins to rise outside, Naruto, Kurenai, Kakashi, and Jiraiya are at attention in front of the Sandaime's desk. He still looks weak to Kurenai and wonders what his prognosis is. To either side of Hiruzen stand his old teammates and councilors, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane. Though Kurenai wonders about Danzō's absence, she's glad he isn't in attendance.

Jiraiya is the first to casually speak, asking his sensei, "how goes rebuilding relations?"

"We have a long road to unity ahead of us," Homura takes the liberty to answer. "We are currently debating if occupation zones are required."

"Yeesh, I'm so glad I'm not in politics," Jiraiya bemuses.

"Occupation," Naruto questions out loud, also unafraid of speaking up in front of the leaders of the village. "What for? We're not conquering them. Now's the time to bury the hatchet and be allies again."

"It's not quite so simple, Naruto," Hiruzen tells him. "While peace would be preferable to more war and bloodshed, they're the ones who pushed us to this."

"I get that they messed up," Naruto returns. "But what do you do when a friend makes a mistake? Give up on them? I don't like ending friendships so easily."

"You're too naive," Koharu remarks, annoying Kurenai. The woman's hard views on the world always makes Kurenai doubt her service to the village.

"Better than being a quitter," Naruto rebukes, nearly breaking Kurenai's decorum with a chuckle.

"That is good to know," councilor Homura replies. "We may need you to uphold those beliefs when the time comes."

As the early sunlight fills the wood room, Hiruzen observes his four shinobi from his chair and recounts, "the reason I've called you all in so early is to discuss a matter that's arisen from the peace-talks. The Kazekage and his council have endorsed the Omiai between Naruto and Temari-chan."

Wide-eyed with surprise, Kurenai repeats, "an Omiai?" Kurenai knew that Naruto was escorting Temari-chan around the village but she never heard anything about a marriage arrangement. Noting Jiraiya and Kakashi's lack of reaction makes her wonder if they knew or just don't care.

"Allow me to explain for those who do not know," Hiruzen confirms, and Kurenai tries her best not to look at Naruto for an explanation. "In an attempt to neutralize Naruto for the invasion, their cover entailed using the marriage contract of an Omiai to spend time with him. Seduction, poison, ambush, clearly they were unsuccessful. Regardless of their plans, everyone—myself and the Kazekage included—signed the contract, making it legally binding. At the time, it seemed unnecessary to announce it because no one, including Naruto, thought anything would actually come of it."

"Well," Naruto hums, tapping his chin. "I **did** think I might have more chances to talk to Gaara. I already knew he was like me and I wanted to get to know him and Shukaku."

Rationally, Kurenai can understand Suna's scheme, but she doesn't like it as she slowly voices, "I see." She feels sick to her stomach when she realizes if this political marriage goes through, neither herself nor Hinata will be with the man they love.

"My advisers believe Suna's endorsement of the Omiai is nothing more than a ploy," Hiruzen continues. "Reverse psychology, to have us cancel the contract so they might avoid the international humiliation of being forced to marry off Temari-chan. My advisers also believe having the Kazekage's daughter remain in our village would deter any future attacks."

"Oh come on," Naruto rebukes to the elders in disbelief. "If Temari-chan wants to marry me because she loves me, I could understand that, but there's no way I'm accepting this as some sort of political move." Though it's a break in decorum, Kurenai couldn't help but nod, fully believing marriage should be between people who love each other. "Besides," Naruto adds. "I already have someone I love and I don't want to leave her."

Kurenai's stomach unexpectedly flutters with hundreds of butterflies and her toes curl at the affection crackling up and down her tingling body, and her scalp tingles happily. It's nearly impossible for her to hold back her swooning desire for him, but she manages to keep it together in the presence of her Hokage.

"That may or may not be to her benefit," Hiruzen replies, confusing Kurenai. "Due to the unique nature of the Omiai within this political situation, my advisers also suggest… Naruto marries a woman from Konoha, preferably before Temari-chan so she may be the lead wife."

Most of the room is stunned into silence. It's as if many thoughts and ideas start and stop before they formulate, making them all blank out. Kurenai is the first to snap out of her stupor by asking, "how's that possible?"

"At some point," Koharu begins. "Temari-chan amended the Omiai to include multiple spouses. We wouldn't have signed if the Kazekage and his advisers hadn't done so first."

"To the victor goes the spoils," Homura tells the room. "The only power in all the land that can approve the scope of this marriage is the Daimyō of both Wind and Fire countries, and as it stands, Wind has lost to Fire. The Daimyō of Wind has no other recourse but to sign off in order to release their men, resume trade, and quell the mistrust between our nations. Our Daimyō would of course consent to the Omiai to expedite peace between countries."

"Naturally, the Kazekage's daughter would have to live here," Koharu adds. "Which would discourage any future attacks if they wish for her and any of her children to remain _healthy_."

Instantly cross, Naruto begins to yell, "wait a minute-" when Hiruzen interrupts and tells her, "that's unnecessary, Koharu." Though the short and pale senior doesn't appear ashamed at all.

For clarity, Kurenai asks, "you mean to say the Omiai allows Naruto to marry more than one woman?" When Hiruzen nods, Kurenai's entire body feels a great flush of relief she wasn't expecting; like she can breathe again.

"Just out of curiosity," Jiraiya starts. "How many wives will he legally be allowed to have?"

Wrinkled eyes closed and cheeks blushing pink as Hiruzen clears his old throat before answering, "nine."

"HUGHH," Jiraiya chokes with bulging eyes before he smacks Naruto hard in the back, sending the blond to the wood floor and laughing uproariously. He's clutching his belly with both hands as he barely speaks out, "you! …You! …_**YOU! HAHAHAHAHAHA!**_"

"That's some Kami level luck," Kakashi comments as Jiraiya begs Naruto, "let me pick four of them!"

After closing her stunned jaw, Kurenai's staggered mind is whirling as she slowly asks, "and they would approve this?"

"I cannot see Rasa wanting this," Hiruzen answers. "He's a hard man, certainly, but deep down, he loves his family as much as he loves his village. Perhaps if he had Temari-chan orate her feelings on the matter during the meeting, I'd feel more secure in my pending decision. I asked you all here—Naruto, his senseis—to hear your thoughts on the matter."

"What's there to say," Jiraiya cheers, still laughing and grabs his godson around the shoulders before lifting him off his sandaled feet. "Obviously, this lucky devil's going to say yes!"

Annoyed by that common shallow fantasy, Kurenai reminds the old sage, "a wife is not a working girl, Jiraiya-sama. A marriage is an intimate relationship between husband and wife that requires constant communication, honesty, respect, and intelligence. It can be overwhelming sharing all that you are with just one person. Imagine trying to connect and please _**nine**_ wives. Every problem that arises has the potential to annoy two to nine different women, or Naruto can have two to nine unique problems from each wife that must be addressed; for as long as they live."

"Imagine two or more wives pregnant at the same time," Kakashi gasps, making Jiraiya, Hiruzen, Naruto, and Homura shudder. Jiraiya deflates, horrified at the image of that kind of demanding household day in and day out for the rest of his days. "That could be a big family to support. Not that nine wives is mandatory but the potential is there," Kakashi adds, making Jiraiya squeeze Naruto with even more fear.

"Perhaps this may be more than any one man can reasonably manage," Hiruzen suggests, pondering if this could double as punishment.

"Will- you- let- go," Naruto calls out, flexing his way out of his Godfather's fearful embrace. Padding down his red and black cloak, Naruto tells the room, "I don't mind all that, but I can't agree to anything until I talk with Temari-chan first." Turning to Hiruzen, he asks, "when can I see her and Gaara?"

"But you would," Kakashi asks, to which Jiraiya adds for clarity, "if Temari-chan wanted to go through with it?" And Kurenai finishes, "you would?"

"Of course I would," Naruto effortlessly tells the entire room. "As long as we all love and respect each other, why wouldn't I want a big family?"

Imagining a full dining table with loved ones, Kurenai surprises everyone by laughing deeply from the core of her being. She was unable to sleep all night, worried, horrified, hopeless, and now she's hopeful and just relieved. She truly doesn't know why she worries when it comes to Naruto. He doesn't have a selfish bone in his body, and while his inordinate caring seems to invite the strongest challenges, they bring the greatest rewards as well. Kurenai feels pride being in love with such a person, which makes her laugh harder than she intended before ultimately saying, "if it's Naruto, I think he can do it." Thinking of Hinata, Kurenai adds, "he may be the only man who can."

"I will arrange a time for you to speak with Temari-chan," Hiruzen mentions. "If she is… inclined, I will pass the contract on to the Daimyō for their approval under the condition she is your second wife."

"Or third," Jiraiya croaks with laughter. "Or fourth or ninth- Kami! Nine! I need to write this down! I'll call it, Icha Icha Palace! This is going to net me billions!"

"Whaaa!" Naruto yells as Kakashi's cheeks blush and his eye sparkles with hope. "I don't want to be in one of your ero-books! I don't consent," Naruto asserts.

"Come now, don't be so cold," Jiraiya smoothly enunciates, leaning down as he puts his large arm around the blond's shoulders. "How about we spend some long-overdue quality time together… maybe at the hot springs… looking for your number one. How about it, Kakashi-kun? Care to help our young virgin student find his…" Jiraiya has a hard time restraining his laughter as he adds, "find his… find his first wife! HAHHHAAHAHA!"

While Naruto argues how he needs to speak with Temari first, Hiruzen turns to a zoned-out Kurenai and informs her, "Kurenai-kun, if you would stay."

With little else to contribute, Hiruzen dismisses the men. After Jiraiya and Kakashi drag away Naruto with them, Homura and Koharu are also excused and Kurenai and her leader are in his office alone. What the sage elder could want to talk to her about made her nervous, as she didn't know what it could be, but was certain it had to do with Naruto.

"I didn't think Naruto would be so agreeable," Hiruzen begins. "Up until this point, I was fairly certain he understood the moral path of monogamy." Kurenai would agree if it meant she could be with Naruto without destroying Hinata's feelings. "I'll get straight to the point," Hiruzen gruffly continues. "Should Temari decide to go through with the Omiai, you already know we'd prefer she not be his first wife. Depending on how the house is run, the first wife would likely have first say in many matters that arise, which can cause problems if one considers how important Naruto may become in the future."

Pushing aside the image of herself in a wedding dress, Kurenai objectively summarizes, "a first wife more loyal to the village who could stand up to Temari-chan if need be." Delicately withholding her hopes, Kurenai is already planning on setting aside the entire day to relax with Anko and a glass of wine and talk.

"It's not that I don't trust Temari-chan," Hiruzen mentions. "I've had a few precious opportunities to meet her as a little girl and she was always dutiful and charming. Additionally, I can't deny Naruto-kun has a surprising effect on people, so I cannot say I am overly worried. Even still, in the long run, it may be best if Temari-chan were second chair to a wife from Konoha."

Amazed she has to deal with this, Kurenai asks, "what are your orders, Hokage-sama?"

"I can't be certain of any orders at the moment," he initially answers. "However, you are the closest person to Naruto-kun who is not a man and has my trust. I would like your perspective on Naruto's romantic options, if any. To date, the only girl I've ever heard him profess any love for is Haruno Sakura, but from what Kakashi has mentioned, his feelings do not appear to be reciprocated." Kurenai nods in agreement before he asks the pivotal question. "Are you aware of any other kunoichi who may be favorable to the idea of a relationship with him?"

Kurenai's heart was beating fast, causing her to perspire a bit at the thought of confessing her love for Naruto, however, she remains silent. She knows this is more than just admitting her love for him, as she simply remarks to her Kage, "dating and marriage are two _very_ different things."

"I can't disagree with you there, I'm afraid." Hiruzen doesn't speak for several moments, and Kurenai can only assume he's pondering how it's come to this because she can't help but wonder the same. Breaking the silence, Hiruzen admits, "I would rather not _assign_ a kunoichi to such a life-long mission, for marriage should not be a job." Hiruzen chuckles to himself before adding, "even if it may feel like it at times. If you cannot find a girl who might love Naruto enough to marry him, I may have to consider mandating such a duty. I will schedule a meeting between Naruto and Temari-chan for tonight, so we'll know more or less what course to take by tomorrow. If you can assist me with this, Kurenai-kun, I would be grateful."

Kurenai swallowed what felt like a rock down her dry throat as the moment. Life was telling her this was her moment. She loves Naruto more than any man she's ever been with. He's her guy but she hadn't thought of marriage so soon, especially after his lifestyle admission last night. They haven't even properly spoken about their relationship, let alone marriage, let alone marriage with sister-wives.

'_Kami, he doesn't do things normally_,' she mentally snorts. The leap is too big for Kurenai to wrap her mind around at the moment. Additionally, going public meant she'd was going to have a very uncomfortable conversation with her dear student a lot sooner than she planned. Revealing to Hinata that her sensei is dating Naruto would certainly damage the sweet girl; explaining their nuptials to Hinata would likely decimate her.

In a surprising burst of concept, Kurenai, felt at nervous voicing, "th-there is… there may be one or two options, Hokage-sama."

"Do tell," Hiruzen urges with a weak nod.

SASUKE

He finally found him. On his fourth pass around the construction site, Sasuke observes a fleet of blond clones working like a swarm of builder ants on remodeling the old apartment building. He's been searching the village since the day before, and at the sight of the blond happily laboring away, Sasuke felt a familiar urge of punching him in the face on the off chance he wasted his time. Sasuke already promised himself he'd leave Konoha and track down Orochimaru if hearing Naruto out turned to be a mistake.

Walking around the apartment courtyard and asking for the original, Sasuke's eventually directed to the top floor where he finds Jiraiya of the Sannin, Naruto's cousin Karin, Haku, and Naruto debating about love and monogamy or some such nonsense. Sasuke does find it odd that Jiraiya only seems to be scribbling fast notes as they talk.

"But you have to," Karin declares. "You realize what a boon this can be for the Uzumaki clan?"

"It's got nothing to do with politics," Naruto tells her. "Marriage should be for love, not because of some stupid negotiations between nations."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she agrees," Haku asserts, but when Naruto asks why, Sasuke interrupts them.

"Naruto," Sasuke calls, ignoring the others. "You promised to tell me everything you know. I've been patient long enough."

Haku stands between Naruto and Sasuke as Jiraiya remarks, "brats these days are so rude. Can't you see we're in the middle of an important conversation."

Stepping around Haku, Naruto asserts, "it's okay guys." At the sight of the surname, UZUMAKI on the back of his new cloak, Sasuke can feel his irritation grow. "I did promise we'd talk. I'll see y'all later." Turning to Sasuke, he asks, "so, where to?" Sasuke leads him to the Uchiha compound, to his family's home; a true symbol of a clan, if it weren't so barren. Naruto seemed impressed with the outside, but was amazed by the elegance of the inside of such a finely built traditional mansion.

As they take a seat in the sitting area his father used to use for guests, Naruto voices in amazement, "uwah, you have a nice place, man."

As Sasuke's mind replies, '_it was once_,' his voice demands the blond to, "talk."

"I guess I should start by saying I don't know everything," Naruto voices as he casually props his arms behind him to stay upright. "Part of the reason why I want to talk with your brother is because something isn't adding up."

Sasuke finds he's too informal in such a prestigious house as he asks, "who's your source?"

"Can't tell you," the blond quickly asserts, annoying Sasuke even more. "Yeah, yeah, I know you want to know," Naruto continues. "But it's a clan secret and I can't tell you."

"Then why would I even believe a word you say," Sasuke retorts.

"Use your head," Naruto hells him. "Do you really think I'd lie about something this major? I know what your brother and your clan mean to you, so even if I think you can be a total dick, I'd punch you in the face before I'd ever use family against you."

Though his blond teammate can be annoying, Sasuke knows he's not a liar. "Fine. How reliable is the source?"

"First-rate," Naruto asserts. Though doubtful, Sasuke requests Naruto tell him what he knows. "Your brother did kill a lot of his clan that night," the blond starts, and Sasuke tries to keep his hate in check to listen. "But it's not like he did it on a whim; he's not crazy. From what I've been told, Itachi was stopping a coup d'état. The Uchiha were, apparently, planning to take over the village-"

Sasuke's rage gets the best of him and he yells, "you're lying!"

"I'm not!"

"You have to be," Sasuke hotly returns. "I can't believe my clan would forcibly try to overthrow command."

"There aren't a lot of people who know the truth," Naruto argues. "And anyone who does won't tell us, which is why I want to talk to your brother. There's a lot about this that's just fishy and I get you want to kill him for what he did but don't you want to know _why_ he did it? And who helped him?"

Short shakes of his head, a surprised Sasuke asks, "w-what do you mean who helped him?"

Naruto casually explains, "your brother was good, like, _take-out-__**nearly**__-everyone-good_, but from what I've been told, your tou-san was really strong, like Hokage level. I can't see how Itachi killed every single one of your clan without help."

Though that makes sense, Sasuke has a hard time accepting it from Naruto, but asks anyway, "h-how do you know this?"

"Sorry, my source is a clan secret," the blond annoyance replies.

"You don't have a clan," Sasuke shoots back. "Nothing you do will ever elevate you to the prominence of the great Uchiha clan."

"How can someone as smart as you be so delusional," Naruto hurls back. "Rookie of the Year must not be worth shit if someone with your eyes can't see what's right in front of you-"

"Oh, and what's that, Dobe?"

"I told you, you're not the only one who's suffered," Naruto blurts. "If you spared a thought to someone else, you might know the Uzumaki clan was just as prominent as the Uchiha clan. You probably don't even know that whole villages banded together to destroy my clan and villagers. Me and Karin are the last two Uzumaki that we know of. Sound familiar?" Though Sasuke didn't know that, it didn't change anything, even when Naruto adds, "I get what you're going through, really I do, but you have to stop with all this hate. It's not doing anything to help you."

"And what's helping you, I wonder," Sasuke rebukes, curious about the blond's, seemingly, never-ending strength. "Why are you so strong?"

"Obviously because I have people to protect," he casually responds, grating on the avenger's nerves. "Comparing myself to you helped me train hard, sure, but nothing pushes me harder than becoming strong enough to protect the people I love. That's the serious juice."

"You really are an idiot," Sasuke dejectedly states. Despite the validity of his claims about his clan and his brother, Naruto will always be a few shuriken shy of a full set. "Do you actually believe I would buy that?"

"I'm not lying."

"But you're not telling me the truth either," Sasuke argues. "I want to know what your power is! I don't care about the nonsense you do with it."

"First, it's not nonsense," he asserts with a pointed finger. "Second, if you're talking about the red chakra, it's illegal to talk about it, but since we're teammates, I'll tell you the truth. It's a genetic mutation that amps up my power the closer I am to death. I may even become Kami-level strong the moment before I die."

Looking at him seriously, Sasuke asks, "really?" Naruto couldn't hold it a second before he's laughing, spurring an urge to kill the blond. "You fucking…"

"My bad, my bad," Naruto conveys. Raising his palms in the air to sue for peace, he explains, "you were just setting me up so nicely, I couldn't resist. Love is my power and if you don't like it, tough, cuz that's the truth. You might be able to see that if you weren't all about your hate."

"As long as he's dead, I'll live with it just fine," Sasuke flatly promises.

"And what if it turns out there's a lot more to what happened than you know?"

"Then I'll kill everyone who contributed to the demise of my clan; my family," the raven-haired avenger promises just as easily.

"You can always rebuild your clan and make a new family," the blond foolishly suggests. "Not that you have to forget what happened, but if you're ever going to fly, you're going to have to let go of all that heavy shit."

Shaking his head at Naruto's stupidity, Sasuke asks, "what else do you know?"

Shrugging, he answers by counting down, "mnn… let's see. Your brother wasn't trying to end your clan… he had help-"

"Do you know who aided Itachi?"

"Yup," he answers. "A guy in a mask with one eyehole. I was told he attacked the village the night of my birth so, he's been behind the scenes for a while now."

Suspicious of the intelligence, Sasuke warns Naruto, "if you're lying about any o-"

"I'm not lying," he interjects. "If anything I'm not telling you the whole truth- Clan secret!" Naruto immediately yells before Sasuke demands to know everything. "If you want to know why it all went down, you're going to have to ask your brother."

"Why do you care- No, why does any of this matter to you?"

"Well, I'm curious about the village," the blond responds ponderously. "I understand being hated by the village, but I had Ji-chan and Iruka to help me through it. I want to ask Itachi about the village's treatment of the Uchiha because it just seems so weird to me that it went that far, you know? If I could, I know I would've helped."

As Sasuke considers the validity of Naruto's information, he offhandedly assures his teammate, "you won't talk to him. You're too weak. The moment you see him, you're dead and that'll be the end of your clan."

Naruto and Sasuke sense someone entering the grand home and though initially curious, when they realize it's Kakashi, they settle back down. Naruto then comments, "well, even if he's that fast, all I have to do is be faster."

"Without a Sharingan, you have no hope," Sasuke bluntly states. Though, thinking of his current power level, he can't help but voice his own shortcomings. "But even with one, it's still not… I need more power."

Turning to the door as Kakashi enters the room with his little orange book in hand, Naruto finishes, "you and me both."

"Isn't this nice to see," Kakashi remarks with a humored tone. "Teammates bonding."

"You know I don't like unannounced visits," Sasuke reminds his whimsical sensei yet again.

"Just came to pass along a note," the sensei voices before shooting Naruto a folded slip of paper.

His interest peaked, Naruto reads curiously before he excitedly whoops. Hopping to his feet, Naruto yells, "hell yeah! I gotta go!"

"We're not done," Sasuke calls out as the blond hops to the sliding door.

Naruto calls over his shoulder as he leaves, "I pretty much told you everything, but we can talk more tomorrow!"

Kakashi turns to Sasuke and asks, "care to tell me what you talked about?"

"No," he replies. Sasuke needs time with the information. He needs to research, however, he also needs more power and asks, "I'd rather train."

TEMARI

The sand siblings hear a group of guards approaching before they eventually open the cell door to allow a beaming Naruto in. He's dressed in his orange and black uniform, however, with a red cloak with black flames at the hem. It's similar to the Hokage's cloaks, only without a collar. Temari got over her shock of seeing him in an instant for the merriment of his presence.

"Temari-chan," Naruto calls as he rushes to hug her. Despite her brothers around her, Temari hugs him back in part because it's the fourth day of isolation and she really missed him. He lost consciousness after Gaara's fight and she hadn't heard anything about him since. Additionally, it's far too easy to enjoy his warmth against her.

He then turns to Gaara and he extends a fist with a smile. To Temari's surprise, her brother actually smiles. It was a small thing but she hasn't seen anything so innocent on his face for years. Temari couldn't know that the moment the Jinchūriki bump fists, Kurama telepathically connects with Shukaku and it isn't long before the chakra brothers begin bickering. Temari isn't sure why Naruto rolls his eyes until he comments to Gaara, "children, am I right?"

"I can hear them," Gaara gasps in surprise, mildly helping Temari deduce what's happening. "I've never… experienced this side of that voice."

"You know, I think you should talk to Shukaku more," Naruto suggests to her brother, scaring her to high heaven. "You might discover a good friendship. I know I have."

Gaara asks him, "is that why you're so strong?"

"Mnn… it's hard to say," Naruto slowly replies with a wondering face. "Haku always says you can't become truly strong unless you're protecting those you love and I believe him. So, I guess it doesn't matter if I was a Jinchūriki, or not." When he says, "I'd still do everything in my power to protect my special people," Temari wonders if she's one of those people.

"Uh, are you saying you're actually friends with the giant chakra monster inside you," Kankurō asks.

"He's not a monster," Naruto replies, before telling them, "none of them are. They're just misunderstood." Turning to Gaara, he assures him, "I can help you with Shukaku if you want."

"I would be… grateful," Gaara affirms, making Temari appreciate Naruto even more. Not a single person has ever reached her little brother so profoundly, and she's all too thrilled it was someone as kind as Naruto.

"No problem," he says with a smile. He turns to the three and asks, "so how are they treating you? I'm not going to lie, I was scared they were torturing you guys for information."

"As children of the Kazekage, that would be unlikely," Temari explains, humored.

With a long exhale, he expresses, "good. Listen, they didn't give me a lot of time and I have no idea how long this might take-"

"If it's about the Omiai, I consent to the marriage," Temari proclaims. The moment he arrived, she thought that's was the reason for his visit. Though she can't claim to know him, she simply didn't see him agreeing to the marriage without talking to her first.

Shocked and wide-eyed, Naruto blurts out, "really?" Staring between siblings a brief moment, Naruto tells Temari, "I don't understand. Does that mean… you love me?"

"No," Temari delicately confesses, before elaborating, "at least, not completely. I respect you; which I value just as much. I think you're strong, caring, funny, and intriguing. When we were together, it would've been all too easy for you to take advantage of me, but you never did-"

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Kankurō spouts, "wait, seriously?"

Gaara curiously asks, "were you aware of what we were planning?"

Turning to her brothers, she demands more than asks, "can you give us some space, please?" Aside from the small bathroom, there isn't another room in the empty rectangle, meaning Gaara and Kankurō simply walked to the opposite wall. Leaning against the stone wall, Temari quietly speaks to her blond betrothed, "I can't predict the future, Naruto, but I have a strong suspicion it'll be better with you in my life than without, and that's enough for me."

As she anticipated, he asks, "but what if you regret marrying me months or years from now?"

"I understand we're practically strangers," she starts. "But I think I don't need to know _**all**_ the details to glimpse the person you truly are. I can infer your character simply by the way you treated me, my brother, and enemies who attack your village. I'm sure we'll have our disagreements but that's normal in any relationships and I'm certain we can work it out." Taking a moment to collect her courage, she can feel a little blush on her cheeks when she declares, "you're the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, Naruto, and I don't think I'll regret being your wife."

"…Wow," he eventually sounds. "First, I definitely wouldn't mistreat you, but before you decide-"

"I've already decided," she flatly insists.

"I can't let you," he returns, surprising her some. "Not until you know everything."

An image of a girl with a blank face pops into her mind, causing Temari to ask, "you mean the woman you love?" At his nod, she voices, "knowing politics like I do, I'd imagine they want your first wife to be from Konoha." Naruto's raised eyebrows is confirmation enough, when she adds, "don't look so shocked. It's not a hard assumption to make. It's the smart play."

He seems resistant to the political landscape to her, and isn't surprised when he asks, "is it weird that this seems so wrong? I think you're amazing and I should be happy to be with you, but, I don't know. Maybe I just don't like how forced it all is."

Temari smiles and resists a surprising urge to kiss him for his sweetness. "You're an honorable person with integrity and values; practically the opposite of a politician. It makes me happy to see how worried you are for us; the potential wives," she adds with a joking mirth to her voice. Naruto smiles as she informs him, "not so long ago, marriages were often arranged to facilitate political or economical needs more than anything else. Political marriages go against our more modern beliefs of marrying for love but I know many examples of arranged marriages leading to great happiness. My parents, actually."

"Really?"

Nodding, Temari quickly explains, "before my mother died, my parents were very happy together. So much so I was shocked later when I learned that they had an arranged marriage. So, even though this is atypical, I know arranged marriages isn't a restriction on love or happiness. If anything, it's just a path less traveled."

"Like a choice," Naruto asks, and Temari was getting the impression he has experience choosing love rather than submitting to feeling all-consuming love. "My sensei… thinks it's a choice," he remarks. "She says if it were just a feeling, it would give us no accountability for our actions."

Nodding in agreement, it suddenly dawns on Temari that she's looking at her future husband—the man she will be sharing her bed, her home, and her family for the rest of her life. She recalls a private conversation with her mother. A young girl in two pigtails at the time, she remembers she couldn't understand why her father was so cold. As she recalls her precious mother's words, Temari recites for Naruto, "'love is patient and kind. It doesn't envy, boast, or pride. It doesn't dishonor others, it's not self-seeking, it's not easily angered, and it keeps no records of wrongs. Love doesn't delight in evil, but rejoices in truth. It protects, trusts, hopes, and always perseveres.' If that's not you, Uzumaki Naruto, I don't know what love is."

The way his clear blue eyes soften for her, as if he sees to the heart of her, Temari's heart beats a lot faster under his admiring gaze. Happily, he communicates, "if that's how you really feel… okay." Then, as if suddenly remembering, he adds, "I say okay, but I have to talk with my lady first. We actually haven't spoken about all this yet."

"That's going to be a fun conversation," Temari teases, enjoying Naruto's growing apprehension.

KURENAI

It's late in the evening and Kurenai's kitchen is silent and tense. After a full day of interrogations, following every lead that might uncover Orochimaru and Kabuto's network, Kurenai had very little time to think about this morning or her crazy ideas. She told the Sandaime about Hinata and Ino, but she failed to submit her own name. She thinks herself weak for not being brave in the face of such scrutiny, however, she hadn't planned to reveal her relationship with Naruto anytime soon, let alone to the leader of her village.

Kurenai doesn't know what Temari will decide and Kurenai's mind goes back and forth between opposing the Omiai or supporting it. At its core, supporting it means they can all be together, while opposing it means Naruto will choose her, which she would have to reject to avoid hurting Hinata irrevocably. Her day was all questions and no answers, only to come home to a man demanding answers from her.

Setting a cup of tea in front of him, Kurenai begins, "so, what did you want to talk about?"

"The truth," Asuma replies, taking the cup and setting it to the side.

Standing rather than sitting, the casual gesture of placing the beverage to side underlines to Kurenai how seriously he's taking this. Not that it was the only indication that he was upset and barely holding it in. From the moment Kurenai opened the front door for him, his shoulders were squared, his jaw tense, and his brown eyes seemed hardened and tired. Gone was the ease and affection of someone in love. Standing before her now is someone on a mission.

"And what truth is that," Kurenai asks.

"Stop," Asuma slowly but forcefully says. "No games, no lies, no hiding. I deserve the truth, and believe me, I get how hypocritical that sounds after keeping you in the dark about the princess, but it's been months already. If I mean anything to you, you'll be honest with me now."

"About my _**private**_ life," Kurenai points out.

"Yes," he readily admits. "Because I still love you. And I want to be with you. I thought you felt the same until… I saw the way he smiled at you… the way you looked at him. It was like an epiphany went off in my head, then pieces started coming together. I thought back to all the times he's been around, the times you've been together, and how long you've been so distant-"

"I haven't been distant-"

"I'm not an idiot, Kurenai," he cuts in. Trying to maintain eye contact, Kurenai employs her mask of indifference as he continues. "Spending all this time with him, the flower he gave you, Anko's shift in attitude; from being worried about you, to suddenly being fine again, as if… as if you've moved on. The way he protected you. It all paints a picture and I'd appreciate it if you stop lying and tell me the truth." Though his face is hard with his own mask, his voice is laced with his pain, and it nearly breaks Kurenai's mask. "Have you… Why don't-" he hesitates to ask but his eyes never waver as he continues. "Are you in love with someone else?"

Asuma has always been direct in his suave and easy-going demeanor. Though this is hurting them both, he's not running away. Not like she did earlier in the Hokage's office. So Kurenai takes her stand now, and answers simply, "yes."

"Is it Naruto?" When Kurenai doesn't respond, Asuma tightens his fist as he asks louder, "are you in love with a sixteen-year-old boy?"

The judgment she's always feared stabs her right in the chest, but she doesn't let it show as she tells him, "I've moved on, Asuma."

A crack in his mask, his eyebrows draw closer as he asks, "have you? Or do you only think you have?"

With a huff, she retorts, "oh, don't. I'm not deluding myself-"

"This is our chance," Asuma calls out. Square-shouldered, standing up straight, he emphasizes, "_**our**_ chance… for the home, the marriage, the children we've always wanted. I'm finally free to be with you, fully, committed. I know you don't want me in the field anymore but we can talk about that, together. The life we dreamed of… we can have that now."

"I haven't just been waiting this entire time," Kurenai slowly responds. Her own mask cracking, Kurenai nibbles on her lower lip before asserting, "certainly, you made me feel safe when we were together and we have a lot in common. You're strong and protective, handsome, kind, and thoughtful. If nothing changed, I feel like we would've married, had a child, and if you quit fieldwork, grow old together raising our son or daughter. I'm sure I would've been happy."

"Nothing's changed," he implores. "We can still have that."

Thinking of her old self, Kurenai had no other response but, "no, Asuma. Everything's changed."

Slowly placing his palms on the kitchen island between them, he leans forward as he argues, "no, you still love me. I know you do."

"You're my first love," she readily admits. "And will always have a place in my heart, but I've made the choice to move on to a larger picture and I don't see myself going back anymore. The world is bigger now, my will is stronger, and I can't see myself as the same girl you knew."

His eyes sharpen and his lips flatten in a terse line before he demands to know, "is it Naruto?"

"Asuma-"

"Stop toying with me and answer the question!"

Asuma realized his own elevated emotions and takes a step back with a deep calming breath. As he calms down, Kurenai may or may not have answered the question but they both sense someone walking onto her property. Kurenai's gut immediately shrivels to the size of a bean when the individual's chakra has the clearance to enter her home. Her blond love, looking dashing in his new look, enters the living space before spotting her and Asuma in the kitchen.

"Hey guys," Naruto cheerfully calls out with a wave.

Asuma seems to have lost his composure as he turns to Naruto like a predator does on prey and Kurenai rushes to move ahead of him, moving between them as she calls out, "Asuma."

He stops a couple of feet in front of Naruto with Kurenai slightly to the side between them and asks the blond, "do you know what you've done?"

Like a fish out of water, Naruto is looking curiously lost between them as he slowly answers the stern man, "uh, what's going on?"

"Asuma, don't," Kurenai warns. "This has nothing to do with him."

He doesn't even look at her as he quickly responds, "doesn't it? Pretty sure it has _**everything**_ to do with him."

With squinted eyes, Naruto voices, "uh, did I miss something?"

"No," Kurenai answers, her red eyes planted on the gruff Jōnin in warning as she adds, "Asuma was just leaving."

Staying put and still ignoring her, Asuma returns, "you had your chance to tell me the truth. So let's ask Naruto."

"Ask me what?"

"Asuma!"

"Are you and Kurenai in love with each other?"

The immediate silence is deafening. With raised eyebrows, Naruto's face is stunned into a panicked and guilty countenance, and it's all the confirmation Asuma needs. His response is even less convincing. "Uh, what? N-no," Naruto tries miserably. "W-what would ever-"

His large chest intakes air sharply and his brows crease angrily as he glares down at the blond. Losing all patience, Kurenai's had enough, interjecting, "it's okay, Naruto."

In an attempt to cope with the betrayal, he takes out his pack of cigarettes as he asks her, "oh, is it-"

"Stop," she interrupts. "You and I have haven't been official in over a year and have been completely through seven months ago. Whatever the reason, no matter the circumstances, I've moved on. It's time you do the same."

Glaring at her, he vindictively retorts, "sorry, not into children."

"Woah," an offended Naruto hollers. "Don't think for one second this '_child'_ can't kick your ass."

Returning angry eyes of her own, Kurenai demands he, "please leave."

Asuma returns his ire on the blond as he asks, "we were going to get married, Naruto. Did you know that? Did you know we talked about having children and sharing our lives together in this very house? The house her parents left for her." Before an alert Naruto can even answer, Asuma demands to know, "do you really think someone like you—_**you**_… a genin, a child—can give her a better life than I can?"

"Hey," Kurenai calls, stepping in front of him. "I asked you to leave."

"Sure, Kurenai," he gruffly answers, chuckling in humorless amusement before lighting a cigarette. He takes a drag before declaring, "let me just hear it from Naruto."

Standing beside Kurenai, Naruto repeats, "she asked you to leave-"

"No, no, no," the Jōnin interjects. "Let me hear how you're going to love and care for her for the rest of her life. Tell me this isn't some sort of sad fling between miserable people. I'm ready to love her, marry her, take care of her and our family for the rest of my life. Can you tell me the same thing?"

"Yeah, I can," he declares. Turning to her, he adds, "I don't think I've ever loved a woman more."

When a softness graces her eyes, Asuma tells her, "you're a disappointment," before turning to Naruto and adding, "both of you." Before Kurenai can say more he walks around them and leaves the house, slamming the door behind him. After the walls stop shaking, Kurenai exhales before plopping her weary form on the couch.

Taking it all in for several seconds, Naruto sits on the coffee table in front of her and simply waits. She's leaning back with her hands covering her eyes and nose as she processes the madness capping her incredibly long day. Aware that Naruto is here for her but not pushing, Kurenai voices through her fingers, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was with Asuma before you."

"It's cool," she hears and senses that he means it. "I mean it's shocking, but, it doesn't change how I feel about you."

Removing her hands and leaning forward, leaving only a few inches between their faces. It's amazing how happy she instantly begins feeling just at the sight of his strong, expressive, and support eyes. Kurenai feels comfortable around him, asking with a hopeful innocence, "do you really love me?"

She loves his cocky smile as he responds, "without a doubt."

Looking away a moment to wipe a bit of moisture from her eye, she drags Naruto to sit beside her on the couch. Once she's comfortably snug against him, she slowly asks, "and the Omiai?"

She feels him shrug as he asks, "what about it? If you're not down, then it's not even an option."

Feeling at peace with his response, and after this confrontation, she's sensed her evolution more acutely than ever before. Kurenai truly does feel apart of something bigger than herself with Naruto and it excites her to know the future will be brighter in Naruto's life, than not. Now that Asuma knows, she has to assume others will find eventually out; Hinata and her teammates specifically. Kurenai feels like she's on the clock, and quickly makes plans for tomorrow. She isn't sure who Asuma will talk to, she simply hopes she has enough time to alert those closest to her first.

In the spirit of tomorrow, Kurnai asks a distracted Naruto, "Temari-chan agreed to the Omiai, hasn't she?"

Continuing to rub her round rump in a circular motion, Naruto replies, "huh? Oh, yeah. How'd you know?"

"Because it's you," she lightly answers, turning to press her chest more into him. Kurenai's sure they haven't had dinner yet, but nourishment is forgotten in favor of her favorite meat-stuffing as she adds, "and I'd say yes too."

Tilting his dazed eyes to look at her directly, he asks for clarity, "really?" With her smiling nod, Naruto's foggy brain then asks, "uuuh, does that mean what I think it means?"

Placing her hand on his rapidly arising members, she assures him, "it means I'm all in Uzumaki Naruto. You, me, and anything life has to offer."

* * *

First, thank you to my s. Your monetary support encourages me everyday to write through all the stress at work(8 people got COVID! 8!). I'm practically living at my job. If you anyone would like to show their appreciation with a tip, pay - tre - on /graefoxx. Or you could check out my first novel Belladonna by Grae Foxx on Amazon. I reread it recently… damn, I got better.

Many of you rightfully pointed out what Naruto did was treason. Of course I thought so as well. I just figured Jiraiya would cover him because I didn't think Naruto had the mental scope to see that. I want Naruto to start thinking like a leader, which means he needs to mess up a bit so he can learn from it. There will be more on that in the next update.

So, if it's not apparent yet, I'm not planning on doing the CRA trope(Clan Restoration Act), not that I don't like it. I think it's an awesome idea and it makes sense. I just wanted to see if I can do something else that's a little more grounded. Not that I'm taking credit for this political marriage aspect I'm introducing. I think I remember a Naruto/Temari fic that centered around that. So it's not new, but, I did giggle with laughter at amending the Omiai to have sister-wives. Considering the Daimyō is the law of the land, it made sense to me that their seal would approve it. I'll touch on this more later since this isn't new to history.

Kurenai is all in now and there is no going back for her. 😍😎✨❤ It took a while, but I did it. I've already started the ground work for the other girls so look forward to that.

I know Naru-nii hasn't been front and center in a while but he's still around. I just don't write it. He should be coming back soon. Mabui, Samui, and Mei are also coming back soon. If not in the next update then the one after. Also, apologies. No lemons in this one. Too much setup to fit in, but soon. Trust that I want the lemon😙 .

I also want to apologize for chapter 32. It was a hard and stressful time so the chapter didn't meet my usual standards. For instance, Gaara's fight with Naruto confused people and I don't like confusing my readers. At some point I will go back and edit it. Maybe when this whole pandemic is over and we can return to our normal lives. So, again, sorry.

For people who keep asking, no I'm not going to kill off Sasuke, lol. It's so funny how many of you want me to do so, but let me adjust his world view a bit before your final judgment. Kakashi is finally going to start being relevant. And I finally get to tackle some of the canon story I've been dying to get to. YES! I do feel for my boy Asuma. He's a cool guy but I'm sure this feels like betrayal to him. All I'll say is I have plans.

I think that's everything. Thank you all again, from the bottom of my writer's heart. You guys are my life blood. Please let me know your thoughts or any errors I might've made. It's how I learn. For instance, I wanted to make Naruto more nervous about confessing his polyamorous views to Kurenai, but, I/he also knew that if it wasn't with her than he didn't want it, which I think would make him less nervous. Things like that, too much/too little make me flip flop often and you guys help me find the line. So thank you again in advance friends ❤

Stay safe guys,

-Grae


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